Mixed-use development at 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood

To the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,

I am an owner and resident of High Park Tower (813 Pacific Highway / 14 Brown Street, Chatswood). I wish to express my concerns regarding the potential impacts of the proposed development at 815 Pacific Highway.

I understand that Chatswood is expected to accommodate additional housing and that change is part of living in a strategic centre. However, I believe developments of this scale should be very carefully assessed to ensure that the impacts on existing communities are appropriately managed.

My primary concerns relate to the prolonged construction period that will be required to demolish the existing building, excavate multiple basement levels and construct a tower of approximately 61 storeys. Even though my apartment does not directly overlook the site, I expect that construction activities will still affect my daily life through noise, vibration, dust and increased heavy vehicle movements in the surrounding streets.

Like many residents, I regularly use the residential entrance on Brown Street and walk through Help Street to access local shops, Medical Centre and other services in Chatswood. I am very concerned that construction traffic, delivery vehicles, temporary road closures and changes to pedestrian routes may reduce safety and make access to and from the building more difficult over an extended period.

I am also concerned about the operational impacts once the development is completed. The proposal will introduce more than 500 new apartments, together with associated visitors, deliveries, ride-share vehicles, service vehicles and waste collection activities. Concentrating these activities onto Help Street has the potential to increase congestion and create conflicts with the existing operation of High Park Tower, particularly as Help Street already accommodates servicing activities for our building.

High Park Tower is an established mixed-use building with commercial premises on the lower levels and residential apartments above. This means the building operates throughout the day and evening, with residents, visitors, contractors and businesses all relying on safe and efficient access. I encourage the Department to consider how the proposed development will affect the ongoing operation of this existing mixed-use community.

Although increased housing is an important objective, I believe that existing residents should NOT be expected to bear unreasonable impacts without careful assessment and appropriate mitigation measures.

I respectfully ask the Department to give careful consideration to the following matters before determining the application:
• the duration and management of construction impacts;
• protection of pedestrian safety around Help Street and Brown Street;
• maintaining reliable access to High Park Tower throughout construction;
• management of construction traffic and heavy vehicles;
• the cumulative effect of increased traffic and servicing demands once the development is occupied.

Should the proposal be approved, I request that comprehensive conditions be imposed to minimise impacts on neighbouring residents and to ensure that access to High Park Tower remains safe and reliable throughout both the construction and operational phases of the development.

Thank you for considering my submission.

Thank you for the invitation to comment on this SSDA.
My previous Submission was a placeholder pending my review of the associated Application documentation and underlying NSW Government policy regarding social and affordable housing.
I am particularly concerned to see projects in my area deliver an effective increase in the supply of new affordable residential apartments and increased ongoing supply of affordable rentals.
While I am not opposed to an increase in the height of new developments per se, provided it achieves the outcome of increased supply of new affordable apartments and ongoing supply of additional rentals, there is no data in the SSDA to ensure that outcome. Any agreement to an amendment to the SSDA is conditional on ensuring such an outcome. My preference is that the entirety of new residential apartments on this site are all affordable via ownership or rental. While other factors may limit the overall height of this development, the location's urban character exhibits a higher socio-ceonomic profile due in large part to the high-incomes required to own/invest in the high capital value real-property which in turn drives higher retail prices and flow-on higher cost-of-living. For example, the cost-of-ling in Chatswood is in the order of 20 percent greater than Epping/Eastwood precinct or 30 percent than the Cabramatter precint. Such variance can be ameliorated somewhat by increasing the supply of affordable dwellings and rentals in the Chatswood precint - a worthy social policy aim.
The scale of development must also impact the capacity of associated public schools, transport services and adjacent parks and gardens et al, all of which must be adapted to cope with whatever emerges from this development end-state. The detail and language of this SSDA appears silent on this precautionary development need.
Given the inevitable onset of hostile climate conditions, all new developments must provide for airconditioned apartments with contingency backup in the event of air-conditioning plant or power outages. Hence, the building end-state must be configued for whole-of-building air conditioning including vehicle parking space which can be adapted for contingency human habitation in the event of climate disaster conditions. Sub-terranean levels must also be configured for back-up pumping in the event of pump-failure in natural disaster flood-event conditions.
The Development end-state configuration must ensure at least one garage space is provided for every residential apartment and a cluster of 30 spaces for visitor parking. All these spaces must be configured for electric vehicle charging.
Being located on a very busy controlled intersection of the Pacific Highway, Help Street and Fullers Road, to minimise pedestrian wait-time in hostile climate conditions, the Development should include public tunnel-crossings under the Pacific Highway and Help Street.
Vehicle entry from and exit to Help Street will exacerbate existing congested traffic pattern at this intersection. The right turn prohibition from Pacific Highway Northbound forces traffic to turn earlier at Victoria Rd or later at Railway Street both of which already exhibit problematic turn right queue lengths.

**Submission of Objection – SSD‑87033962
Mixed‑Use Development – 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood**

To: Department of Planning and Environment
Project: SSD‑87033962 – Mixed‑Use Development, 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood
Exhibition Period: 23 June 2026 – 21 July 2026
Applicant Proposal: Demolition of existing building and construction of a 61‑storey mixed‑use tower containing 506 apartments, 100 affordable housing units, commercial/retail podium, and 8 basement levels.

