REDWatch primer for Waterloo South Concept Plan and Rezoning Consultation – October 2025

If you are across the earlier history then read the later material which covers recent information released and REDWatch analysis. This primer on the Waterloo South Concept Plan covers the following areas (click on the links to jump to that part of the document):

Introduction

The Planning Proposal (Rezoning) determination in November 2022.

The Planning Proposal requires the coming concept Plan

The Council – Homes NSW Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA)

Change of NSW Government Requirements

The Procurement and the successful Stockland Consortium bid

Stockland Concept Plan and Zoning application to Planning NSW

Planning NSW has set the Study Requirements Stockland need to address

Homes NSW Waterloo South People and Place Plan

Consultation starts 27 October 2025

Where this consultation fits

REDWatch Meeting on 6 November

Some Issues for consideration in the Concept Plan

Introduction

In June 2025 REDWatch made presentations to its monthly meeting and the Waterloo Redevelopment Group (WRG) about the planning rules that were put in place when the Planning Proposal was approved for Waterloo South in November 2022. It also covered what happened after this. You can see a PDF of that presentation at REDWatch Refresher on the Waterloo South Planning Proposal - 18 June 2025.

This document updates the content of that presentation with what we have learnt up to the start of the October 2025 consultation.

Note – Throughout this document REDWatch will use the term Planning NSW to refer to that part of the NSW Government responsible for planning approvals. The name of the relevant department has changed many times over the 20+ years of the proposed redevelopment of Waterloo. Even over the timeframe covered by this document this function has been carried out by the NSW “Department of Planning and Environment” and now the “Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure”. At a website level the relevant website is www.planning.nsw.gov.au hence our use of Planning NSW.

The Planning Proposal (Rezoning) determination in November 2022.

The Planning Proposal (rezoning) set the set the initial planning controls – the rules – that the Stockland consortium will use, or try and change, to create actual designs for the buildings and public spaces in the precinct – you can see the main rules in the REDWatch Refresher on the Waterloo South Planning Proposal - 18 June 2025 presentation.

The rezoning required the delivery of a more detailed Concept Plan for the entire Waterloo South area before any other development application could be made. These requirements are also set out in the presentation and the finalised documents below. This is the Concept Plan that will be consulted on in late October.

One major change in the final planning proposal was that the proposed 10% design excellence floor space bonus would be to be in addition to the initial modelled proposal and not a part of it. This increase was to only be in increased floor area but could not be in increased height. This means the development will likely have 10% more housing than that envisaged by the planning controls resulting in Stockland needing changes to the planning controls to deliver the amount of floor space allowed. This increases in floor area but not height potentially cuts into the space for tree retention and new tree plantings. It also increases the likelihood that the planning rules will need to be changed and that the design excellence process may be changed also in the process.

You can find the final Planning proposal documents at in the final package of the Waterloo (South) Planning Page site. The key documents are:

• Plan Finalisation Report – The Planning NSW final report
• Final Design Guide – Waterloo Estate (South) – The detailed design guide
• Attachment Maps – Final Maps – The statutory maps
• Attachment A – Final planning proposal – Waterloo Estate (South) – The final proposal

The Planning Proposal requires the coming concept Plan

The 2022 rezoning required the delivery of a more detailed Concept Plan for the entire Waterloo South area before any other development application could be made. The concept plan needs to show block by block where social, affordable and private housing will be located as well as non-housing uses . It is this Concept Plan that will be consulted on in late October 2025.

The Design Guide sets out what the concept DA needs to cover in what it calls a Stage 1 development application:

4.2. Stage 1 development application

1. A Stage 1 (concept) development application is required for land that is owned or managed by the Land and Housing Corporation within Waterloo Estate (South) as of 1 January 2021.
2. A Stage 1 (concept) development application is to:
1. be informed by a detailed survey;
2. subdivide existing landholdings to establish:

                                                  i.      streets, through-site links and parks, in accordance with Figure 4: Land dedication and easements; and

                                                 ii.      street blocks and building lots, in accordance with Figure 3: Street blocks and building lots;

