Novus on Victoria, Chatswood - Build-to-Rent

I am writing as the owner and resident of Apartment 3601 in the Metro Grand tower (438 Victoria Avenue, SP 88679) to express my strong and unequivocal opposition to the proposed development at 410–418 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood.

This Build-to-Rent (BTR) development, in its current form and location, represents an unacceptable threat to the amenity, livability, and value of the Metro Residences community, and sets a dangerous precedent for future overdevelopment in the Chatswood area.

1. Excessive Scale and Overdevelopment
The proposed 46-storey tower is grossly out of scale with the surrounding built environment. It will unreasonably dominate the local skyline, crowding an already dense area without providing adequate setbacks or respecting the character and planning intentions of Chatswood’s city centre.

2. Severe Overshadowing and Loss of Amenity
The development will create significant overshadowing of neighbouring Metro View and Metro Spire towers, especially in midwinter when residents rely heavily on natural light. This overshadowing will reduce solar access for dozens of units below the minimum 2-hour requirement, seriously impacting resident health, wellbeing, and property values.

3. Loss of Views and Visual Privacy
The height and bulk of the proposed tower will block previously unobstructed views and invade the visual privacy of hundreds of apartments in Metro View and Metro Spire. The planning documents underestimate the impact this will have on residents’ quality of life.

4. Construction and Safety Risks
The proposal will funnel construction traffic and ongoing vehicle movements through Post Office Lane, a narrow laneway heavily used by pedestrians, residents, and commuters accessing Chatswood Station. This creates a serious safety hazard, particularly for children and the elderly, and disrupts the daily life of our community.

5. Lack of Transparency and Proper Planning
Key documents such as the Operational Management Plan (OMP) have not been provided for public review. This undermines confidence in the proponent’s ability to manage the long-term impacts of the development on neighbouring properties and the community.

For these reasons, I strongly object to the development in its entirety. This is not a matter of requesting design amendments—this is a case of inappropriate development in the wrong location. The cumulative impacts on overshadowing, visual intrusion, construction disruption, safety, and long-term livability are simply unacceptable.

I urge the consent authority to reject this application in full and uphold the rights of existing residents to enjoy a safe, healthy, and sustainable living environment.

Thank you for your consideration. I ask to be kept informed of the progress of this matter and of any opportunities for further community consultation.

The build will affect my building and affect the way i live in my building.

Dear Madam/Sir
We are lodging strongest objection to the development proposed by Novus for 410-416 Victoria St Chatswood.
The primary issue with this DA is its excessive height and scale. Being at least 10 floors higher than the existing tower above Chatswood train station, as well as abutting Victoria St pedestrian mall, it would be a massively imposing wall above pedestrain in the heart of Chatswood East’s retail area. Even if the DA complies with the latest NSW Environmental Planning Policy, the 46 storeys building will regularly create strong downward draft down to the ground. It would cause wind tunnel and turn Victoria St Mall (as well as streets around the site) from the vibrant gathering space it is today for the community into a windy, desolate thoroughfare.
We appreciate that, with the current housing supply shortage, a BTR scheme is indeed needed for Sydney. Nevertheless, it should never be an excuse to justify the too-large building that would destroy Chatswood East’s village-atmosphere. Consequently, we hope the planning approval team will recognise how out-of-place this proposed building will be and will reject the DA as-is accordingly. At a minimum, the design must be revised to substantially reduce its height and appropriately stepping back the buildings from its boundary.
Yours sincerely
Orapin Tantipech​