1. Introduction
I wish to lodge a formal objection to the proposed State Significant Development at 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood. While I support well‑planned growth and appropriate density in strategic centres, this proposal presents significant and unacceptable impacts on local amenity, infrastructure capacity, environmental quality, and urban character.

2. Excessive Height, Bulk and Scale
The proposed 61‑storey height is substantially out of scale with the surrounding built form and exceeds typical Chatswood CBD tower envelopes.

The development will create overshadowing of nearby residential areas, public spaces, and key pedestrian corridors.

The tower’s bulk and massing will dominate the skyline, creating a canyon effect along Pacific Highway.

The proposal appears inconsistent with the Willoughby LEP height controls and lacks adequate justification for such a major exceedance.

This scale is not compatible with the transitional interface between the Chatswood CBD core and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

3. Significant Shadowing Impacts on the Community and Solar Access
The proposed tower will generate substantial new overshadowing across a wide area of Chatswood, with consequences that extend well beyond typical CBD development impacts.

Loss of Sunlight for Residents and Public Spaces
The height and massing will cast long, dense shadows over:

Existing residential buildings

Low‑rise dwellings on the CBD fringe

Public open spaces and pedestrian areas

Community facilities and local businesses

Reduced sunlight will negatively affect daily amenity, thermal comfort, and liveability for thousands of residents.

Impact on Existing Solar Panels and Renewable Energy Systems
Chatswood has a growing number of homes and businesses with rooftop solar installations.
The proposed tower will:

Block sunlight during peak solar generation hours

Reduce the efficiency and output of existing solar systems

Undermine investments residents have made in renewable energy

Conflict with NSW and Willoughby Council sustainability objectives

The Environmental Impact Statement does not adequately assess or quantify the loss of solar access, nor does it propose mitigation or compensation for affected households and businesses.

Non‑Compliance with Solar Access Principles
NSW planning policy emphasises:

Protection of solar access

Minimisation of overshadowing

Support for renewable energy adoption

This development fails to meet these principles and introduces avoidable environmental harm.

4. Lack of Definition and Transparency for “Affordable Housing”
The proposal states that 100 affordable housing units will be included, yet the EIS and project documentation do not define what “affordable housing” means in this context.

There is no information provided on:

Eligibility criteria or income bands

Whether the units comply with the Housing SEPP (2021) definition

How rents will be set and maintained

Whether a registered community housing provider will manage the units

The duration for which the units must remain affordable

Compliance with incentive mechanisms or planning bonuses

How the affordable housing component justifies the significant height and density uplift

Without this detail, the affordable housing component cannot be properly assessed and should not be used to justify major planning concessions.

This omission represents a critical deficiency in the proposal and undermines transparency, accountability, and public trust.

5. Traffic, Transport and Road Network Impacts
Chatswood already experiences significant congestion, particularly along Pacific Highway, Help Street, and the station interchange.

The proposal introduces:

506 new dwellings plus commercial/retail traffic

8 basement levels, increasing vehicle movements

Additional pressure on already constrained intersections

The Traffic Impact Assessment does not adequately demonstrate how the road network will absorb increased peak‑hour traffic or maintain pedestrian safety.

6. Strain on Local Infrastructure and Services
Chatswood’s infrastructure is already under pressure, and this development would significantly worsen existing constraints.

Schools at or Near Capacity
Local schools—including Chatswood High School, Chatswood Public School, and nearby primary campuses—are already at or near enrolment capacity.
The addition of more than 500 new dwellings will:

Increase demand for school places

Exacerbate overcrowding

Require additional staffing, facilities, and resources

Potentially force families to seek schooling outside their local catchment

The EIS does not provide a credible plan or contribution strategy to address this foreseeable impact.

Chatswood Train Station Capacity and Safety
Chatswood Station is one of Sydney’s busiest interchange points and is already:

Narrow in key platform areas

Congested during peak periods

Frequently operating at crush‑load conditions

Challenged by limited vertical circulation (stairs, escalators, lifts)

Adding thousands of new residents and visitors from this development will:

Increase platform crowding

Heighten safety risks

Slow passenger movement

Reduce accessibility for elderly and mobility‑impaired users

Strain the station’s already limited capacity

The proposal does not demonstrate how Chatswood Station will safely accommodate this additional load.

Community Facilities and Public Spaces
Local parks, libraries, community centres, and recreation facilities are already heavily utilised.
The proposal does not sufficiently address contributions or mitigation measures to support the additional population.

7. Privacy, Wind and Amenity Impacts
The tower will result in:

Significant overshadowing (as outlined above)

Loss of privacy for nearby residents

Increased wind tunnelling at street level

Reduced solar access to public spaces

The EIS does not demonstrate that these impacts have been mitigated to an acceptable level.

8. Environmental and Sustainability Concerns
The proposal lacks sufficient detail on:

Urban heat mitigation

Green infrastructure

Water management

Energy efficiency beyond minimum compliance

A development of this scale should demonstrate best‑practice sustainability, not baseline compliance.

9. Construction Impacts
The demolition and construction of an 8‑level basement and 61‑storey tower will cause:

Long‑term noise and vibration

Traffic disruption

Dust and air quality impacts

Safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists

The Construction Management Plan lacks sufficient detail on mitigation and staging.

10. Inconsistent with Desired Future Character
Chatswood’s planning controls emphasise:

Balanced density

Human‑scale street interfaces

Protection of residential amenity

Sustainable growth

This proposal is inconsistent with the desired future character and represents overdevelopment of the site.

