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3. Strategies for Revitalising Redfern-Waterloo

[This is the text from the above mentioned section of the RWA Draft Redfern-Waterloo Built Environment Plan (Stage One) February 2006. Links to single page PDF maps and illustrations have been included and details of the file size of the link also added to allow for easy navigation. - REDWatch]

This section presents the framework for revitalisation of the built environment of Redfern-Waterloo. The framework is based on the achievement of strategies relating to:

• land use and zoning

• urban design

• public domain

• infrastructure

• heritage

• transport

• utility services.

3.1 Sustainable Outcomes

The principles of sustainable development have been considered in developing this draft Plan and underpin the draft State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) for the RWA strategic sites.

To achieve a more viable economic environment which provides greater employment for local residents and the wider metropolitan area, the draft Plan and SEPP encourages high quality developments where retail, cultural and commercial businesses are able to provide jobs for the local and broader Sydney population. A stronger local economy will mean greater investment which will improve the places and spaces in the area.

To achieve an improved social and cultural environment the draft Plan promotes an increase in housing provision, choice and affordability, safety and access, activation of sites adjoining residential areas which are degraded and underutilised, fostering of retail and employment activity, and quality community, cultural and civic spaces for residents, workers and visitors.

To achieve an improved physical environment, the draft Plan and SEPP promotes a place with a built form and civic spaces that are responsive to its context, provides for increased emphasis on public transport, improves access and connections and encourages development which has regard for environmental sustainable outcomes. For example, reduced energy and water use and responsible waste management in line with best practice.

To achieve a strong governance structure the draft Plan will be supported by a SEPP which will provide the guidelines for future development, and the initiatives of the Human Services Plan and the Employment and Enterprise Plan.

3.2 Strategies

This section provides the overarching strategies and actions for the future development of the RWA strategic sites and addresses issues outlined in the previous section. Further details on proposed land uses and design concepts for each RWA strategic site are outlined in Section 4.

The following table illustrates the indicative development yield that the draft Plan seeks to achieve on the RWA strategic sites.

Table 3.1 Potential development yield

Site Area (estimate)                 Total development yield (estimate)
35 hectares                                  600,000 square metres
(350,000 square metres)

3.2.1 Land Use Strategy

The Land Use Strategy provides for sustainable outcomes based on sound urban design principles. Diagram 3.1 [449 KB] outlines the Land Use Strategy.

The Land Use Strategy is underpinned by the following actions, which have been developed from an analysis of metropolitan, local and site specific issues:

• zoning land to provide for flexible land uses

• facilitating economic and employment growth

• facilitating the creation of a town centre and improved linkages

• facilitating housing provision, choice and affordability

• facilitating community and cultural development.

These land use actions have been derived by considering how the physical and built environment in and around the RWA strategic sites may be structured and managed to provide a holistic response. Connectivity and linkages between RWA strategic sites is an integral element of the strategy. The actions are intended to operate interdependently and are not mutually exclusive. Combined with the urban design principles they provide the basis for future planning controls.

Zoning and flexibility of land uses

A plethora of land uses, land use zones, plans and controls currently apply to the RWA strategic sites. The South Sydney Local Environmental Plan, various Development Control Plans of the current City of Sydney and former South Sydney Councils; Sydney Regional Environmental Plan No. 26 – City West; Urban Development Plan-Eveleigh Precinct and the Australian Technology Park Master Plan represent the myriad of planning instruments and policies applying to the RWA strategic sites.

These plans and policies do not provide a consistent and comprehensive set of controls and guidelines specifically developed to revitalise and renew Redfern–Waterloo. They present a lack of certainty and clarity for development opportunities and do not provide the basis for achieving the vision for Redfern-Waterloo and as such, are no longer appropriate.

The Land Use Strategy proposes the adoption of new land use zones which provide for flexibility of land uses to encourage investment that generates jobs and housing to facilitate the revitalisation and renewal of Redfern-Waterloo. The new land use zones will replace a number of redundant and restrictive zones applying to some of the sites. For example, large areas of under-utilised surplus railway land which are largely sterilised from redevelopment opportunities due to the existing railway zoning, will be rezoned to allow for a mix of non-residential and residential uses.

The proposed land use zones indicated in Section 4 are based on the land use zones included in the draft Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2005 prepared by the Department of Planning. Diagram 3.2  [449 KB] indicates the proposed land use zones for the RWA strategic sites.

New controls for potential height and floor space ratios proposed for each RWA strategic site have been based on site specific urban design analysis taking into account the imperative of delivering a plan which achieves the vision for the area.

Facilitate economic and employment growth

The Land Use Strategy will deliver around 18,000 jobs and about 440,000 square metres of new employment floor space in Redfern-Waterloo.

It is based on harnessing the potential for job growth and activity around the Redfern Railway Station, within Australian Technology Park, on the disused railway land at North and South Eveleigh and the Eveleigh Street strategic sites to meet local and metropolitan employment needs. The Strategy recognises the need to establish a threshold density necessary to encourage employment clusters, economic viability and vitality. It strongly supports job growth as a key driver to achieving a sustainable community in Redfern-Waterloo.

The proposed concentration of activity and development density around the Redfern Railway Station:

• reflects synergy with Central Station

• reflects Redfern’s status as the southern gateway to the

Sydney CBD

• takes advantage of the underutilised capacity around one of the most highly accessible stations in NSW

• is environmentally responsible

• builds on the unique accessibility of Redfern Railway Station.

