Waterloo housing estate

The redevelopment of the Waterloo housing estate by the NSW
Land and Housing Corporation is a large-scale project to provide a mix of
social, affordable and private housing in Waterloo.

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Update

·        
NSW Land and Housing Corporation released a
masterplan for the Waterloo estate in January 2019. The City published its alternative
plan in March 2019.

·        
The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces
announced in November 2019 the City of Sydney is the planning authority for the
Waterloo estate.

·        
NSW Land and Housing Corporation lodged a
planning proposal request with the City in May 2020 to change the planning
controls for the southern portion of the Waterloo estate. NSW Land and Housing
Corporation has changed its January 2019 masterplan.

·        
The City is currently assessing the planning
proposal request to determine if it has planning merit and if any changes are
needed.

·        
Following assessment, the City’s planners and
urban designers will prepare a planning proposal to report to Council and the
Central Sydney Planning Committee for consideration.

·        
If supported, the City will seek gateway
determination from the NSW Government for public consultation on the planning
proposal and conduct a comprehensive community engagement program.

Inside this section

Planning proposal Waterloo South

A planning
proposal request for Waterloo estate (south) has been lodged by the
NSW Land and Housing Corporation for the City of Sydney’s assessment.

 

Planning proposal request

The NSW Land and Housing Corporation has submitted a
planning proposal request to change the planning controls that apply to the
southern portion of the Waterloo estate (Waterloo south).

Waterloo south includes land bounded by Cope, Raglan,
George, Wellington, Gibson, Kellick, Pitt and McEvoy streets, and has an
approximate site area of 12.32 hectares (approximately 65% of the total
estate).

It currently comprises 749 social housing dwellings owned by
NSW Land and Housing Corporation, 125 privately owned dwellings, and some
commercial properties on the south-east corner of Cope and Wellington streets.

The NSW Land and Housing Corporation has indicated further
requests will follow for other parts of the Waterloo estate.

The planning proposal request is to facilitate the redevelopment
and renewal of the site into an integrated mixed-tenure community, replacing
and providing social, affordable and private market housing.

The request is to amend the Sydney Local Environmental Plan
2012 to increase building heights and density to allow for around 3,000
dwellings, plus space for businesses, shops and community facilities, along
with a large new park and other public spaces.

The proposed mix of housing in Waterloo south is 30% social
housing and 70% private housing including affordable housing. This reflects the
NSW Government’s communities plus program.

Next steps

The planning proposal request is now being assessed by the
City to determine planning merit. The assessment includes consideration of
whether building heights, public open space, community facilities space,
streets and other proposed changes will result in a positive environmental,
social and economic outcomes in the estate.

Following assessment, a planning proposal is considered by
Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee. The planning proposal is to
clearly and concisely explain the changes being proposed to the planning
controls and to provide a thorough assessment of the impacts of the proposal.

In preparing the planning proposal, the request of the
landowner is considered, however changes may be recommended to Council and the
Central Sydney Planning Committee.

There are no timeframes yet available for when the report
will be made. You can sign
up to receive regular updates  and be notified when the
assessment of the proposal is reported to Council and at other key milestones
(including the start of public consultation).

If Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee support
the planning proposal for public consultation, the City will seek gateway
determination from the state government to allow for formal public
consultation.

The City will ensure the community is widely consulted
during the public consultation period. Community engagement will aim to capture
a range of views to inform the high-quality planning outcomes for the current
and future residents of the Waterloo estate and the wider Waterloo community.

Community consultation

The City of Sydney will lead community
engagement during the public consultation period for the Waterloo
south planning proposal.

 

Waterloo south

The City of Sydney will lead community consultation for the
NSW Land and Housing Corporation’s planning proposal. The community
consultation will be guided by the City’s community engagement strategy,
community participation plan and community engagement principles.

The key objectives of the community consultation will
include:

• ensuring
  the community is aware of the planning proposal for the Waterloo estate,
  including changes since the preferred masterplan was released in 2019
• helping
  community members to understand the planning proposal and the planning
  process, by providing clear information and access to City staff members
  to answer questions
• providing
  a range of options for community members to provide their feedback during
  the public consultation period, including online and face to face and in
  community languages
• ensuring
  all community consultation is well-documented, with all feedback presented
  clearly for consideration of Council and the Central Sydney Planning
  Committee and made available to the public.

You can sign
up to be notified when community consultation starts  for the
Waterloo estate.

We will also publicise the community consultation through
local newspapers and publications, the City of Sydney’s
website, Safe City team, and through local community organisations. This
includes REDWatch, Redfern Legal Centre, Counterpoint, and tenant organisations
including the Waterloo Neighbourhood Advisory Board, the Waterloo Redevelopment
Group and the Waterloo Public Housing Action Group.

NSW Land and Housing Corporation has previously
consulted  the community to inform its plan for the site.

The City of Sydney will now lead community consultation for
the planning proposal.

Resident support

We will continue to work collaboratively with the Department
of Communities and Justice to support
social housing tenants.

 

Social housing

The NSW Government has committed to maintain the number of
social housing dwellings in Waterloo precinct.

We will continue to work collaboratively with the Department
of Communities and Justice to:

• support
  social housing tenants during the urban renewal process
• improve
  local amenity and safety
• enhance
  community wellbeing
• manage
  waste and cleansing.

Our dedicated social housing project manager meets regularly
with social housing tenants in the area and advocates on their behalf to
address any issues of concern.

The Lord Mayor hosts 2 open forums in Waterloo each year,
bringing together senior staff from key agencies such as Department of
Communities and Justice, Land and Housing Corporation, NSW Police Force and the
local member of NSW Parliament.

Advice for tenants

We have provided funding to Redfern Legal Centre to support
social housing tenants affected by the redevelopment of the Waterloo estate.
The centre’s Waterloo tenancy advice outreach service provides free,
independent advice and information about relocations and other tenancy-related
issues.

The service operates from the weekly Waterloo community
outreach program, Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre, 95 Wellington Street, Waterloo
on Thursdays from 10am to 1pm.

You can also contact the Inner Sydney Tenants’ Advice and
Advocacy Service  on 02 9696 5975.

Alternative approach

In March 2019, the City of Sydney gave a presentation on the
City’s alternative
approach to the renewal of the Waterloo estate.

 

NSW Land and Housing Corporation released a preferred
masterplan for the redevelopment of the Waterloo housing estate in January
2019.

In March 2019, Council held an extraordinary meeting to
consider a report on a better way for the community.

The City hosted a public meeting on 6 March 2019, the City’s
director of planning, development and transport, Graham Jahn gave a
presentation on the
City’s alternative approach to the Waterloo housing estate.

The City’s alternative approach has been considered by the
NSW Land and Housing Corporation in preparing the planning
proposal lodged in May 2020.

Waterloo metro quarter

Waterloo
metro station is now under construction and an application for
development above the station was approved in December 2019.

 

Development above metro station

Waterloo metro station is now under construction.

In December 2019 the Department of Planning, Industry and
Environment approved a state significant development application for the block
above and around the metro station.

The approval requires that a minimum of 5% of residential
floor area is used as affordable housing and that 70 social housing dwellings
are transferred to the NSW Land and Housing Corporation.

Separate development applications for each stage of this
project must be lodged with and assessed by the Department of Planning,
Industry and Environment.

Details are available on the Department
of Planning, Industry and Environment’s website .

Source: City of Sydney website 29 May 2020 – https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/vision/changing-urban-precincts/waterloo-estate
and linked pages