I am writing to formally object to the proposed development of “Novus on Victoria, Chatswood Build-to-Rent” for the following reasons, which directly impact the wellbeing, safety, and quality of life of residents in the existing surrounding buildings:
1. Excessive Building Height and Overshadowing
The proposed 46-storey shop-top housing development significantly exceeds the prevailing height of surrounding buildings. Its excessive height and mass will obstruct natural sunlight and severely impact the solar access and views of nearby residential properties, including our own. As a result, affected residents will experience reduced daylight in their homes, particularly in winter months, which negatively affects livability and energy efficiency.
2. Loss of Privacy and Visual Intrusion
Our building features a full-glass design, and the proposed development’s close proximity will cause a direct line of sight into private living areas. This lack of separation compromises resident privacy and may force occupants to keep curtains drawn throughout the day, further reducing access to natural light. This is not conducive to maintaining a healthy and comfortable living environment for existing residents.
3. Fire Safety and Emergency Access Concerns
The placement of another high-rise building in such close proximity raises serious fire safety concerns. In the event of an emergency, high-density clustering of towers could hinder effective firefighting operations and emergency evacuation, especially considering the site's close location to the Chatswood Metro, train, and bus stations. Limited access routes and increased congestion may delay critical response times during emergencies.
4. Overcrowding, Traffic Congestion, and Community Impact
The proposed build-to-rent model is likely to introduce a transient population with potentially limited long-term investment in the community. This could alter the character and social cohesion of the neighbourhood. Additionally, Victor Street is a narrow street not designed to accommodate high-density traffic. The increased population density will likely worsen local traffic congestion, reduce pedestrian safety, and place strain on existing infrastructure and public services. Furthermore, the development may introduce greater security and noise concerns, especially if the focus is primarily on rental tenancies rather than balanced, owner-occupied housing.
While the need for additional housing is understood, it must be balanced with the need to maintain liveable, sustainable, and safe neighbourhoods. The current proposal, due to its excessive height, close proximity, potential safety risks, and likely strain on local infrastructure, is not appropriate for this location in its current form. I respectfully urge the planning panel to reconsider or revise the development to ensure it aligns more closely with the interests and wellbeing of existing residents and the broader Chatswood community.

- Increase Traffic Congestion
- Obstruct Views from North-facing properties
- Potential Decrease in Property Value
- Overshadowing of Public and Residential Areas
- Out of Scale with Local Streetscape
- Disruption to Community Character
- Retail Use Doesn't Justify Tower Scale

I object to the project

Traffic hazards probability increases tremendously should the Novus project goes ahead, due to the existing very busy and difficult traffic conditions in Post Office Lane and Victor Street.

As a local resident on Victor Street for over 30 years, I strongly object to the proposed tower.
1) Unacceptable increase in vehicular & foot traffic adding to existing congestion
There has already been a significant increase in motor traffic congestion on Victor Street in recent years. This is a small dead end street with the entry to the car park for Mandarin Centre + entry to The Sebel originally. With the building of other residential high rises on Victor Street + non residents using the for pick-off & drop offs and on Thursday- Saturdays it is used by vendors of the market for vehicular access, the vehicular volume has been substantial. At peak periods & weekends, the wait to enter/leave Victor STreet can take up to 20minutes.
There has also been significant increase in foot traffic. There have been numerous cases of near misses as pedestrians run across Victor Street. The proposed tower would increase vehicular & pedestrian volume impacting safety of both.
2) The 46 storeys tower is out of character with the rest of the streetscape on that part of Victoria Avenue which in lined by 2 storey commercial premises. It would block views from north facing properties in residences on Victor STreet.
All this would markedly reduce the value of the properties.
Council has already failed to address the issue of traffic congestion at the entry to Victor Street caused by cars being unable to enter the Mandarin Centre car park ( even when it's not full, pedestrians are constantly streaming across the driveway so cars cannot enter/leave). As Victor Street is only a single lane , cars are then stuck causing overflow onto Archer Street.
The delays from getting in & out of Victor Street would defintely impact the viability of businesses in the Novus Tower.