11. Conclusion
For the reasons outlined above, I request that the Department of Planning and Environment:

Reject the proposed development in its current form; or

Require substantial redesign, including reduced height, improved amenity protections, stronger sustainability measures, and more robust infrastructure contributions.

The proposal, as exhibited, presents unacceptable impacts on Chatswood’s community, environment, and infrastructure.

It's beyond me how this building is not heritage-listed. Not only is it a great example of 70s space-age design, it is also clear that local residents have an emotional attachment to it, from people who remember dining in the top-floor restaurant to people like me who drive past and simply admire the bold design and external elevator that make you marvel at it. The only permitted design should be reuse of existing building structure. It should also be mentioned the demolition of such a large - and structurally sound - building creates an unnecessarily large carbon footprint.

OBJECTION TO STATE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT (SSD)
Attn: Ryan White, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Application Number: SSD-87033962
Project Name: Mixed Use Development – 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood
Submission By: Resident of 809 Pacific Highway, Chatswood NSW 2067
Date: July 1, 2026
To the Assessment Officer,
I am writing to formally lodge my strong objection to State Significant Development application SSD-87033962. As a direct immediate neighbor residing at 809 Pacific Highway (The Leura Building), my household will bear the brunt of the profound, multi-year construction and amenity impacts introduced by this over-scaled $577-million proposal.
While I recognize the need for housing close to the Chatswood Interchange, this specific application represents a massive, highly aggressive overdevelopment. It seeks a significant 7-storey vertical uplift from what was previously endorsed, forcing an unprecedented 61-storey tower onto a severely constrained site footprint. If approved in its current state, it will cause irreversible degradation to the surrounding residential precinct.
I urge the Department to reject or fundamentally downscale this application based on the following concrete, factual planning grounds:
1. Cumulative Infrastructure Stress on the Pacific Highway Corridor
The addition of 490 residential apartments—coupled with commercial podium spaces—will place immense, permanent pressure on local utilities, public spaces, and traffic. Crucially, the Department must assess this proposal cumulatively alongside other neighboring massive projects. The localized infrastructure, schools, and arterial road networks cannot absorb this sudden density spike without collapsing service quality for existing residents.
2. Geotechnical and Structural Risks of an 8-Level Basement
The proposal to excavate up to 8 underground basement levels next to the heavily trafficked Pacific Highway poses severe structural risks to the immediate area.
• Ground Shifting & Subsidence: Removing this volume of earth threatens to alter the structural load-bearing capacity of adjacent ground. As a resident of 809 Pacific Highway, I demand strict safety buffers against structural shift or ground settlement.
• Vibration Damage: Subterranean rock-sawing through Chatswood's Hawkesbury sandstone will send low-frequency vibrations straight into our building's foundations over a prolonged excavation phase. This creates a high risk of cosmetic and structural cracking to older high-density properties nearby.
3. Chronic Loss of Amenity, Dust, and Heavy Vehicle Safety
A 4-to-5-year construction window will destroy the liveability of 809 Pacific Highway. The high-volume movement of demolition, excavation, and concrete staging vehicles directly outside our front doors presents an immediate risk to pedestrian safety and traffic flow. Furthermore, the immense dust generation from tearing down the existing 14-storey concrete office block will severely lower the air quality for surrounding residential balconies.
4. Excessive Height and Wind Tunnel Precedents
At 61 storeys, this design breaks all reasonable setback and height guidelines for the western flank of the highway. It establishes a dangerous precedent, creating a harsh "walling effect" that will trap vehicle emissions, plunge neighboring streets into permanent shadow, and create dangerous localized wind-tunnel down-drafts for pedestrians at ground level.

Mandated Conditions of Consent Demanded by Residents:
Should the Department proceed with approval despite community opposition, I demand the absolute enforcement of the following legally binding consent conditions:
1. Vibration & Structural Accountability: The developer must fully fund a comprehensive pre-construction and post-construction structural Dilapidation Report for 809 Pacific Highway, alongside installing continuous, independent real-time seismic vibration monitors on our boundary.
2. Strict Construction Curfews: Rock-breaking and high-impact structural work must be strictly prohibited on weekends, evenings, and early mornings to protect the mental health and sleep cycles of adjacent residents.
3. Driveway Protection & Traffic Management: A legally binding traffic mandate ensuring construction vehicle queuing never blocks, restricts, or delays access to the 809 Pacific Highway resident parking driveway.

Declaration of Political Donations: I formally declare that I have not made any reportable political donations or gifts to any local councillor or employee of the NSW Department of Planning within the past two years.