3. identify how the floor area is to be distributed across street blocks and building lots, including any floor space allocated for social housing, affordable housing, community facilities, childcare facilities, health care facilities and other non-residential uses. This allocation is to be generally in accordance with Table 1: Indicative floor area distribution on LAHC owned land, by street block, which provides an indicative allocation of floor space available under Sydney LEP 2012 across Waterloo Estate (South);
4. resolve any flooding and contamination issues on the site, identifying any necessary flood and stormwater management works and remediation works and required contamination works to ensure flood and contamination risks are appropriately managed for new development, adjacent sites within the Estate, and in adjoining localities;
5. provide an indicative staging plan and delivery sequence for development and the provision of public space, local infrastructure, flood and stormwater management works and remediation works;
6. provide an updated Design Excellence Strategy if needed, that is, if the proposed pattern of subdivision, staging or built form distribution does not follow that provided by this Design Guide;
7. provide a Preliminary Public Art Strategy to coordinate public art across the precinct;
8. include a landscape plan that:

                                                  i.      allocates the total quantum of deep soil required for each street block amongst the building lots;

                                                 ii.      identifies significant trees that are required to be conserved and those that are proposed to be removed;

9. address any other matters, including wind and acoustic matters, required to be resolved in a Stage 1 development application by this Design Guide, by Sydney DCP 2012 or Sydney LEP 2012.

The Council – Homes NSW Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA)

Following the rezoning Council, Land and Housing Corporation (now part of Homes NSW) and the NSW Planning Minister finalised a Voluntary Planning Agreement covering Council’s interests in Waterloo South in 2023. This included arrangements for streets, parks and community facilities and how they would be delivered by the developer and transferred to Council. in early 2023.

Council will take control of two parks and 2,400 sqm of Community facilities spread across two sites in Waterloo South. The design and use of these will be determined by Council but they will be delivered by Stockland. It is not known what services Council proposes for its community facilities and how this needs to be complimented by non-council run community facilities.

You can find the final VPA, which is different from that exhibited at: Planning Agreement for Waterloo Estate (South)

Change of NSW Government Requirements

In August 2023 the new NSW Labor Government made changes to the number of social and affordable housing units it wanted to see delivered by the successful redevelopment consortium.

This in effect increased the quantity of social housing floorspace from 26.5% social housing to 30% and affordable housing from 7% to 20%. The government left it up to the successful developer to work out how it would deliver the extra affordable housing and flagged it might not be in perpetuity. This change explains why 7% of the affordable housing is in perpetuity at percentage of income and 13% may be only affordable for a determined time and may be percentage off market rents.

The change also increased the proportion of all new social and affordable homes dedicated for Aboriginal people to 15%.

You can see the media release of that announcement at Waterloo South social and affordable housing boosted to 50% and other statements and reactions can be found on the LAHC post zoning planning section of the REDWatch website.

The Procurement and the successful Stockland Consortium bid

In July 2022 LAHC commenced an EOI process for a development partner consortium to redevelop Waterloo South. After an initial short listing and some contenders pulling out as a result of the changes requested by the new Labor Government the Stockland Consortium made up of Stockland, Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing and Birribee Housing were appointed as the successful bidders in April 2025.

It is still not clear what contractual arrangements were entered into between Stockland and Homes NSW but bits of information have been slowly emerging.

In Stockland Update on Waterloo South Planning and Design to REDWatch on 2 October 2025 Stockland summarised the roles and responsibilities of the consortium partners (page 6) and it provided the following information about its undertakings to government during the procurement (page 7):

Project deliverables and commitments

The Renewal Partner’s proposal to Government included a range of project deliverables and commitments that underpin how we would deliver and manage the project.

Project deliverables

• Deliver Waterloo South in line with the key parameters set out when the land was rezoned; maximum ~280,000m2 of Floor Area
• Deliver new homes as per the following mix:
• 30% of residential GFA as social housing
• 7% residential GFA as affordable housing as per Sydney LEP, plus additional affordable housing to reach the target of 50% combined social & affordable
• No more than 50% of residential GFA as market housing
• Deliver against the Voluntary Planning Agreement –parks, streets and community facilities for Council

Project commitments

• Skills exchange and redeployment hub
• Aboriginal employment and procurement targets
• Place activation – we’ll work with community on a Place Activation Strategy for the future
• Community facilities that meet the needs of the existing and future community
• Develop a governance model for future precinct management that involves community voices
• Deliver tenancy wrap around support coordination for all social and affordable residents
• Sustainability targets and measures
• Explore ways to support local businesses
• Explore pathways to health and education outcomes

In the presentation to REDWatch in October 2025 Stockland said that they had not prepared a draft Concept Plan as part of their bid and that they are currently preparing this for release at the beginning of the consultation period in late October 2025. They said they had reviewed earlier community consultation input and will take this into account in their draft plan that they will seek community feedback on before it is finalised and submitted for formal exhibition and approval. A video recording of the 2 October presentation is at https://youtu.be/4cGQ3lZ_hoc

Since then Homes NSW has released the Waterloo South People and Place plan which sets out many recommendations to be led by the consortium and the Scoping Proposal for the rezoning and Concept DA has also become public and reveals some of the Consortiums initial plans.

