Urban Digest

Loftex Submits $102m Plans for 35-Storey Tower in Chatswood

June 24, 2025

Photomontage of a proposed 35-storey mixed-use tower at 3–5 Help Street, Chatswood, viewed from a nearby intersection surrounded by high-rise buildings.

A $102 million transformation is on the horizon for Chatswood’s northern CBD, as Loftex Chatswood Pty Ltd lodges plans for a 35-storey mixed-use tower at 3–5 Help Street. The State Significant Development Application outlines a proposal for a high-rise residential building with ground-floor retail, contributing to the area’s ongoing urban evolution.

Proposal Overview

The project involves demolishing two existing residential flat buildings to construct a new mixed-use development. The scheme includes a three-storey podium with 2,345m² of commercial and retail space, a 32-storey residential tower with 160 apartments, and five basement levels accommodating 165 car parking spaces. Landscaped communal areas, infrastructure upgrades, and deep soil planting zones are also proposed.

The total gross floor area (GFA) is 17,583.7m², delivering a floor space ratio (FSR) of 7.68:1. The building will reach 115.2 metres, making it one of the taller structures in the Chatswood CBD fringe.

Artist impression by EMBECE

Background of the Proposal

Located near the intersection of Help Street, Cambridge Lane, and McIntosh Street, the 2,290m² site sits on the edge of the Chatswood commercial core. Its proximity to the Chatswood Transport Interchange, retail precincts, and educational institutions positions it well for mixed-use intensification.

The site is zoned MU1 Mixed Use under the Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012. An earlier approval in 2024 permitted a 27-storey tower. However, this new application seeks to build higher and include more commercial floor space.

Planning amendments gazetted in 2022 increased the site’s maximum building height from 25m to 90m and its FSR from 2.7:1 to 6:1, setting the framework for the current proposal.

Planning Framework & Compliance

The development is permitted within the MU1 zone and aligns with the Chatswood CBD Planning and Urban Design Strategy 2036 and the North District Plan. It leverages bonus provisions under the Housing SEPP, enabling a 28% increase in floor space.

To qualify for this bonus, the development allocates 14% of dwellings as affordable housing. These homes will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider for at least 15 years.

Separately, Clause 6.8 of the Willoughby LEP 2012 mandates a 4% affordable housing contribution in perpetuity. The proponent will fulfil this obligation through a monetary contribution of $2,043,354.04 to Council.

The application also seeks a Clause 4.6 variation to reduce the minimum required non-residential floor space from 17% to 13.3% of the total GFA. Despite this, the podium delivers active frontages along all three street boundaries, enhancing public domain interface and supporting employment-generating uses.

Apartment layouts range from one to three bedrooms. The design exceeds key benchmarks in solar access, natural ventilation, and separation between dwellings. The proposal also includes 617m² of communal open space across podium and rooftop levels.

Design

Following a competitive design process, the winning scheme by EMBECE features a slender tower above a solid podium base. The design has been endorsed by the Government Architect’s Design Integrity Panel.

Architectural detailing includes masonry, precast concrete, and metal cladding, with varied façade treatments to break down bulk and scale. Retail tenancies are provided at ground level, while podium landscaping offers a green buffer to surrounding streets.

Sustainability initiatives include BASIX compliance, solar panels for common areas, energy-efficient fixtures, and ventilation strategies. Deep soil zones and over 549m² of soft landscaping contribute to urban greening targets.