I am writing to formally lodge my objection to the State Significant Development (SSD) application (SSD-87033962) and the concurrent rezoning proposal for 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood.
As a local resident, I am deeply concerned that the scale of this proposed 61-storey shop top housing development will severely impact our local community. While I acknowledge the need for diverse housing options, the sheer density and height of this proposal represent an overdevelopment of the site that fails to respect the local context.
My objections are centered on the following key issues:
1. Severe Impact on Quality of Living During Demolition and Construction
The proposal involves the total demolition of existing structures and massive site preparation works, including the excavation of 9 basement levels. The scale of these works will drastically diminish the quality of living for surrounding residents over a prolonged period. The community will be subjected to:
Excessive Noise and Vibration: Heavy machinery, excavation, and drilling across 9 basement levels will cause significant, disruptive noise and structural vibration risks to neighboring properties.
Dust and Air Pollution: Demolition and continuous heavy vehicle movements will severely compromise local air quality.
Traffic Gridlock: The Pacific Highway and surrounding Chatswood arteries are already heavily congested. The influx of construction vehicles and heavy trucks will bottleneck local traffic, impacting daily commutes and safety.
2. Strain on Infrastructure and Shortage of Common Facilities
The development introduces an immense volume of high-density living—comprising 490 new dwellings. An influx of this scale will place an unsustainable burden on an area already facing unplanned shortages of vital common facilities.
Public Infrastructure Deficit: The local area lacks the commensurate planned upgrades to public open spaces, recreational facilities, schools, and medical services required to absorb thousands of new residents.
Inadequate Parking and Traffic Management: Proposing only 156 residential car parking spaces for 490 dwellings will inevitably force hundreds of additional vehicles onto local streets, worsening the chronic parking shortages in Chatswood.
3. Inappropriate Rezoning and Excessive Building Height
I strongly object to the concurrent rezoning proposal to amend the Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012 (WLEP 2012). Increasing the maximum building height standard dramatically from RL246.80 to RL310.28 to accommodate a 61-storey tower is unacceptable. This extreme increase sets a dangerous precedent for the area, will create significant visual overshadowing, and completely disregards the established local planning controls designed to protect the amenity of Chatswood.
Conclusion
For the reasons outlined above, the proposed 61-storey development is an over-saturation of the site that threatens the liveability of our neighborhood. I urge the Department and the Minister to refuse consent for this application in its current form and protect the infrastructure and amenity of the Chatswood community.
Thank you for considering this submission.

Re: SSD 87033962 815 Pacific Hwy Chatswood

I am making a submission regarding this development as long-term owner and occupier of 201/14 Brown St Chatswood. My penthouse apartment is on Level 19 facing North and directly overlooking the proposed development site. I have many problems with this proposed development.
Firstly, the landmark 1970s BMA Tower should be preserved as a revolutionary historical building. I remember when it was built. Its unusual external “rocket ship” lift and top floor restaurant became tourist attractions.
Secondly, Brown Street and Victoria Avenue have become wind tunnels due to the canyon effect of the tall buildings with the westerly wind whipping aggressively through the void. The proposed development would turn Help Street into another undesirable wind tunnel and cavernous canyon.
The proposed development is also disproportionately large, being more than four times taller than the current building and casting a chilling shadow over many apartments, businesses and even the nearby primary school, depriving everyone with natural light. Many apartments in my building, including my property and its rooftop balcony, will also be severely impacted with almost constant shade and an unacceptable loss of privacy with hundreds of the proposed apartments looking directly into the apartments. Are we expected to live with blinds permanently drawn?
Also, introducing more than a thousand additional people into this area which is already heavily populated in the Chatswood CBD area, must further compromise the already gridlocked traffic, accident blackspot and almost impossible availability of street parking.
I feel that the proposed size is hugely disproportionate to the area. Not only would the proposed development be the tallest building in Chatswood but this is further augmented because the proposed site is the highest point in the suburb, increasing the overall height in comparison to nearby buildings, dwarfing all around it.
Neighbouring properties will be subjected to years of noisy and dusty construction, bone-rattling deep excavation which must cause cracks in the nearby buildings and an endless stream of heavy vehicles along already dangerously congested streets.
I understand that building upwards is inevitable however the scale of this proposed development is not in keeping with the current environment for all the abovementioned reasons.
Thank you for considering my submission.

Re: State Significant Development Application SSD 87033962 – 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood

To the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,

I am the owner of a north-facing apartment in High Park Tower (813 Pacific Highway / 14 Brown Street, Chatswood). I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed development at 815 Pacific Highway.

I understand that Chatswood is an important strategic centre and that additional housing is needed. My concerns are not about continued developments in Chatswood which my family and I have not opposed before but about whether a development of this scale can be accommodated without creating unreasonable impacts on the infrastructure of the area and throughout the suburb. The height of the proposed development and a 61 storey tower significantly exceeds the height of buildings in the area and negatively impacts all residents and the skyline of Chatswood. I set out some key negative impacts below.

My apartment directly faces the proposed development site. One of the reasons my family and I chose this apartment was its access to natural daylight and its relatively open outlook across Help Street. We plan to live in this apartment after retirement and natural light is important to us, particularly during winter. I am concerned that the proposed 61-storey tower will significantly reduce daylight reaching my apartment and balcony.

The proposal also raises concerns about privacy. Given the height and proximity of the proposed building, I expect there will be many apartments looking directly towards High Park Tower. Even though separation distances may meet minimum planning controls, the cumulative effect of hundreds of additional apartments facing existing homes is likely to reduce the sense of privacy currently enjoyed by residents.

I am also concerned about the visual scale of the proposed tower. A building of approximately 61 storeys immediately opposite High Park Tower will create a much more enclosed environment along Help Street and substantially reduce the amount of visible sky from my apartment. While living in Chatswood means accepting change and higher density, I believe there should still be an appropriate balance between increasing housing supply and maintaining a reasonable living environment for existing residents.

Construction is another significant concern. The demolition of the existing building, excavation for multiple basement levels and construction of a tower of this size are likely to continue over several years. During that period, residents opposite the site will be exposed to prolonged noise, vibration, dust and heavy vehicle movements.

