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