RWA BEP 2 Newsletter Text

Revitalising Redfern & Waterloo Draft Built Environment Plan Stage 2 (BEP 2) - JANUARY 2011

BEP 2: What you need to know

The Draft Built Environment Plan Stage 2 (BEP 2) for Redfern and Waterloo has been released for community feedback. The plan will help guide future development in the area to ensure improved social housing and to help create a vibrant and sustainable community.

BEP 2 is a proposed planning framework, developed by the Redfern-Waterloo Authority (RWA) in close consultation with Housing NSW, to support the renewal of Housing NSW sites in the Redfern and Waterloo area including South Eveleigh over a 20-25 year timeframe. This renewal will provide better residential amenity and a more sustainable mix of social, private and affordable housing within the sites to bring long-term benefits for the entire community. The proposed Draft BEP 2 could result in approximately 3,500 additional dwellings in the whole Redfern and Waterloo area providing new residents with the opportunities offered by this central and accessible location. The redevelopment will also result in improvements to current housing, parks and open spaces, community facilities and shops to create a better environment.

What is a planning framework?

A planning framework looks at basic rules for development such as how high a building can be and floor areas.

Illustration: Draft BEP 2: to create a safer and more sustainable environment

Key objectives of BEP 2

The key objective of the Draft BEP 2 is to consult with the community regarding a new planning framework that outlines what can be built in Redfern and Waterloo to stimulate growth and to provide a more sustainable community.The key objectives of the planning framework are to:

Create a more sustainable community within Redfern and Waterloo social housing sites Recognise the important role of social housing in contributing to a diverse community Meet the needs of a growing Sydney as outlined in the Metropolitan Plan

Create high quality residential development and surrounding space

Promote environmental sustainability

Achieve an enhanced public domain

Provide a sound urban design and planning framework

Help provide additional social infrastructure to support the community

What is public domain?

Public domain is the streets, parks and other spaces used by everyone in an area.

Illustration: George Street (North), Waterloo - NOW: George Street (North), Waterloo as it currently looks > FUTURE: Artist’s impression of possible development for George Street (North), Waterloo

Illustration: George Street (South), Waterloo - NOW: George Street (South), Waterloo as it currently looks > FUTURE: Artist’s impression of possible development for George Street (South), Waterloo

The future of social housing

Social housing is a significant part of the history – and future – of the Redfern and Waterloo area. The social housing sites in Redfern-Waterloo cover around 33 hectares of land and currently accommodate around 4,300 social housing dwellings within the Redfern-Waterloo Authority (RWA) operational area - this represents around 44 per cent of the total dwellings.

Much of the existing social housing within Redfern and Waterloo is ageing and requires reconfiguration to meet changing housing needs and current standards.

As the current economic life of the high rise tower buildings is generally about 30 years or more, it is anticipated that these buildings will be retained for some time. At the same time there is a real potential for renewal and improvement to achieve a higher standard of housing quality and amenity for residents and to better integrate social housing into existing and surrounding neighbourhoods.     

Illustration: Kettle Street, Redfern - NOW: Kettle Street, Redfern as it currently looks > FUTURE: Artist’s impression of possible development for Kettle Street, Redfern

Illustration: Redfern East Development  - BEFORE: The previous social housing dwellings at Morehead Street, Redfern prior to the Redfern East development > FUTURE: The sustainable social housing development at Morehead Street, Redfern has provided a greater mix of social housing in Redfern-Waterloo and has been awarded a 5-star Green Star rating.

Research and analysis

Illustration: Artist’s impression of possible development in Redfern and Waterloo

RWA has engaged independent experts and carried out extensive research to create a draft planning framework to maximise benefits for all of the community.

RWA engaged independent experts to provide an extensive review and analysis of Housing NSW owned land in the Redfern and Waterloo operational area. This analysis resulted in the identification of precincts and renewal opportunities that form the basis of an appropriate planning framework. The details of this analysis are contained in the BEP 2 Report at www.redfernwaterloo.com.au

Examples of the development in accordance with the planning framework were checked against NSW Government guidelines for residential apartment development (SEPP 65 Residential Flat Design Code), to ensure quality residential development will be achievable.

Proposed planning framework

The planning framework outlined in Draft BEP 2 includes:

URBAN DESIGN GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Urban design guiding principles guide development proposals and take into consideration the community, public domain, open space, urban street patterns, built form, environment, heritage, safety and security.

LAND USE ZONES

Land use zones determine what uses can occur in the area. The land use controls permit residential development and mixed uses to allow for the development of any shops, offices, open space or community facilities required to provide for the future population.

BUILDING HEIGHT CONTROLS

Building height controls determine the height in storeys for each block. The height is a maximum or predominant height. This allows for some variations in height. Proposed building height variations are encouraged to provide light and a sense of openness. However, the predominant height cannot be exceeded by more than 4 storeys for more than 20% of the site. This means that for an 8 storey predominant height, it is possible that some of the site’s development may reach 12 storeys. Such variations will be considered based on block analysis and design merit. For BEP 2, heights could range from four storeys to 12 storeys.