High Park Tower is also different from many neighbouring buildings because it contains both commercial premises and residential apartments. Residents live here every day while businesses continue to operate on the lower levels. I hope the Department carefully considers how the proposed development will affect this established mixed-use community, particularly given the reliance on Help Street for servicing and daily activities. I am concerned that construction traffic, delivery vehicles, temporary road closures and changes to pedestrian routes may reduce safety and make access to and from the building more difficult over an extended period.

I am also concerned about the operational impacts once the development is completed. The proposal will introduce more than 500 new apartments, together with associated visitors, deliveries, ride-share vehicles, service vehicles and waste collection activities. Concentrating these activities onto Help Street has the potential to increase congestion and create conflicts with the existing operation of High Park Tower.

I respectfully ask the Department to carefully assess the cumulative impacts of this proposal on existing residents, including sunlight, privacy, visual bulk, construction impacts and the overall residential amenity of High Park Tower and Chatswood.

Thank you for considering my submission.

To the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I am the owner and resident of a north-facing apartment in High Park Tower (813 Pacific Highway 124/14 Brown Street, Chatswood). I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed development at 815 Pacific Highway.
I understand that Chatswood is an important strategic centre and that additional housing is needed. My concerns are not about development itself, but about whether a development of this scale can be accommodated without creating unreasonable impacts on existing residents.
My apartment directly faces the proposed development site. One of the reasons I chose this apartment was its access to natural daylight and its relatively open outlook across Help Street. Natural light is an important part of my everyday living, particularly during winter, and I am concerned that the proposed 61-storey tower will significantly reduce daylight reaching my apartment and balcony.
The proposal also raises concerns about privacy. Given the height and proximity of the proposed building, I expect there will be many apartments looking directly towards High Park Tower. Even though separation distances may meet minimum planning controls, the cumulative effect of hundreds of additional apartments facing existing homes is likely to reduce the sense of privacy currently enjoyed by residents.
I am also concerned about the visual scale of the proposed tower. A building of approximately 61 storeys immediately opposite High Park Tower will create a much more enclosed environment along Help Street and substantially reduce the amount of visible sky from my apartment. While living in Chatswood means accepting change and higher density, I believe there should still be an appropriate balance between increasing housing supply and maintaining a reasonable living environment for existing residents.
Construction is another significant concern. The demolition of the existing building, excavation for multiple basement levels and construction of a tower of this size are likely to continue over several years. During that period, residents opposite the site will be exposed to prolonged noise, vibration, dust and heavy vehicle movements. These impacts will affect our daily lives well before the building is completed.
High Park Tower is also different from many neighbouring buildings because it contains both commercial premises and residential apartments. Residents live here every day while businesses continue to operate on the lower levels. I hope the Department carefully considers how the proposed development will affect this established mixed-use community, particularly given the reliance on Help Street for servicing and daily activities.
I respectfully ask the Department to carefully assess the cumulative impacts of this proposal on existing residents, including sunlight, privacy, visual bulk, construction impacts and the overall residential amenity of High Park Tower. If the application is approved, I request that appropriate design refinements and enforceable conditions be imposed to minimise impacts on neighbouring properties.
Thank you for considering my submission.

We the undersigned OBJECT to the proposed form of redevelopment of 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood. We are neighbours and 50years+ residents of Tessa St Chatswood.
We base our objections on the building’s proposed height and its environmental impact, its potential housing capacity negatively impacting both road traffic and public transport services.
HEIGHT
The Pacific Highway runs along the ridge line of northern Sydney either separating suburbs or splitting them into east and west areas. The Highway in Chatswood heretofore has had modest high-rise construction with taller buildings up to 40 storeys located away from the ridge line. The proposed tower 61 storeys (200 metres) will stand on the ridge line bringing it to approximately 310 metres (RL) above sea level, making it one of the highest buildings in Greater Sydney. With height and visual impact from near and afar comes shadowing and environmental disturbance. The proposed development will cast long shadows in morning and evening periods. Those shadows will impact vegetation and light penetration in homes, Chatswood Primary School and offices, changing with the seasons. Similarly, homes and businesses to the west and south of the tower will experience change in the predominant north-easterly summer breeze. The west facing apartments in the tower will require substantial electricity for air conditioning to be habitable in hot summer months while the building mass will radiate reflected and stored heat onto nearby properties.
TRAFFIC
The Pacific Highway at Chatswood is a long standing and well recognised choke point for traffic at peak times every day of the week. Those in the know use rat-runs through residential streets to speed up their journey. State roads authorities have introduced clearway and lane changing processes to manage the problem but for decades demand continues to exceed capacity. The excellent public transport available in Chatswood has not overcome traffic congestion and current public transport demand struggles to meet demand in peak travel periods.
This development next to the intersection of the Pacific Highway and Fullers Road is at the epicentre of traffic problems in Chatswood. It must be considered within the context of the current proposals for substantial expansion of high-rise housing on both sides of the Pacific Highway within 200 metres of this development.
Reducing housing shortage while knowingly adding to traffic congestion and the misuse of residential streets is poor planning.

