Chatswood $108.6m Mixed-Use Tower Approved by State

December 2, 2025

Architectural plan for mixed-use development at 57-61 Archer St and 34 Albert Ave, Chatswood.

A 32-storey mixed-use tower in the heart of Chatswood’s CBD, combining 150 apartments—41 of them affordable—has been determined following a contentious assessment process that tested the balance between housing delivery, heritage protection and urban amenity. The $108.6 million proposal at 57-61 Archer Street and 34 Albert Avenue has now been approved with conditions by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, acting as delegate for the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces.

Project Overview

The approved scheme comprises a 113-metre residential tower above a three-storey commercial podium, delivering 109 market and 41 affordable apartments, with a total gross floor area of 17,190m². The project includes 2,082m² of non-residential space, a café within the heritage-listed 34 Albert Avenue, five basement levels with 165 car spaces, 172 bicycle spaces, and 693m² of public and communal open space. The site sits at the south-eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, adjacent to both high-density and low-density precincts, and is within walking distance of major public transport.

Strategic and Policy Context

The proposal responds directly to NSW Government priorities for well-located housing, leveraging recent State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 amendments that incentivise affordable housing through bonus height and floor space. The site falls within the MU1 Mixed Use zone under the Willoughby LEP 2012 and aligns with the Chatswood CBD Planning and Urban Design Strategy 2036, which earmarks the Archer Street precinct for high-density, mixed-use development. The project’s 15% affordable housing component and location within an accessible CBD fringe were pivotal in qualifying for the State Significant Development pathway and associated planning incentives.

Planning History

The assessment report details a series of recent Council approvals for site preparation: demolition of existing buildings (excluding the heritage item), partial demolition and adaptive reuse of 34 Albert Avenue as a temporary display suite and café, and bulk excavation to three basement levels. No Council pre-lodgement feedback on the SSD application is noted in the documents.

Design and Architectural Intent

The design, led by Woods Bagot following a competitive process, aims to deliver a slender tower form that mediates between the CBD’s high-rise core and the adjacent heritage and low-rise residential context. The scheme retains and adaptively reuses the heritage-listed 34 Albert Avenue, integrates a commercial podium for street activation, and provides a network of through-site links and a pocket park. The design was endorsed by an independent Design Integrity Panel and the Government Architect NSW as maintaining the integrity and excellence of the competition-winning scheme, even after amendments to accommodate affordable housing uplift.

Community and Stakeholder Response

Public exhibition of the EIS drew 20 submissions: 17 objections, one comment, and two in support. Key community concerns centred on building height and scale, traffic impacts, overshadowing, pressure on local infrastructure, and heritage impacts. Willoughby City Council lodged a formal objection, arguing the scheme exceeded height and density controls, under-delivered on non-residential floor space, and inadequately addressed flooding, stormwater and deep soil requirements. Council also challenged the application of Housing SEPP bonuses and raised concerns about the location of the electrical substation near the heritage item. State agencies provided detailed technical feedback, particularly on flooding, stormwater, heritage, and infrastructure servicing.

Impacts and Assessment Findings

The Department’s assessment found the proposal complied with the maximum permissible height (113m) and FSR (6.5:1) after applying Housing SEPP bonuses for affordable housing. While acknowledging the scheme’s visual prominence and community unease, the Department concluded the built form was consistent with the strategic vision for the precinct and would not result in unreasonable overshadowing, privacy loss, or traffic impacts. The scheme’s shortfall in non-residential floor space (12% vs. 17% required) was accepted on the basis that strict compliance would reduce affordable housing delivery. Heritage impacts were deemed acceptable, provided the substation was relocated away from the heritage item. Flooding and stormwater issues, initially a major concern for both Council and agencies, were addressed through amendments including a new culvert, raised ground level, and updated flood emergency plans. Minor shortfalls in communal open space and deep soil were considered acceptable given the CBD context and compensatory landscaping measures.

Determination Outcome and Reasons

The Department recommended approval subject to conditions, a position adopted by the Minister’s delegate. Decisive factors included the scheme’s alignment with State housing policy, compliance with key planning controls (post-SEPP bonuses), and the public benefit of affordable housing. Major conditions imposed require relocation of the electrical substation to minimise heritage impacts, establishment of public rights of way over open space and through-site links, retention of the design architect and Design Integrity Panel oversight, and detailed landscape and heritage management plans. Conditions also address flooding, stormwater, and operational matters. The Department found the proposal to be in the public interest, with residual impacts manageable through these conditions.

Statutory Pathway and Next Steps

As a State Significant Development, the project bypassed local consent and was determined by the Department under delegation. Key conditions must be satisfied prior to construction, including final design review, substation relocation, and public domain easements. Any modification or appeal rights are not referenced in the assessment material. The project is to be delivered in a single stage over an estimated 24 months.