FLOOR SPACE RATIO (FSR)

Floor Space Ratios (FSRs) determine density (or an indication of the number of homes for a given area). Each block is given a specific FSR ranging from 2:1 to 3:1.

PRELIMINARY PUBLIC DOMAIN STRATEGY

Public spaces will be enhanced by:

• Providing new public parks and open space, and improving the quality of existing parks and open spaces;
  
• Ensuring parks and open spaces are well-designed, useable, accessible and safe;
• Ensuring quality landscaping of the public domain;
• Improving the safety and design of pedestrian and cycle links and provide new site linkages; and
  
• Incorporating environmentally sustainable practices in the design of the public domain.

DESIGN EXCELLENCE PROVISIONS

Design excellence requires a high standard of architectural design, for the external appearance to enhance the quality and amenity of the public domain and the incorporation of sustainable building design principles.

PRELIMINARY TRANSPORT AND MOVEMENT STRATEGY

The preliminary transport and movement strategy looks at promoting sustainable transport options to reduce car travel, to increase safety and to improve the streetscape.

Social, private & affordable housing

Draft BEP 2 provides the planning controls which will enable Redfern and Waterloo to be redeveloped to provide housing for around 7,000 households in social, affordable and private accommodation over the next 20 to 25 years.

Illustration: The proposed building heights

The aim is to achieve a mix of 60% private and affordable housing dwellings and 40% social housing to encourage a thriving and sustainable

community. BEP 2 also provides for the renewal of Housing NSW sites at South Eveleigh.

There will be no loss of social housing as a result of BEP 2. To offset any reduction in social housing within the immediate BEP 2 area, Housing NSW will be acquiring replacement social housing within the City of Sydney area.

There will be an overall increase in affordable housing as approximately 10% of all dwellings will be affordable housing.

Community Facilities

Community facilities are vital for the success of creating a thriving and sustainable community. The RWA and Housing NSW have commenced a detailed review of the provision of community facilities in the Redfern and Waterloo operational area to successfully implement social infrastructure and to meet the needs of residents.

Proposed dwelling mix within the Redfern and Waterloo sites

HOUSING TYPE  APPROX NO. OF DWELLiNGS

Social Housing              2,800

Affordable Housing          700

Private Housing            3,500

 

TOTAL                           7,000

What is affordable housing?

AFFORDABLE HOUSING is housing for low to moderate income households, including key workers, provided at a discounted rental and usually managed by a community housing provider.

Have your say

Working closely with the community is a priority and all members of the Redfern and Waterloo community will have the opportunity to find out more about BEP 2 and to provide feedback.

VIEW THE DRAFT BEP 2 PLAN

The Draft BEP 2 plan can be viewed on RWA’s website at www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au or by visiting the City of Sydney’s Neighbourhood Service Centre at 158 Redfern Street, Redfern (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm).

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Information sessions will be held so you will be able to:

• View the complete Draft Built Environment Plan (Stage 2) document;
• View drawings and plans providing an overview of the proposed planning framework;
• Ask RWA and Housing NSW staff questions about the proposed planning framework and process; and
• Have your comments recorded.

The Information Sessions are informal and will generally last two hours. People can attend the session at any time.

RWA’s traffic and urban design consultants will be available at the Saturday Information Sessions to answer any specific queries and will provide follow up responses to any specific queries at other sessions.

Venue - Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street, Redfern

Dates / Times:

THURSDAY 3 FEB 1 pm - 3pm

SATURDAY 5 FEB 1 pm - 3pm

THURSDAY 10 FEB 10am - 12pm

WEDNESDAY 16 FEB 4pm - 7pm

SATURDAY 19 FEB 10am - 12pm

THURSDAY 24 FEB 10am - 12pm AND 2pm - 4pm

THE NEXT STEP

Following finalisation of feedback on the Draft BEP 2, a study will be prepared providing further analysis and recommending preferred land use and development controls for the land. This study will then be subject to public exhibition under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Urban Renewal). This public exhibition will be arranged by the Director-General of the Department of Planning.

Work will also commence on the Housing NSW Master Plan. The Master Plan will guide building form and land use mix and provide the framework for the improvement of public areas and open space, the provision of community facilities, incorporation of environment initiatives and all the other elements that are important to creating a better place to live.

The Master Plan will also set out the staging for renewal – which areas will be redeveloped first, and in what order over the 20-25 years. Housing NSW will then need to secure funding to get the redevelopment process started and manage the new building works. The Master Plan will be used for the preparation of subsequent development and project applications. The community will be consulted at all key stages.

Get in touch

We welcome your feedback and questions on the Draft BEP 2 Plan.

Please contact us

Phone: 9202 9126

Mail:    Attention: Redfern-Waterloo BEP 2, Redfern-Waterloo Authority, PO Box 3332, Redfern NSW 2016

Email:    redfernwaterloo@redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au (please type BEP 2 in the subject line)

Feedback form

A feedback form will be available at the information sessions and online at www.redfernwaterloo.com.au/BEP2feedbackform

FEEDBACK SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MONDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2011.