We understand the need and we support the expansion of housing at transport hubs in Sydney. High rise housing is an essential part of meeting the demand but this and its nearby 60 storey development proposals are at a scale that cannot be absorbed into the area’s now fragile road system and without substantial impact on the changing local climate.
Christopher Scarf and Ana Scarf, 9 Tessa St, Chatswood
Monica Joyce, 7a Tessa St, Chatswood

To the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I’m an owner of High Park Tower at 813 Pacific Highway / 14 Brown Street in Chatswood. My apartment doesn’t face the proposed development site directly, but I do have serious concerns about the impacts from the new building going up at 815 Pacific Highway.
Though Chatswood will need to grow to accommodate additional housing & that change at the development site is part of living in a strategic centre, I believe any new developments must carefully consider the real impacts on the existing community.
My primary concerns relate to the prolonged construction period that will be required to demolish the existing building, excavate multiple basement levels and construct a tower of approximately 61 storeys. Even though my apartment does not directly
overlook the site, I expect that construction activities will still affect daily life for residents of Chatswood & my building through noise, vibration, dust and increased heavy vehicle movements in the surrounding streets.
The residents of the community on Brown Street use Help Street to access local shops, Medical Centre and other services in
Chatswood. I am concerned that construction traffic, delivery vehicles, temporary road closures and changes to pedestrian routes may reduce safety and make access to and from the building more difficult over an extended period.
I am also concerned about the operational impacts of the development once completed. The proposal will introduce more than 500 new apartments, together with associated visitors, deliveries, ride-share vehicles, service vehicles and waste collection activities. Concentrating these activities onto Help Street has the potentialto increase congestion and create conflicts with the existing operation of High Park Tower, particularly as Help Street already accommodates servicing activities for our
building.
High Park Tower is an established mixed-use building with commercial premises on the lower levels and residential apartments above. This means the building operates throughout the day and evening, with residents, visitors, contractors and businesses
all relying on safe and efficient access. I encourage the Department to consider how the proposed development will affect the ongoing operation of this existing mixed-use community.
Although increased housing is an important objective, I believe that existing residents should not be expected to bear unreasonable, I respectfully ask the Department to give careful consideration to the following matters before determining the application:
1. the duration and management of construction impacts;
2.  protection of pedestrian safety around Help Street and Brown Street;
3. maintaining reliable access to High Park Tower throughout construction;
4. management of construction traffic and heavy vehicles;
5. the cumulative effect of increased traffic and servicing demands once the development is occupied.
Should the proposal be approved, I request that comprehensive conditions be imposed to minimise impacts on neighbouring residents and to ensure that access to High Park Tower remains safe and reliable throughout both the construction and
operational phases of the development.
Thank you for considering my submission.

Tuesday 21 July 2026

TO: DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE
RE: MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT AT 815 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, CHATSWOOD (SSD-87033962)

Dear Sir/Madam,

We wish to lodge our objection to the proposed mixed-use development at 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood.

Our family has lived in the neighbouring area for approximately 25 years, giving us a strong understanding of the local environment, traffic conditions and the cumulative impacts of recent development in Chatswood. While we support appropriate development in well-serviced centres, we believe this proposal is excessive in scale and would have unacceptable impacts on surrounding residents.

BUILDING HEIGHT
The proposed 62-storey building significantly exceeds the existing planning controls for the site. Height controls are established to ensure development is compatible with the surrounding urban environment, protects residential amenity, and provides certainty for the community.

Any proposal to substantially exceed these controls should demonstrate a compelling public benefit and clearly show that adverse impacts have been avoided. In our view, this proposal has not adequately justified such a significant departure from the established planning framework.

OVERSHADOWING
The excessive height of the proposed building will result in increased overshadowing of residential properties on the eastern side of Pacific Highway, including homes along Fullers Road.

Our home has rooftop solar panels and battery storage, installed as a significant investment to reduce our reliance on the electricity grid and improve environmental sustainability. Increased overshadowing would reduce the effectiveness of our solar system by limiting access to direct sunlight during the day.

In addition, our small rear yard, which faces Pacific Highway, already receives limited sunlight. The additional shadow cast by a 62-storey building would further reduce sunlight to this private open space, diminishing its usability and our residential amenity.

Had the proposal been closer in scale to the existing planning controls, these impacts would likely have been substantially reduced.

TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION
The proposed increase in residential density, together with the additional basement parking, will inevitably generate more vehicle movements in an area that already experiences significant traffic congestion.

The intersections of Pacific Highway, Help Street and Fullers Road are regularly congested during peak periods. It is common to wait through multiple traffic light cycles before being able to proceed. Introducing a development of this scale is likely to further increase congestion, travel times and delays for local residents.

Given the existing traffic conditions, the intensity of this proposal appears excessive for the capacity of the surrounding road network.

CONCLUSION
For the reasons outlined above, I respectfully request that the Department refuse the application in its current form.
At a minimum, the proposal should be substantially reduced in height and scale so that it better complies with the established planning controls and minimises adverse impacts on neighbouring residents.

Thank you for considering our submission.

Yours faithfully,
[Name provided with submission but withheld from public publication]

To the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,

I am the owner of a commercial premises at Pacific Highway, Chatswood, located within High Park Tower and directly opposite the proposed mixed-use development at 815 Pacific Highway. I wish to formally express my concerns regarding the proposed 61-storey development.

My primary concern is the significant impact that several years of construction may have on my commercial property and the operation and viability of businesses within High Park Tower.

A development of this scale would inevitably involve prolonged construction noise, vibration, dust, road closures, temporary traffic changes, heavy construction vehicle movements and increased congestion. These disruptions may discourage customers from visiting the area, reduce pedestrian accessibility and negatively affect the income and long-term viability of existing local businesses.