REDWatch put a list of questions to Stockland and Homes NSW to try to clarify what had been locked in Initial Questions for Homes NSW Portfolio and Consortium Partners – Waterloo South Redevelopment May 2025. In the absence of a written response REDWatch will update this document with answers as it finds out about them.

Stockland Concept Plan and Zoning application to Planning NSW

For the coming Concept Plan and rezoning Stockland has applied to Planning NSW for the study requirement for its Waterloo Estate (South) Concept. It did this by providing a the Scoping Proposal for a Rezoning and Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Waterloo Estate (South) dated 20 August 2025. The Scoping Proposal has to set out details about the project and what the proponent wants to do.

This report was prepared to request the Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) which sets out the concurrent Study Requirements for the Rezoning and for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) for the Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA). The SEARs tell the proponent what studies and issues it needs to get approval for what they have outlined.

The Scoping Proposal proves us with lots of information about what changes Homes NSW and Stockland want to make to the 2022 proposal and how they plan to go about the redevelopment. This might change as a result of more work on the Concept Plan and from engagement with agencies and the community.

REDWatch has produced a summary document Scoping: What Changes do Stockland want to make? It includes:

• The accelerated combined rezoning and planning pathway used
• Next Steps in delivery and planning for Stage 1
• Changes proposed to the Sydney Local Environment Plan (LEP) Planning Controls
• Changes proposed to the Design Guide
• Changes proposed to Design Excellence process
• Stage 1 public benefits and community infrastructure deliverables
• Indicative location of housing types across Waterloo Estate (South)
• Indicative stages for Waterloo Estate (South)
• Studies and Issues to be looked at in the Rezoning and the Concept Plan SSDA

The Planning NSW website describes the application as a “Concept SSDA rezoning for Waterloo South for the future delivery of 3,000 dwellings including a mix of social, affordable and market housing”. Although the title says 3,000 housing, the Concept needs to try to accommodate an extra 300 units from the 10% design excellence bonus which is now additional to the base line floor space. Care needs to be taken with any figures on the final unit numbers as the planning proposal sets proportions of floor space to be given to different types of housing and the actual number of units delivered of each type will depend on their size.

On adjusting the controls to accommodate the extra 10% floorspace, the Stockland Update on Waterloo South Planning and Design to REDWatch on 2 October 2025 (page 13) said that there are three inconsistencies between these planning rules we’re going to try and fix as part of the Concept Application:

1. Some buildings in the Design Guide are taller than what the LEP allows
2. The Design Guide shows 10% less floor space than what the LEP may allow (including design excellence)
3. Some building shapes in the Design Guide may limit whether other rules can be achieved, like sunlight access to apartments or parks.

Stockland has requested changes in its Scoping Report to:

1. Fix parts of the rules that don’t currently match
2. Give more certainty about the size, shape and location of buildings
3. As a result of the above, adjust where some floor space can go so it matches the proposed building locations in the Concept Plan
4. Minor updates to other rules relating to the mix of uses.

Stockland say: Importantly, these changes will not look to increase the total amount of development allowed under the planning rules – they will just look to make sure the rules in the LEP and the Design Guide are consistent with the Concept Plan.

Planning NSW has set the Study Requirements Stockland need to address

Planning NSW have provided The Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) which set out the concurrent study requirements for both the Rezoning and for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) for the Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA). It includes a long list of studies that need to be undertaken or revised to support the proposals put forward in the Concept Plan and rezoning. It also includes issues that need to be addressed in the studies, rezoning or Concept Plan SSDA.

Stockland is onboarding consultants and planning the coming consultations based on the expected study requirements. REDWatch wants Stockland to provide a list of the studies and the consultants that are undertaking specific studies so community members can request meetings with specific consultants during sessions to discuss issues of concern.

One important Study that has not been done for Waterloo over the last 10 years is a Social Impact Assessment (SIA). The study requirements also include a requirement to provide a Preliminary Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) to propose how identified impacts from the development on local communities can be best managed.

Given historical concerns about the social and health impact of the redevelopment of a major public housing estate and the relocations on tenants, the inclusion of this study requirement allows tenants and agencies to raise a wide range of foreseeable positive and negative impacts. Stockland has told agencies that their Social Impact consultants will be in all engagement sessions to capture social impact issues raised. It has been suggested to Stockland that the 2019 Health Impact Assessment, recently made public is a good starting point for the SIA.

