We recently raised with Council the issue of the wind tunnel effects within the CBD and particularly in Victoria Avenue near the Pacific Highway.

Council advised that they regulalry require  a development proponent tolodge a wind assessment report and that often additional design elements are required to be incorporated in conditions of consent for the development was acceptable. This is not to say that wind impacts would not be experienced but rather that sufficient attempts are made to minimise such impacts whilst still enabling multi-storey development.

The Chatswood CBD Planning and Urban Design Strategy was adopted by Council in June last year. The vision for the CBD includes achieving great public places, urban design quality and greening the centre. Guiding concepts include (amongst other things):

• Slender towers
• Tower separation
• Design excellence
• Urban approaches to podia and greening

The greening of the city, including street tree planting and other landscape measures together with podiums, street awnings and slender, separated towers all assist in controlling local wind conditions. Design excellence will be a requirement for all multi-storey development which will also have regard to public domain amenity including wind conditions. Wind studies are required for major multi-storey development within the CBD.

The suggestion of a temporary Chatswood Wind Measurement Station has been forwarded to Council’s Environmental Health section for consideration as has the suggestion that developers install a recording anemometer in their buildings.