The Eveleigh Street
site is bounded by Cleveland
Street to the north, Lawson Street to the south, the railway
corridor to the east, and Abercrombie
Street and Eveleigh Street to the west.
Existing
characteristics
The
character of the site is diverse with a mix of residential and older industrial
buildings, reflecting the multiple land ownership within the site. The total
area of the site is approximately 3 hectares.
The
site accommodates the Block, the area defined by Eveleigh Street, Caroline Street, Vine Street and Louis Street. The Block is owned by the
Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) and is an important and symbolic place for
Aboriginal people. The Block reinforces the wider significance of Redfern as
meeting place – “it provides an opportunity to reunite with family and
friends from their hometowns or to simply be ‘with their mob” (AHC, 2001).
The
Block was a centre for Aboriginal activism which led to the establishment of a
number of Aboriginal controlled services, including the first medical and legal
services. It is also significant as the first urban land rights claim in Australia, when
in 1973 the Whitlam government provided a grant to allow the AHC to purchase
and restore terrace houses on the Block. Since that time the majority of the
AHC terrace houses have been demolished which has resulted in an informal park
area within the centre of the Block. The remaining 19 terrace houses occupy the
northern part of the Block and an apartment building fronts Caroline Street at the southern end.
The
housing on the residential streets surrounding the Block is predominantly
characterised by terrace houses. Residential flat buildings have been developed
along parts of Cleveland Street.
Development
between Cleveland and Vine Streets is characterised by larger scale industrial
buildings. These buildings are occupied by various light industrial,
warehousing and other non-residential uses. There are a number of shops within
the site, particularly along Abercrombie
Street.
A
pocket park, Pemulwuy
Park, and disused community
building are located on the eastern side of Eveleigh Street adjacent to the railway.
The Park is to be upgraded by City of Sydney
council. The community building was formerly occupied by the Murawina
Aboriginal Preschool, which relocated to the former Redfern Public School
site in 2003.
The
site benefits from its proximity to Redfern Railway Station, located directly
to the south on Lawson Street.
Creating
a vibrant, safe and cohesive community within this site requires increased
housing opportunities, employment and business and support services.
Existing
land use zone
The
following zones apply to the Eveleigh
Street site under the South Sydney Local
Environmental Plan:
• ‘Mixed Use 10 Zone,
generally applies to the northern side of Vine Street and extends to Cleveland Street.
• ‘Residential 2(b)
Medium Density Zone’ generally applies between the Lawson Street and the southern side of Vine Street,
including the Block.
• ‘Special Uses –
Community Centre Preschool Zone’ and ‘Open Space Zone’ apply to properties
between the eastern side of Eveleigh
Street and the railway corridor.
Proposed
land use concept
Encourage
employment growth in the northern and southern portions of the site. Create a
vibrant sustainable community, business and residential precinct, providing
opportunities for Aboriginal enterprise; housing, including culturally
appropriate housing; and community and cultural facilities.
Diagram
4.7 [511 KB] illustrates
the proposed land use concept for the site.
Proposed
design concept
Reinforce
the significance of Redfern as a meeting place and centre for Aboriginal
activism by:
• ensuring the
establishment of a mix of community, cultural and recreation facilities for
Aboriginal residents and the wider community
• allowing for the
establishment of Aboriginal enterprise, business and training and support
services on the Block.
Enhance
employment uses and the mixed used character of the site, given its proximity
to Redfern Railway Station by:
• ensuring appropriate
business development are provided within the site
• encouraging employment
activity
• providing for
residential development.
Facilitate
the development of quality housing for existing and new residents that:
• provides a range of
housing types that responds to the social mix of the area
• provides culturally
appropriate and sustainable housing for Aboriginal residents
• is designed and
located to respond to external factors, including the railway corridor and Cleveland Street,
to maximise amenity.
Respect
the existing residential and industrial character and built form of the site
and provide an appropriate interface to surrounding development by:
• ensuring development
responds to the scale, form and design of surrounding development
• providing a three
storey height limit along Louis Street, Caroline Street, the western side of
Eveleigh Street and southern side of Vine Street in response to the scale of
the adjacent terrace houses
Provide
a safe, vibrant and cohesive community by:
• ensuring active uses
adjoin and overlook existing and new open space to provide passive surveillance
• encourage active
non–residential uses at street level and pedestrian paths to improve pedestrian
safety and amenity
• ensuring landscaping,
tree planting, lighting and good design of civic spaces, streets and pedestrian
paths.
Ensure
the provision of quality open space:
• within and around new
development parcels for private and communal use
• for all new dwellings
• adjacent to active
uses to enable surveillance and maximise the safety and security of spaces
• that has good solar
access
• that is appropriately
designed and landscaped with plantings, paving, lighting and benches and
furniture.
The
proposed heights and floor space ratio for the site are illustrated in Diagram
4.8 [524 KB].
Proposed
land use zone
Business
Zone – Mixed Use
Recreation
Zone – Public Recreation