The proposed development is on 410-416 Victoria Ave., which is a walking street with market opened on the street 3 days per week. Vehicles can only reached the proposed development through Victor Street (no through road) via the Albert Ave and Victor Street intersection. That part of Victor Street has a Wilson parking entrance (only entrance) at Mandarin centre, and a 28 stores apartment building (where I live). Traffic congestion is already very bad during weekend and market days. It is not uncommon to take 10 mins to pass that intersection to reach my building. So if the 46 stores is built, the traffic congestion will be much worse.
Also, because this part of Victor Street is near the train station, so many vehicles pick up or drop off train passengers there. Because it is a no through road, vehicles need to make u turn or 3 points turn here. Many people walk cross Victor Street to enter Westfield centre, some of them are seniors. The increased of vehicles at this street will increase the chance of road accident.
My apartment only has windows facing north west. The building above the railway station already blocked the sun from the west. Now this development will block the NW sunlight. It will make my apartment dark and cold.
It will also obstruct the view from my apartment. Also people live in the development may be able to look into my apartment, causing privacy issue.
Since it is already very crowded during the market days at the walking street, a 46 stores rental only make it worse.
Also, it is out of scale with the local street scape, and may reduce my property value.

The Novus on Victoria if built will be extremely close to the Metro View apartment complex. This proposed development will also completely block out all natural sunlight and airflow to my unit in the Metro View, as I am on low level residential unit overlooking Post Office Lane and the windows only open in this direction and most of the unit is already blocked by the building on 432 Victoria Ave. Without natural sunlight and proper airflow, the unit will be prone to the growth of mold which will be a health hazard.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally object to the proposed development of a 46-storey Build-to-Rent tower at 410–416 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood (known as “Novus on Victoria”), currently under public exhibition.

As a Chatswood resident, I acknowledge the need for housing supply, but I believe this development is inappropriate for the following reasons:

1. Excessive Height and Overdevelopment
The proposed 46-storey tower far exceeds the predominant building heights in Chatswood, contributing to visual bulk and overshadowing. Such a tall structure on a relatively small site (1,050 sqm) constitutes overdevelopment and sets a concerning precedent for future planning decisions in the area.

2. Infrastructure and Traffic Impact
Chatswood is already experiencing significant strain on public transport, roads, and essential services. The addition of 260 new apartments (and associated vehicles) will exacerbate congestion, particularly along Victoria Avenue, which is already a major traffic corridor.

3. Incompatibility with Local Character
While Chatswood is evolving, this tower lacks contextual sensitivity to the surrounding mid-rise and heritage precincts. The proposed development could undermine the area’s livability and established urban character.

4. Cumulative Development Impact
This proposal follows other large-scale BtR applications in Chatswood. The cumulative impact of multiple high-density towers raises concerns about long-term amenity, access to sunlight, wind tunneling effects, and open space availability.

5. Lack of Affordable Housing Commitment
Although Build-to-Rent is promoted as a way to increase housing supply, the proposal does not appear to commit to delivering genuinely affordable or key worker housing options, which are essential to meet local community needs.

6. Insufficient Community Consultation
There has been limited opportunity for meaningful community engagement on this proposal. Local voices must be given adequate weight, particularly when developments of this magnitude are considered.

For the reasons above, I respectfully request that the Department refuse this application in its current form. I urge you to support development that enhances, rather than overwhelms, our community.

Thank you for considering this submission.

Life hazard probability increases tremendously in victor street and post office lane should the Novus development goes ahead.

Pedestrian and transport Traffic have been very difficult and busy in the corner of Victor Street and Post Office Lane. Novus Development will increase life hazard tremendously.

Dear Planning Team,

I’m writing to share my perspective as a local resident who lives directly beside the proposed “Novus on Victoria” site in Chatswood.

I want to begin by saying that I believe in growth. Cities need to evolve, and I understand the importance of new housing—especially thoughtful, long-term rental options. But I also believe that new developments must respect the people already living in the area. From my home, I will quite literally live in the shadow of this building, and that’s not just a metaphor—it’s a very real and physical concern.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen Chatswood transform in positive ways. But with each new tower, there’s also a cost—less sunlight through our windows, more traffic in our streets, and a creeping sense that the balance between public good and private gain is tipping. When I heard this proposal was for a 46-storey tower on our small block, I felt that imbalance quite strongly.

