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4.2 North Eveleigh - Draft

Land use and Design Concepts proposed in RWA Draft Redfern-Waterloo Built Environment Plan February 2006

North Eveleigh is bounded by Wilson Street to the north, the Inner West railway corridor to the south, Iverys Lane to the west and residential development to the east fronting Little Eveleigh Street.

Existing characteristics

The North Eveleigh site is located within 50 metres of Redfern Railway Station. It comprises 11 hectares of redundant railway land physically disconnected from surrounding residential development, Redfern Railway Station, the University of Sydney and employment activity at the ATP. The site is poorly linked to the arterial road systems. Vehicular access to the site is provided via Wilson Street. Pedestrian and cycle access into the site is limited.

In past decades North Eveleigh was a hive of employment activity and railway operations. Today the site is predominantly used for storage of railway items and infrastructure and is largely inactive. There are a number of heritage items located on the site, many of which are in a state of disrepair.

In 2004 development consent was granted for the redevelopment of the Carriage Workshop building as a Contemporary Performing Arts facility for the NSW Ministry of the Arts. Work on the redevelopment has commenced.

It is envisaged that the redevelopment will provide the catalyst for regeneration of activity and provide the anchor for the establishment of other compatible development on the site.

The industrial character of the site is reflected in its built form and railway infrastructure. The general block configuration of the site reflects its industrial history. The site presents a blank and inactive frontage to Wilson Street and there is a considerable grade differentiation of some 5 metres from Wilson Street. Existing views are limited to glimpses on street alignments.

The majority of the site is likely to be contaminated and the capacity of existing utility services is constrained. These constraints can be overcome with remediation and augmentation of existing services.

Land extending along the southern boundary adjacent to the Inner West railway corridor will be retained by RailCorp for rail access and maintenance, and other rail related infrastructure.

The proposed McDonaldtown Stabling site is located directly south-west of the site. This proposal is an important component of the Railways Clearways Program, which is intended to improve the reliability and capacity of the rail network within the metropolitan area. The location of rail related facilities must be considered in the design of future development at North Eveleigh in order to maximise amenity, while ensuring the continued operation of rail related activities.

Existing land use zone

North Eveleigh is zoned ‘Railways’ under SREP 26. The objectives of the ‘Railways Zone’ are to:

• provide for the ongoing day-to day operational activities of the SRA, Freight Rail Corporation and Rail Access Corporation, and

• ensure that uses within the zone do not detrimentally impact on the use of adjoining land, and

• provide for community facilities within and public access across the zone.

Only land uses that are consistent with the above objectives are permissible within the Railway Zone. As such permissible uses are largely restricted to railway related activities.

Proposed land use concept

Create a vibrant cultural, business and residential precinct that provides jobs, quality housing, services and facilities and opportunities for artistic and cultural expression. Encourage employment generating uses to maximise proximity to Redfern Railway Station. Encourage residential development on the southern portion of the site, cultural and community uses in the middle of the site and a mix of residential and non residential development at the northern end.

Diagram 4.3 [764KB] illustrates the proposed land use concept for the site.

Proposed design concept

Maximise accessibility to and within the site by:

• providing a secondary east/west vehicular, pedestrian, cycle network through the site

• creating new vehicular, pedestrian, cycle entry points from Wilson Street

• creating a pedestrian and cycle link on the north-east of the site to connect the site to Redfern Railway Station, Redfern Street, and the north of the ATP

• investigating options for a potential tunnel connection between North Eveleigh and the ATP to improve access to the University of Sydney and link the site with the ATP, South Eveleigh and Henderson Road.

Protect the heritage and industrial character of the site by:

• ensuring new development responds sensitively to significant heritage items

• where practical, the adaptive re-use of significant heritage buildings, associated with the former industrial railway uses

• considering the historical block configuration of the site

• encouraging the reinterpretation of heritage through the reuse of heritage materials and fabric in any redevelopment

• encouraging retention of views to significant heritage items.

Respect the industrial character on the site while providing an appropriate interface to the residential and mixed use character of the surrounding area by:

• ensuring that development along Wilson Street and Iverys Lane responds to the smaller development parcels that characterise these streets

• locating larger parcels towards the centre of the site and the railway corridor

• ensuring development along Wilson Street and Iverys Lane responds to the predominant terrace house typology within the area with a contemporary architectural interpretation

• ensuring that the architectural character of new development responds to the industrial character of the site

• ensuring development along Iverys Lane is setback to minimise overlooking of existing residential development on the opposite side of the Lane

• providing lower to medium rise building heights along the perimeter of the site to respond to adjacent residential buildings

• increasing building heights toward the centre of the site and adjacent to the railway corridor with medium to high rise development.

Provide for the development of a landmark building at the northern part of the site near Redfern Railway Station.

Ensure the provision of quality open space:

• within and around new development parcels for private and communal use

• for all new dwellings

• adjacent to active uses to enable surveillance and maximise the safety and security of spaces

• that has good solar access

• that is appropriately designed and landscaped with plantings, paving, lighting and benches and furniture.

Ensure that new development is designed and located to minimise acoustic impacts from the railway corridor and rail related activities, in particular the proposed McDonaldtown Stabling facility.

The proposed heights and floor space ratio for the site are illustrated in Diagram 4.4 [817KB].

Proposed land use zoning

Business Zone - Mixed use

Special Purpose Zone - Infrastructure