Billbergia Plots 28-Storey Dual Towers at Chatswood

Billbergia has filed plans for a 28-storey dual tower development at Chatswood on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.

Initially revealed last year, the project will deliver 251 apartments, including 24 homes with a work-from-home twist, designed around the SOHO—Small Office Home Office—trend. 

They will offer dual-level tenancies that combine a residential and a work component, generally across the levels, although the “live and work” use is not yet defined in NSW statutory land-use planning terms. 

Of the remainder, there are 39 one-bedroom, 93 two-bedroom and another 93 three-bedroom apartments, plus one four and one five-bedroom units. 

More than 50 per cent will be adaptable apartments and offer 21,383sq m of residential gross floor area in total. 

According to the developer in its application filed towards the end of last month with the Willoughby City Council, the development at 849, 853 and 859 Pacific Highway and 2 and 8 Wilson Street “aligns with the council’s strategic vision for Chatswood CBD”.

In addition to residential, it will have a four-storey ground-floor podium with retail showrooms with a childcare centre and communal space for residents, including a music room, barbecue facilities, an indoor/outdoor gym, swimming pool and spa. 

The site is 550m from the Chatswood train and Metro station, connecting to major centres such as North Sydney, Parramatta and Sydney CBD. 

▲ The two 27-storey apartments are touted as the first next-generation residences to be built by Billbergia at Chatswood.

After a design competition, PBD Architects were secured and their refined scheme was presented in a pre-DA meeting with council officers in November, 2023. 

The $167-million development is now with the Sydney North Planning Panel for determination.

“It creates a vibrant mixed-use development with active pedestrian interfaces with commercial premises at the lower podium levels, commercial and childcare uses at mid-podium level and high-amenity residential accommodation in the towers above,” Billbergia said in the development application.

The Chatswood Planning and Urban Design Strategy to 2036 identified in Billbergia’s DA prioritised residential development in the right locations outside the commercial core of the suburb.

Since this and other planning changes, developers have jumped at the chance to develop at Chatswood.

In the past year alone, Develotek has filed plans for a 27-storey tower, a $61-million residential tower has been proposed, while Novus has unveiled designs for its build-to-rent project in the suburb.