Homes NSW Waterloo South People and Place Plan

In June 2024 Homes NSW sought feedback on its People and Place Plan. In the lead up to the rezoning Homes NSW have now released their final version of its Waterloo South People and Place Plan (PDF 2.86MB). It raises a number of recommendations that Homes NSW and the Consortium / Delivery Partner are expected to implement that people should also be aware of heading into discussions with Stockland.

REDWatch has reviewed the plan and have explained REDWatch concerns on final Waterloo South People and Place Plan on our website. Some of the recommendations have been removed in the final version or in our view “watered down” since the consultation draft. You can see details of these changes on the REDWatch website at People and Place Recommendations 2025 Changes from 2024 Draft.

Homes NSW have also released a Waterloo South People and Place Feedback Report (PDF 182.92KB) which is a dot point summary of the issues raised in the 12 submissions they received but contains no detail as to what was said or why or why not feedback was accepted or rejected.

In summary REDWatch finds the high-level Waterloo South People and Place Plan disappointing as it remains focused only on the Waterloo South redevelopment and does not address the wider estate, not even recognising the 500+ public housing tenants in the Waterloo Heritage Conservation area. Much work remains to be done to try and tie this Waterloo South work to the Waterloo Collaborative’s human services plan to address not only on current service issues but to adequately address issues those created during the redevelopment and in its functioning after bits are built.

People and Place creates a list of recommendations Homes NSW and the Consortium need to address however the final version has removed some elements of concern to tenants such as recommendations relating to access to affordable health care and the need for low cost or free options for community spaces and shops.

Some other recommendations are now to “explore” and “explore opportunities” rather than provide “ensure” or “deliver”. For example, “incorporate public toilets” has now become “to explore the provision of” (6.11). Terms like codesign and “report back” disappear while “increase employment” becomes ““provide capacity building to enhance skills and increase employment”. You can see all the changes in the comparison document.

These are worrying changes that qualify the recommendations making it less likely that Homes NSW and the Consortium will deliver.

It is important heading into the coming consultations that people look at these recommendations (and those that have been removed or watered down) and ask how they are going to be actually delivered rather than be left as aspirations that don’t see reality. Some will relate to actions that can be taken to mitigate social impacts and should be also picked up in the draft Social Impact Management Plan.

REDWatch does welcome the use of Australian Bureau of Statistics data that more precisely covers Waterloo South rather than relying on Waterloo suburb data as being indicative. This data certainly demonstrates the much higher health needs of Waterloo South and supports the argument for the provision of health facilities in Waterloo South even thought this was previously dropped by Homes NSW and Stockland. You can see a comparison of the Waterloo South and Waterloo Suburb health figures at REDWatch concerns on final Waterloo South People and Place Plan 

Consultation starts 27 October 2025

Homes NSW and the Consortium have delivered a letter and flyer to Waterloo tenants about the coming consultation. They have also established a new website at www.waterloorenewal.com.au which contains information about the coming consultation. This site works alongside Homes NSW’s Waterloo Renewal Project site and Planning NSW’s Waterloo Estate (South) Concept Plan site.

The Consortium website says the proposed plan and additional information about the Concept Application will be on this website when consultation commences on 27 October.

Most of the program outlined so far is designed for drop-in sessions or popups. No themed workshops have been proposed so people will need to raise their specific concerns during these “information and feedback sessions” or the popups.

The Consortium say that between 27 October and 4 December (Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm) that you can meet Stockland’s team, see the draft plan, ask questions and share feedback. This may be the best time to meet specific specialist consultants if you can find out from Stockland when they might be at Homes NSW’s Waterloo Connect Office (95 Wellington Street opposite Oz Harvest).

Two sessions where there will be a presentation by the Consortium are more structured than the drop in. These are:

• Tenant ‘Orientation Session’ Wednesday 29 October 1:00-3:00 at Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre (95 Wellington Street opposite Oz Harvest).
• Online information and Feedback Session Monday 3 November 5:00-6:30 - Email hello@waterloorenewal.com.au to register and receive the session link.

The website provides the following contact details:

• Renewal Partner - Email: hello@waterloorenewal.com.au ‍Phone: 1800 997 318
• Homes NSW Waterloo Connect Team - Email: WaterlooConnect@homes.nsw.gov.au ‍Phone: (02) 9384 4134

The Consortium has said they will put on extra sessions as the need arises so if your group wants a presentation or you want a session on a specific topic then contact the Consortium.