I worry about the immediate effects: long-term construction noise, dust, and the loss of peace and privacy. I work from home most days, and quiet time has become essential to my well-being. I also worry about the long-term changes: how the building will overlook our living spaces, how the already strained public transport will cope, and how much of our natural light we’ll lose. These may sound like small things, but they shape daily life in ways that accumulate quickly.

Other communities have spoken out against overbearing developments and been heard—like the residents near James Ruse Reserve in Parramatta, where a project by the same developer was rejected because it overshadowed shared public space and wasn’t suited to its surroundings. In Western Sydney, the Caddens Estate proposal was turned down for being too dense for local infrastructure. Even in Liverpool, a large community-led objection helped stop a huge residential complex that many felt ignored the area’s identity and capacity.

I’m not asking that the project disappear—but I am asking that it change. That it shrink. That it soften its edges. That it listen. There are many ways to bring more homes to Chatswood without overwhelming its light, space, and spirit.

Thank you for giving residents a voice in this process. I hope mine has added something to the conversation.

Sincerely.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing as a resident of the building adjacent to 410–416 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood – the proposed site of the "Novus on Victoria" development. While I fully support sustainable urban development and acknowledge the role of Build-to-Rent housing in addressing Sydney’s housing needs, I wish to formally object to this proposal in its current form due to the unacceptable impacts it would impose on neighboring residences and the broader Chatswood community.

The proposed 46-storey development would cast extensive shadows over adjacent residential buildings, resulting in a measurable reduction in daylight hours. As a tenant living immediately beside the site, I anticipate a significant degradation in living conditions due to loss of direct sunlight – a concern raised by the community and addressed in previous NSW rejections including Novus BTR Proposal, 39–43 Hassall Street, Parramatta which was rejected by the Independent Planning Commission due to overshadowing of nearby James Ruse Reserve and visual bulk out of context with surrounding structures.

Privacy is scarce in Chatswood, and this will further reduce. The proposed height and window alignments would cause direct visual intrusion into nearby apartments. As a result, residents' living areas, bedrooms, and private balconies would be exposed, significantly reducing personal privacy and residential amenity.

Already busy with multiple major construction projects, this will further impact residents quality of life. This major project will require multi-year construction with high noise levels, dust, and heavy vehicle movements. For residents in the immediate vicinity, including myself, this raises serious concerns about sleep, work-from-home capability, and mental well-being. The lack of proposed mitigation strategies is deeply concerning.

This project puts a strain on infrastructure and local amenity. Chatswood already faces congestion challenges in public transport, roadways, and local services. Adding 260 new residences without parallel infrastructure investment risks degrading the quality of services for all Chatswood residents.

This was a factor in the rejection of Caddens Estate, Western Sydney which was a 469-home proposal rejected by the Western City Planning Panel due to overdevelopment and inadequate infrastructure support. Also Canterbury Leagues Club Redevelopment, Liverpool was rejected by NSW Planning due to overwhelming density and community opposition regarding traffic and public service strain.

I put to you that the proposal is out of scale with the neighbourhood character. The proposed height (RL 246.8m) dramatically exceeds the prevailing height and character of the immediate area, introducing a vertical mass not in line with the Chatswood urban form. Precedents show that planning authorities have rejected projects for excessive height and visual dominance, for example Novus Parramatta where the IPC found the 34-storey proposal out of context and refused it based on visual impact and lack of integration with surrounding buildings.

While I support thoughtful densification and modern housing models, this development fails to balance those objectives with community well-being, infrastructure capacity, and respect for neighborhood character. I urge the Department to reject this proposal or request a major redesign that significantly reduces the building scale, ensures privacy and light protections for neighbors, and includes infrastructure commitments.

