Waterloo Estate Master Plan outline released

The exclusive release was made on 23 January’s Channel 7 news (it was possible to see it at the 26 minute mark only for a week after it aired).

Information on the proposal has been added to www.communitiesplus.com.au/major-sites/waterloo. This is the link for the Waterloo Preferred Masterplan brochure and a Waterloo Newsletter – January 2019 will be delivered to those impacted by the development. The revised proposal follows the exhibition of three options and the release of the Options Testing Consultation Report Key Findings which helps to explain some of the aspects of the final proposal.

The Channel 7 news also contained a shot of the 3D model of the preferred proposal which you can see here.

At the REDWatch meeting at the Factory Community Centre at 6pm on Thursday 7^th February, LAHC will present on its proposed master plan.

While there will be no formal exhibition process before the documentation is submitted to the Department of Planning, REDWatch encourages people to make their comments known to LAHC so it has the option of making adjustments before it submits.

It is difficult in such a short time and with limited information to assess the proposal and its implications. It is pleasing after the Metro proposal to see that FACS is saying that the affordable housing will be in perpetuity, but disappointing that only 5% affordable housing has been proposed. REDWatch has been pushing for 5% general affordable housing and an additional 5% for Aboriginal affordable housing.

It is encouraging that the proposal is towards the lower end of the Estate options presented last year. The proposal is for 6,800 units with 60% of all new buildings being 7 storeys or lower. This will still leave the combined Metro and Waterloo Estate sites with a massive 7500 units. Depending on how LAHC and UGDC do their uplift figures the combined site look like they are in line with the 5,000 to 5,533 uplift figures modelled for the combined SSP precincts in the Population and Demographics Study attached to the Metro SSP study.

Minister's media release: More parks and open space in the new revitalised Waterloo

Followup media comment:

• The battle for Waterloo: up to 20 towers more than 30 storeys high (SMH 25 Jan 2019)
• NSW Government unveils blueprint for 17 high-rise towers as part of Waterloo housing overhaul (ABC News 25 Jan 2019)
  
• Media Release: Greens - Waterloo redevelopment plans need a radical rethink