Any disruption to vehicle access, loading and unloading facilities, parking availability, footpaths and customer access would also create substantial difficulties for deliveries, staff, customers and the day-to-day operation of businesses. For commercial property owners, several years of major construction directly opposite our premises may also affect the attractiveness, rental value and commercial value of our properties.

I am also seriously concerned about the additional pressure that a development of more than 60 storeys may place on the already heavily populated Chatswood CBD. The roads surrounding High Park Tower, including Brown Street, Help Street and Pacific Highway, already experience significant congestion, particularly during morning and afternoon peak hours. Some of these local access roads and intersections are relatively narrow and already operate under considerable pressure.

The addition of a very large number of new residents, together with additional vehicles, delivery services, removalists, visitors and commercial activity, may further worsen traffic congestion and create additional problems with parking, loading zones and local access. The cumulative traffic impact should therefore be carefully assessed based on the actual capacity of the surrounding local road network, rather than considering the proposed development in isolation.

There is also the broader issue of pressure on local infrastructure and essential services. Chatswood is already a high-density residential and commercial centre. A development of this scale would place further demand on roads, parking, public transport, electricity, water supply, waste management, emergency services and other community infrastructure.

In particular, I am concerned about the additional demand on local schools and educational facilities. Schools in the Chatswood area, including local public primary and secondary schools, already serve very large student populations and face considerable enrolment pressure. A major residential development introducing a substantial number of additional households is likely to further increase demand for school places and other educational resources. The capacity of existing schools and the need for additional educational infrastructure should therefore be carefully considered before approving further large-scale residential density.

I am also concerned about the wider and long-term impact that a 61-storey development may have on the character, scale and liveability of the Chatswood CBD. Approval of a development of this scale may establish a planning precedent for further extremely high-density developments in the immediate area. If similar developments follow, the cumulative impact on traffic, infrastructure, public services, local businesses, sunlight, privacy and the overall urban environment could be substantial and difficult to reverse.

The impact of such a major development should therefore not be assessed only in terms of the proposed building itself. The Department should carefully consider the cumulative and long-term consequences for existing residents, commercial property owners, businesses and the broader Chatswood community.

I respectfully request that the Department carefully consider:

1. The economic impact of several years of construction on existing businesses and commercial property owners;
2. The effects of construction noise, vibration, dust and prolonged disruption;
3. The impact on customer access, deliveries, loading facilities, parking and pedestrian movement;
4. The additional traffic congestion on Brown Street, Help Street, Pacific Highway and surrounding local roads;
5. The increased pressure on public transport, utilities and other essential infrastructure;
6. The additional demand on already heavily utilised local schools and educational facilities;
7. The potential impact on the value, attractiveness and viability of existing commercial properties and businesses; and
8. The long-term cumulative impact and planning precedent that a development of this scale may create for the Chatswood CBD.

I strongly request that the Department undertake a comprehensive assessment of these impacts and ensure that the interests of existing property owners, businesses, residents and the wider Chatswood community are properly considered before any approval is granted.

If the development is approved, strict and enforceable conditions should be imposed to minimise construction disruption, maintain access to existing businesses, manage traffic and deliveries, control noise and dust, and protect the ongoing operation and viability of surrounding commercial premises throughout the entire construction period.

Thank you for considering my submission.

Yours sincerely,

Owner of Commercial Premises

Submission Objecting to SSD-87033962
Mixed Use Development – 815 Pacific Highway, Chatswood

Executive Summary

The proposed 61-storey tower is excessively large in scale and bulk and will dominate the surrounding residential area.
The development is likely to cause significant privacy loss through direct overlooking of nearby apartments on Brown Street.
The proposal may materially reduce sunlight and outlook for neighbouring residents, affecting residential amenity.
Wind, traffic, construction, and cumulative congestion impacts have not been adequately addressed for a development of this scale.
The proposal should be refused in its current form or substantially redesigned to better protect neighbouring amenity and comply with the Housing SEPP and Apartment Design Guide.
To the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,

Re: State Significant Development Application SSD-87033962

I am the owner of Unit 22, 14 Brown Street, Chatswood. My apartment directly faces the proposed development site at 815 Pacific Highway and is likely to experience some of the most direct amenity impacts arising from this proposal.

While I recognise the need for additional housing in well-connected locations, I respectfully object to this proposal because I believe it will result in unacceptable impacts on the amenity of neighbouring residents and, in its current form, does not adequately demonstrate compliance with the relevant statutory planning framework, including the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (Housing SEPP) and the Apartment Design Guide.

My concerns are outlined below.

1. Excessive Height, Scale and Visual Bulk

The proposed 61-storey tower is substantially larger than surrounding development and will become an overwhelming visual presence when viewed from Brown Street.

The proposal represents an extremely intensive form of development on a relatively confined site. The height and bulk of the building will dominate the outlook from neighbouring residential apartments and fundamentally alter the existing character of the area.

Although Chatswood accommodates high-rise development, this proposal appears to push density beyond what is necessary to achieve good urban design outcomes.

I request the Department carefully assess whether the proposal satisfies the design quality principles in Schedule 9 of the Housing SEPP and the relevant built form, context, and amenity objectives in the Apartment Design Guide.

2. Loss of Privacy

My apartment directly faces the proposed building.

