51-53 Regent Street Brighton East - James Home Ratings

1,540 sqm dual-frontage Brighton East block,  Tennis court, corner site, $6M+ ask. High potential but complex design and planning challenges.

51–53 Regent Street, Brighton East – James Home Rating 601

This is a very large 1,540 sqm development block with two street frontages in a residential zone — essentially two side-by-side blocks of around 770 sqm each. One block holds a north–south tennis court (fronting Regent Street), the other — on the corner of Canberra Grove — holds a house that, frankly, is a bulldozer candidate. The bricks are difficult to work with, the floor plan is awkward, and it’s not the sort of home you’d keep if you’re paying the quoted $6 million.

For the right buyer, the opportunity is in the rebuild. But with a likely $3–$4 million construction cost on top of purchase, you’re looking at a $10 million outlay — a figure that’s rare for Brighton East, with only a handful of $7M+ land sales on much smaller parcels.

Design choices matter here:

• If you don’t want the tennis court — use the Canberra Grove access, create a deep, substantial home with a big garden, and maximise livability.
• If you keep the tennis court where it is — you’ll be forced into a shallow floor plan on Canberra Grove, entering almost onto the court itself, which limits design appeal.
• If you swap the tennis court to the corner — you could create a substantial Regent Street home with a north-facing rear, but you’ll face planning hurdles, corner-block building restrictions, and streetscape considerations.

At roughly $4,000 per sqm, the ask is at the top end of the market. It’s a block with potential — but also with significant complexity that only a clear vision (and deep pockets) will resolve.