Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to formally object the proposed redevelopment of Mandarin Centre for the following reasons:
1. The Proposed Development will block all the natural light to the south facing units of the Sebel (37 Victor Street, Chatswood), as well as any and all views.
2. The Proposed Development will create increased traffic to Victor Street and Albert Avenue. This area already experiences heavy traffic and substantial jams during all hours of the day, especially so during peak hours and weekends. I note the increase in car spaces for the new development will take it from the existing number of 300 to 444 car spaces.
3. The Proposed Development will adversely affect the amenity of the area - increased crowding, noise, pollution and heavier pedestrian traffic. None of these matters appear to be addressed in the proposals.
4. The Proposed Development constitutes twin blocks which will crowd the Sebel and destroys the outlook of those apartments facing the Proposed Development. Furthermore the design itself is an eyesore and does not appear to reflect any kind of design excellence. Moreover, one of the two blocks is built so close to the Sebel that it will have an inevitable impact on the privacy of the occupants of the apartments in both buildings.
5. The present planning controls are suitable to the area, and should not be changed in the way the proposed planning proposal sets out. There is no good reason for the changes which it would require. The existing heights will already create wind tunnel and sun blockage issues. The fact that the Proposed Development will have an additional 4 storey will exacerbate these issues.
For the above reasons, I object to the proposal. Thank you.

The traffic will be more hectic than it already is right now

To: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I write to formally object to SSD-85024458.
I am an owner/resident of a Level 20, south-facing apartment at The Sebel Sydney Chatswood, directly facing the proposed development site.
This submission is made on the basis that the proposal represents clear overdevelopment and will result in significant, direct, and irreversible impacts on surrounding residents.
In particular, the proposal fails to adequately address:
• Severe visual privacy intrusion
• Insufficient building separation (non-compliance with ADG intent)
• Significant loss of natural light to over 100 south-facing units
• Traffic congestion and unsafe access conditions, particularly on Victor Street
• Wind tunnelling and microclimate impacts
• Overshadowing of Chatswood Oval, a critical public open space
These impacts are not minor or theoretical—they are predictable outcomes of the current building envelope and have not been properly resolved.
Accordingly, I strongly request that SSD-85024458 be REFUSED.
In the alternative, any approval must require a substantial reduction in building bulk and increased separation distances, particular at upper levels where impacts are most severe.
Please keep me informed of all future stages of assessment.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

I broadly support this project because we are in the midst of a housing crisis and it makes sense to build high-rise residential in the Chatswood CBD, especially as vacancy rates for commercial space have been increasing.
This project has undergone several iterations with the proponents making concerted efforts to meet community concerns.
I have the following comments on the application:
* there are nearly 400 residential parking spots for 325 apartments, which appears excessive for a development which is virtually adjacent to the Chatswood Interchange.
* on the other hand, the proposal for retail parking (46 spaces) appears inadequate, as such a low number of parking spaces will place pressure on Albert St and Westfield carparks, which are often at capacity during busy periods (eg weekends).
* the proponent is offering a 5% affordable housing contribution. While the proponent should be commended for offering affordable housing in perpetuity, for a development of this size and with significant departures from the WLEP, the proportion of affordable housing should be higher and at least 10%.
Thank you for providing the opportunity to provide feedback on this project.

I object on the following grounds:
Traffic congestion: Victor Street is a no-through with already existing significant traffic and road that are not designed to handle a higher living population. As it is now, even leaving the street can almost take 20 minutes at a single traffic light, and additional traffic may make the area unlivable.
Shadowing of Chatswood Oval: The Oval is currently the only significant public green space in central Chatswood. The proposed height of the mandarin centre will cause overshadowing and impact the ovals usability.
Privacy concerns: The proposed designs show a severely short distance between the proposed redevelopment and the Sebel. Section 2F of the Apartment Designs Guide (NSW Gov - Planning and Development) states that 2 apartment residential buildings require a separation distance of 24 metres between habitable rooms and balconies. The proposed redevelopment is in violation of this guideline.

Traffic Congestion
Victor Street is a no-through road with significant traffic congestion due to the presence of:
- 3 residential apartment blocks, including the recently approved build-to-rent NOVUS tower
- kiss-and-ride zone for dropoff to local train station
- thoroughfare for vehicles needing to access the main boulevard (common due to market stalls)
The traffic congestion for Victor and Albert streets is frequently a bottleneck with no cars being able to enter
/ exit Victor St within the timing of a traffic light change.
We propose that any potential redevelopment to include a clause to ensure the carpark entrance is not on
Victor Street.
2) Shadowing of Chatswood Oval
Chatswood oval is the only significant public green space in the central district of Chatswood. It is frequently
used by families as well as local sporting clubs (rugby, cricket etc).
The proposed height of the mandarin centre development will cause overshadowing of the oval which will
impact on its usability.
There are no other suitable public green spaces in Chatswood that can replace the oval.
3) Blockage of Natural Light
The south facing units of the Sebel building (over 100) will have a dramatic impact on loss of natural light.
The NSW Apartment Design Guide specifies the amount of natural light that should be available for apartments. The proposed height and setback distance between the 2 buildings will certainly impact on light.
There has been no modelling to determine impact on the residents of the Sebel.
4) Privacy Concerns
The design photos show a very short setback distance between the proposed Mandarin Centre
redevelopment and The Sebel. This will result in the south-facing residents of The Sebel and the north-facing
residents of the Mandarin Centre redevelopment both having significant privacy concerns - being able to
look clearly into each others apartments.
Section 2F of the Apartment Design Guide (NSW Gov - Planning and Development) states that 2 apartment
residential buildings requires a separation distance of 24 metres between habitable rooms and balconies.
This has not been shown to be the case in the proposed redevelopment - this is in violation of the guidelines.
5) Wind Tunnelling
Tall buildings with minimal separation distance results in significant wind tunnelling. There has been no
modelling to show the effects of this, and similarly no discussion on strategies to minimise the impact of wind
tunnelling on pedestrians and residents.

I strongly object to this over development which shows no consideration for view sharing and blocking natural light to surrounding buildings. This project will increase traffic problems and social issues in the area.

I strongly object to the proposed changes for the development, specifically the amendment from one tower to two towers.

My property is located at the Sebel, directly adjacent to this site. The new proposal is unacceptable for the following reasons:

1. Loss of Fresh Air & Natural Light
The two towers are now positioned too close to our building. This will severely restrict fresh air flow and overshadow our property, creating an unhealthy, dark living environment.

2. Loss of Privacy
By extending the building footprint closer to our boundary, the development will result in direct overlooking into our private living spaces.

3. Traffic Chaos
Chatswood already suffers from severe traffic congestion. This intensified development will overwhelm local streets and intersections, creating a public safety risk.

4. This development is too high relative to Council's own plans of the surrounding area. As I understand, the Mandarin Centre is zoned retail and cannot be that high.

5. You have already unreasonably approved a huge unsightly tower- the Novus, (despite significant community objection), which will be unreasonably high compared to the surrounding area. Novus is your answer to the housing demand and quota, so why are we being bombarded with another two huge and high developments in basically one street? The people of this area of Chatswood do NOT feel heard at all and basically feel ignored by the government.

I request that State Government refuse this modification and revert to a single tower design that respects the existing setback and amenity of neighbouring residents.

Yours faithfully,
Chung-Hou Lee

I strongly object to this proposed development on the grounds that it contravenes view sharing laws

I refer to the legal case "tenacity consulting v Warringah Council (2004) NSWLEC 140

The development is expected to have significant impacts on residents nearby, including concerns relating to traffic congestion, loss of natural light, privacy, and wind tunnelling.