Hundreds of new apartments will overlook existing residential buildings on Brown Street. This will create substantial opportunities for direct overlooking into living rooms, bedrooms and balconies.

The Apartment Design Guide and the Housing SEPP require residential apartment development to achieve reasonable levels of privacy through appropriate building separation, orientation, screening and design. I request the Department carefully assess whether acceptable separation distances and privacy outcomes are genuinely achieved.

3. Loss of Outlook

My apartment currently enjoys an open outlook towards the Pacific Highway corridor.

The proposed tower would largely replace this outlook with an enormous building immediately opposite.

Although planning legislation does not guarantee preservation of private views, the Apartment Design Guide and the Housing SEPP require developments to respond appropriately to neighbouring amenity and to avoid unreasonable adverse impacts on adjoining residential properties.

The Department should consider whether the visual dominance of this building is excessive and whether the proposal unreasonably diminishes the outlook and visual amenity of nearby residents.

4. Overshadowing and Reduced Natural Light

The proposal has the potential to significantly reduce access to daylight for neighbouring apartments during parts of the year.

Natural sunlight contributes directly to residential amenity, energy efficiency and occupant wellbeing.

I request the Department independently verify the shadow analysis contained within the EIS rather than relying solely upon the applicant’s modelling.

The Apartment Design Guide contains solar access objectives for residential apartment development, and the proposal should be assessed against those benchmarks. If neighbouring apartments experience material losses of sunlight, the proposal should be redesigned through reductions in height or modifications to the building envelope.

5. Wind Impacts

Very tall towers commonly create uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe wind conditions at street level and around surrounding residential buildings.

The Department should require robust assessment of wind impacts for a development of this scale, including the likely effects on pedestrian comfort, building entrances, balconies and nearby public areas.

I request careful review of the wind assessment and whether mitigation measures are genuinely sufficient to ensure acceptable conditions for surrounding residents and the public domain.

6. Traffic and Construction Impacts

Construction of a 61-storey development over several years will inevitably generate:

construction noise;
heavy vehicle movements;
traffic congestion;
dust;
disruption to local access; and
reduced residential amenity.
Chatswood already experiences significant traffic congestion.

The Environmental Impact Statement should demonstrate that both construction and operational traffic impacts can be managed without unacceptable adverse effects on the surrounding road network and nearby residential properties. The cumulative impacts of this project together with other approved developments should be assessed rather than considering this project in isolation.

7. Cumulative Development Impacts

Chatswood is currently experiencing an unprecedented concentration of high-rise developments.

While each proposal may individually appear acceptable, the cumulative impacts on:

infrastructure,
pedestrian movement,
traffic,
sunlight,
public open space,
residential amenity, and
local character
must be carefully considered.

I am concerned that this proposal contributes to incremental overdevelopment without sufficient consideration of the combined impacts of nearby projects. The Department should assess the proposal in the context of the broader planning pattern and cumulative built form impacts in Chatswood.

8. Need for Rigorous Merit Assessment

The Department’s assessment of State Significant Development proposals must be undertaken on merit and against the applicable statutory planning framework, including the Housing SEPP and the Apartment Design Guide.

While additional housing is an important objective, increased housing supply should not occur at the expense of existing residents’ reasonable residential amenity.

The Housing SEPP and Apartment Design Guide continue to require high standards of design quality, privacy, solar access, separation, and amenity. If these standards cannot be achieved because of the scale of the proposal, the proposal should be redesigned.

Requested Outcome

For the reasons outlined above, I respectfully request that the Department:

refuse the application in its current form; or
require substantial reductions in height and building bulk;
require improved setbacks and building separation;
require additional measures to protect neighbouring privacy and solar access;
require further independent review of wind, overshadowing and visual impact; and
fully consider the cumulative impacts of this proposal together with other major developments in Chatswood.
Thank you for considering my submission.

Yours faithfully,

Owner
Unit 22
14 Brown Street
Chatswood NSW 2067

This proposed development is far too onerous on the Chatswood CBD landscape. The residents of Chatswood have become surrounded by several new or proposed and determined high rise developments. The CBD area has or will soon become blocked in by these over high towers offering no light into what once was one of the premier suburbs to shop, do business and dine. The area is badly in need of a new school. Yes Chatswood Primary and High School have both been updated and expanded over the past several years however they too are now full with over 3000+ students between them. What happens when all these new apartments bringing in more families to the area need to send their children to school...where do they go? It is all very well that more housing is required but at what cost to the residents, trades and businesses? It appears Chatswood will become a soulless suburb filled with unnecessary high rise apartments offering not much more than a dark, traffic congested transport hub.

As a resident that lives a block away. I support the project, I believe it will significantly improve housing affordability and availability in the area.

I would however like to see the number of storeys and units significantly increased as well as units set aside for essential workers.

Pending

A significant number of new dwellings in a well located part of Sydney is welcome. The height and scale is perfectly fitting for the location both in context of the current Chatswood CBD and future plans for a denser Sydney metropolitan area. Intense development should be encouraged along the M1 Metro line which can easily have capacity uplifted if needed with increased frequency and additional carriages.

A suburb that is already too congested with too many traffic lights and traffic problems, this development will exacerbate the problem. Residents of Chatswood already speak about overcrowding.

I have long worked in Chatswood and frequented the suburb for decades. It is an immensely connected suburb with superb amenities. A tower like this is exactly what the suburb needs - especially given the present housing challenges the city as a whole faces. More of these please!