The consortium has been engaging directly with Aboriginal organisations and the Aboriginal community.

Human Service agencies have not yet been consulted around their perspectives on non-market retail uses, community and health facilities or Stockland’s unspecified educational uses.

At a human service agency briefing on the consultation, issues on how community housing providers will integrate with the existing human service ecosystem, the interest in a health facility being delivered, locations for NGOs and affordable housing for people who work in services were all raised. Future discussions with human service providers have been foreshadowed.

Where this consultation fits

The 2025 consultation is not a statutory exhibition with formal submissions, this is an opportunity to comment on the plan and discuss the overall Waterloo South area in finer detail. After this consultation Stockland will make changes to the plan and report back to the community on what it heard and what it changed. It will then submit its studies and plan to Planning NSW for checking and for formal exhibition by Planning NSW. Following collation of submissions Stockland will prepare a formal response to submissions report and any additional changes before the Planning NSW makes a decision on the concept plan and any changes to the planning controls. 

The Stockland Update on Waterloo South Planning and Design to REDWatch on 2 October 2025 (page 10 onwards) provides an overview of expected future consultation over the next 12 months. Not covered in that presentation is that demolition and clearing the Stage 1 site will not undergo the same public scrutiny as other parts of planning. REDWatch encourages people to pay close attention to tree retention in this area during the coming consultation.

REDWatch Meeting on 6 November

The REDWatch meeting on 6 February at 6:00 at Counterpoint’s Factory Community Centre will assume that those attending have either attended one of the above sessions or have familiarised themselves with the Draft Concept Plan from the website or elsewhere. We are not asking Stockland to repeat this presentation so we maximise the time for people to raise their concerns.

Some Issues for consideration in the Concept Plan

Lots of issues are emerging from the Scoping Proposal for the Rezoning and Concept SSDA, the Waterloo South People and Place Plan and issues around potential social impacts. The release of the Draft Concept Plan will add to issues to be considered.

On the REDWatch website we have started a document Some Issues for consideration in the Waterloo South Concept Plan. We will update this document as issues arise and more information becomes available. REDWatch will also has made some comments about Concept Plan issues in our emails to members and supporters. To join the REDWatch email list send your email address to mail@redwatch.org.au.

It is important to build on the planning that has gone before rather than go over old ground unless the earlier planning missed things important to the community.

In preparing for the consultation, you may want to think about:

• Are there important things that were no taken up in earlier planning? Eg bike path and community centre locations etc
• Are the changes to accommodate the extra floor space reasonable and do they deliver improved outcomes? Eg changes in heights, building footprints, tree cover impact etc
• Will the other changes Homes NSW and Stockland have proposed deliver better community outcomes than what was earlier proposed eg Should there be a health facility and what should it provide or should it be replaced by “educational establishments”, will the removal of the 2022 design excellence provisions from social and affordable housing still result in great outcomes or should silver liveable apartment standard and accessible car parking for market apartment be reduced – for full list of proposed changes see Scoping: What Changes do Stockland want to make?
• What should be provided in the no less than 5,000sqm set aside community facilities (2,400 already allocated to Council), health facilities (2,000 sqm proposed in 2022) and centre-based childcare facilities? Should “education establishments” be added as a use also for this space?
• What should be provided in the no less than 7,000sqm set aside for other non-residential uses such as shops to service the local community including low-income options, creative enterprises and social enterprises?
• How do we make public spaces safer than they are at the moment and deal with public activities that disrupt others quite enjoyment or create concern in parts of the community such as public drinking
• Are the trees proposed to be retained adequate, is there a way to deliver the development and retain more tree cover, is the space allocated for future tree planning sufficient to provide the tree cover needed to mitigate high summer heat?
• What possible social impacts, both good and bad, do you see from the redevelopment and what can be done to get the best of the benefits and deal with the impacts that will be felt by some people?

On the REDWatch website you will find more details on some of these issues under Some Issues for consideration in the Waterloo South Concept Plan. We will continue to update this document as issues arise and more information becomes available.

REDWatch raised some Initial Questions for Homes NSW Portfolio and Consortium Partners – Waterloo South Redevelopment in May 2025, Some of these questions are relevant to the consultation. In the absence of a written response to these questions REDWatch will add in what we have heard from the Consortium.

This document was produced by REDWatch on 20 October 2025 and will be updated as required.