4.5 Redfern Railway Station,
Gibbons and Regent Streets
The Redfern Railway Station, Gibbons and Regent Streets site
straddles the rail corridor. It is bounded by Lawson Street to the north, Margaret Street to
the south, Regent Street
to the east, and the rail corridor and residential development to the west.
Existing
characteristics
Redfern Railway Station and its immediate surrounds is the
southern gateway to the Sydney CBD. Despite its proximity to the Sydney CBD and
its role in the metropolitan transport network, the Railway Station and Town
Centre retain a suburban character and density.
With the exception of the Airport line, all suburban and
inter- urban train lines stop at Redfern Railway Station. Central is the only
other station that provides superior access to the Sydney metropolitan rail network. Despite
this, Redfern Railway Station is underutilised and has become a through route
for commuters rather than a destination. This is further reinforced by the
limited activity around the station. Economic and social opportunities
associated with activity generated by the Redfern Railway Station are at
present unrealised.
The Town Centre area is located directly east of the
Station. Redfern Street
is the main shopping street and Regent
Street is a secondary shopping street. These three
streets are relatively separate shopping areas and do not form a cohesive,
vibrant town centre. Business activity in Redfern and Regent Streets has
suffered a decline in trade and patronage over the past decade despite signs of
emerging small business, such as cafes and artist studios.
Employment is concentrated around the commercial towers,
which are located opposite the Railway Station between Gibbons and Regent
Streets within Lawson Square.
The recent relocation of the police and government agencies to this area has
boosted local business. Lawson
Square is the highest point within the Town
Centre, being located on the ridge. However, Lawson Square is windswept and empty and
lacks any level of public amenity either for people coming to the Town Centre
or for those passing through.
The Railway Station is the focus of local public transport
activity in Redfern-Waterloo. Pedestrian movement from the Railway Station is
generally eastward toward the Town Centre and westward to the University of Sydney.
However, pedestrian connections to the Town Centre are not strong as Gibbons
and Regent Streets traverse the Town Centre and disconnect the Railway Station
from retail and employment activity.
These are arterial roads carrying metropolitan and regional traffic
through Redfern to and from the Sydney CBD in a north – south direction. The
amount and speed of traffic using these roads presents a physical and safety
barrier for pedestrians.
The Railway Station itself is in need of an upgrade. The
entry and ticketing arrangement and inadequate access, particularly for less
mobile persons need to be improved. Recent development in the area such as the
ATP now provide opportunities for better connection between the Railway Station
and surrounding public destinations.
The areas around the Railway Station are generally
unattractive and uninviting. This is to a large degree a result of buildings
that do not have active street and laneway frontages. The lack of activated
civic spaces and ground level business activity contribute to a perception of
dereliction.
The Railway Station contains heritage items, which are
identified in the South Sydney LEP, including the Redfern Station ticket office
on Lawson Street.
The Town Centre has an established street, laneway and block
pattern that will guide quality development and ensure connectivity and
accessibility.
Existing land use
zone
The following zones apply to the Redfern Railway Station,
Gibbons and Regent Streets site:
- Redfern
Railway Station and the rail corridor is zoned ‘Railways’ under SREP No.
26. Within the ‘Railways Zone’ permissible uses are largely restricted to
railway related activities. - The
remainder of the site is zoned ‘Mixed Use 10’ under the South Sydney LEP.
The land use zone permits a mixture of compatible uses such as
residential, retail, commercial, light-industrial and industrial
development.
Proposed land use
concept
Establish a vibrant, active local hub for business, retail
and residential activity around the Railway Station, with attractive, functional
civic spaces and pedestrian scaled urban spaces linked by streets and laneways.
Diagram 4.9 (pdf ~538kb) illustrates the proposed land use concept for
the site.
Proposed design
concept
Transform the site to emulate its status as the southern
gateway to the Sydney CBD by:
- providing
opportunities to harness the social, civic and economic potential
generated by Redfern Railway Station as one of Sydney’s central public transport hubs - achieving
a critical mass of density to activate and generate development - encouraging
the development of a vibrant, culturally diverse, multi use Town Centre
with quality medium and high density development - upgrading
Redfern Railway Station including the concourse and entrance to cater for
the existing and increased residential and commuter population, and
improve connections to adjoining commercial sites, such as the ATP and North Eveleigh.
Create a new Town Centre at the Redfern Railway Station,
Gibbons and Regent Streets site to provide a vibrant focal point for Redfern
by:
- providing
sufficient development potential to create a business hub comprising jobs,
shops, services and amenities for residents and workers - providing
a quality, safe, activated and accessible civic space around the Railway
Station - upgrading
the Railway Station to improve the entrance, access and facilities - encourage
the retention of laneway reserves where practicable - ensuring
that the Railway Station upgrade allows for adjoining future development.
Reinforce the status of the Town Centre and Redfern and
Regent Streets as the main shopping strips by:
- establishing
a new concourse at the station to improve east–west connections and access
to the Town Centre - connecting
the Railway Station to the Town Centre, Redfern Street, Regent Street, Marian Street, North Eveleigh, and
ATP through defined pedestrian and cycle links - introducing
traffic management measures to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility
to and from Redfern Railway Station across Gibbons and Regent Streets.
Establish an identifiable character and appropriate urban
scale for the Town Centre by:
- creating
a consistent block edge along all streets to a height of five storeys and
tower development towards the centre of the blocks - retaining
the two storey height of existing shopfronts along the length of Regent Street - creating
a consistent scale and alignment around Lawson Square - providing
a two storey height limit along the length of the Redfern Street laneway - ensuring
all new development is built to the street boundary and in alignment with
the street - creating
areas for new ground floor retail space and active street edges, such as Redfern Street
laneway, linking the station with Regent and Redfern Streets - creating
a scale and architectural proportions that are consistent with existing
shopfronts - retaining
the small lot subdivision pattern particularly along streets and laneways - eliminating
blank facades, extensive car entry/parking and servicing areas along
public streets - ensuring
that all new car parking is below ground level - providing
a transition in urban scale from south of Marian Street toward the centre to
respond to the existing residential development.
Provide a safe, high quality and pleasant public domain:
- in
accordance with the Open Space and Public Domain Strategy in Section 3.3 - with
quality landscaping, tree planting, lighting, wind mitigation, solar
access and good urban design of civic spaces along defined pedestrian and
cycle spines and streets - by
locating active uses such as cafes and shops on the ground floor along all
streets that are accessible and visible for passing pedestrians - by
locating residential uses above ground overlooking streets and public
spaces and not at ground level - that
adjoins or is overlooked by active uses to provide passive surveillance at
all times.
Provide quality private open space:
- for
new commercial development - for
all new dwellings - with
good solar access - with
a high level of privacy for residents - that
is appropriately landscaped.
Protect the heritage of the site by:
- identifying
heritage items on the site in accordance with the Heritage Strategy in
Section 3.5 - encouraging
the reinterpretation of heritage through the reuse of heritage materials
and fabric in any redevelopment - where
practical, the adaptive re-use of significant heritage items associated
with the Railway Station and railway lines.
The proposed heights and floor space ratio for the site are
illustrated in Diagram 4.10 (pdf ~599kb).
Proposed land use
zoning
- Business
Zone – Commercial Core - Recreation
Zone – Public Recreation