Thank you for considering this submission. I would welcome the opportunity to be consulted should revised plans be considered.

Sincerely,

- Increased Traffic Congestion, Overshadowing of Public and Residential Areas, Out of Scale with Local Streetscape, Disruption to Community Character, Retail Use Doesn’t Justify Tower Scale

This project will seriously increase the traffic congestions on that part of Victor Street:
Being a dead end street with "Kiss and Ride" traffics, Mandarin Centre parking station, Sebel Hotel guests, post office lane commercial activities and traffic from current high-rise residences; the new building will create traffic access issues including that of emergency vehicles.
There's also the over-shadow effect being cast onto the surrounding pedestrian/recreation area, making the environment less appealing.

Objection to development application for the multi-level development at 410 – 416 Victoria Ave, Chatswood

I am writing to formally object to the above proposed development in Gordon due to the following.

Excessive Height

The proposed height of 46 plus storeys apartment development, if approved, will cause significant overshadowing and disrupting sightlines with inadequate transition zones and set-backs to adjacent homes and streets and reduce the privacy of numerous nearby residences.

Traffic and Parking Concerns

With over 260 apartments in this single development, the proposed development will worsen traffic congestion in the area.

Environmental Impact

Precious tree canopy and vital wildlife habitats will be destroyed.

Infrastructure Strain

As current infrastructure including stormwater, sewer, transport system and parking are already strained, the proposed development could cause further problems.

In summary, the development would negatively affect the amenity of existing residents through privacy, overshadowing, increased noise. This would lower the quality of life for nearby residents.

Although I'm not opposed to the concept of build to rent / mixed residential and commercial block from being built on this site, I am concerned about the number of apartments and the proposed height of the building. There are some issues which are immediately apparent as follows:

1) Victor Street is a no-through road with already significant traffic congestion
- There are already multiple unit block entrances, a shopping centre car park entrance, as well as the city council car park entrance already on this short stretch of Victor Street.
- Traffic during busy hours is extremely challenging.
- During peak hours, the cross-road between Victor Street and Albert Avenue is so busy (with backed up cars trying to turn into Victor Street) that often the total number of cars that can enter / exit this end section of Victor Street in the timeframe of a traffic light change is a grand total of zero.

2) Height impact of tower
- the proposed site adjoins the Victoria Avenue mall strip. An extremely tall building is likely to result in excessive shadowing throughout the day over the main Victoria Avenue boulevard
- the significant overshadowing of surrounding public areas will impact the current use of the main strip, which is in use for community events and market stalls
- the proposed use (retail + apartment) does not justify a tower of this height

3) Comparison with local streetscape
- the proposed tower is significantly out of keeping with the immediate surrounding shops, which are no more than 3 storeys tall at the most

Local developments are a great idea. However, the scale (height) of the proposed build is not appropriate for this site. This tower will cause significantly worsening traffic congestion issues on a road that is already struggling, as well as eclipse the main boulevard of Chatswood which has important functions both from a commerical as well as a community / social perspective.

Objection to development application for the multi-level development at 410 – 416 Victoria Ave, Chatswood

I am writing to formally object to the above proposed development in Gordon due to the following.

Excessive Height

The proposed height of 46 plus storeys apartment development, if approved, will cause significant overshadowing and disrupting sightlines with inadequate transition zones and set-backs to adjacent homes and streets and reduce the privacy of numerous nearby residences.

Traffic and Parking Concerns

With over 260 apartments in this single development, the proposed development will worsen traffic congestion in the area.

Environmental Impact

Precious tree canopy and vital wildlife habitats will be destroyed.

Infrastructure Strain

As current infrastructure including stormwater, sewer, transport system and parking are already strained, the proposed development could cause further problems.

In summary, the development would negatively affect the amenity of existing residents through privacy, overshadowing, increased noise. This would lower the quality of life for nearby residents.