Importantly, the concentration provides an employment centre for the south east region of Sydney and increases the opportunity for residents to live and work within the region.

It also arrests the loss of traditional industrial land which has occurred in the region over the past decade.

Movement in and around Redfern Railway Station will be channelled to Redfern town centre and Regent Streets to boost economic activity and enhance the viability of the town centre.

The ATP is a unique employment hub located within a short distance of Redfern Railway Station, which has not realised its economic and investment potential. Job growth at the ATP will benefit local residents, as well as, provide a vital employment destination for residents in the south eastern metropolitan region.

North Eveleigh provides the unique opportunity as a precinct where people can live, work and recreate in an iconic and artistic place within short distance of a major public transport hub. The new Contemporary Performing Arts Centre being built by the Ministry for the Arts will boost activity and interest in the area and encourage complimentary activity. It is ideally located for a range of land uses, including student accommodation, innovative incubator business, training centres, markets and other activities linked with its cultural and artistic focus.

The Eveleigh Street strategic site, which extends to Cleveland Street, has traditionally been a mixed use area with both housing and employment activity.

Opportunities for employment generating uses will be increased within this site, including the potential for Aboriginal enterprises.

Facilitate the creation of a town centre and improved linkages

The town centre will grow around Redfern Railway Station and provide the activity heart of Redfern. It will provide the destination for jobs and housing, and provide a focus for people to meet and socialise.

A central element of the town centre will be the improvement of Redfern Railway Station and the creation of a civic space which connects Redfern Railway Station to Redfern Street, Regent Street and the Australian Technology Park through well defined pedestrian and cycle linkages. Linkages between the town centre, North Eveleigh and the University of Sydney will also be improved to provide better access. It is envisaged that the town centre will develop into a lively, safe and high quality civic space which will provide a variety of uses especially at street level.

Facilitate housing provision, choice and affordability

Around 2,000 new dwellings will be developed in Redfern-Waterloo under Stage One of the draft Plan reflecting a potential population increase of around 4,000 residents.

The dwellings will be located throughout the RWA strategic sites and include low, medium and high rise apartment development, town houses and terraces.

The increase in dwelling numbers, diversity and tenancy will provide greater housing choice and contribute to creating a more socio-economic diverse community.

The Land Use Strategy proposes that residential development located outside the town centre adjacent to existing residential areas, will be designed to be compatible with the surrounding residential areas. Detailed guidelines governing residential amenity will be provided in supporting Development Control Plans to be produced.

The RWA will develop an Affordable Housing Program largely financed by new development on the RWA strategic sites and Carlton United Brewery site. The Program will target special groups and be supported by an Affordable Housing Contribution Plan. It is envisaged that the Program and Plan will be exhibited in the next few months.

Facilitate community and cultural development

Community and cultural facilities are an important aspect of a healthy and vibrant community. The RWA is committed to facilitating the provision of community facilities in the area which cater to education and the needs of the community, as well as, cultural facilities which can play an important role in revitalisation.

The key community and cultural actions are to:

• provide for flexible land uses to enable the location and operation of community and cultural facilities

• encourage the location of cultural and community facilities on RWA strategic sites to enhance community development

• facilitate the establishment of a centre of Aboriginal cultural, social and sporting excellence

• facilitate opportunities for cultural enterprise developments.

The RWA is currently facilitating the purchase of the former Redfern Public School by the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC). The site will be transformed into a national centre of Aboriginal cultural, social and sporting excellence. Educational services will also be delivered from the site. It is expected that in the short term the buildings on the site will be refurbished to provide these services.

The draft Employment and Enterprise Plan indicates the opportunity to reposition Redfern-Waterloo as a cultural precinct in Sydney. The North Eveleigh site has been identified as an ideal location to build a cultural industry leveraging off art galleries, performance spaces and practising artists in the area. Cultural activities are an important element in creating a sustainable and vibrant community.

The new Contemporary Performing Arts Centre to be located in the Carriage Works in North Eveleigh is scheduled to open in January 2007 and will provide the foundations for future residential and commercial development in North Eveleigh.

The RWA, Ministry of the Arts and City of Sydney will be developing a Cultural Industries Strategy to identify opportunities for cultural industry development such as local markets, indigenous cultural tourism, festivals and indigenous art.

The draft Plan reinforces the initiatives of the Human Services Plan for achieving efficient and appropriate delivery of human services to those in need in the community, by facilitating the provision of community services through land use and zoning controls.

3.2.2 Urban Design Strategy

The Urban Design Strategy complements the Land Use Strategy and has been developed through site specific and contextual analysis of the existing building form and massing, and character of development on RWA strategic sites. An integral component of the Urban Design Strategy is the treatment of the public domain and the establishment of linkages and connections to transport, employment, housing and open space.

Opportunities for architectural design competitions on iconic and important sites such as North Eveleigh, ATP, Redfern Railway Station and Gibbons Street will be undertaken to encourage design excellence, innovation and the achievement of sustainable development.

The Strategy proposes maximum height and floor space ratio controls (Diagram 3.3 [1.2MB] and Diagram 3.4 [656KB]), a design concept and design intent for each RWA strategic site. Urban design principles have been developed to govern outcomes for the RWA strategic sites. These will be incorporated into relevant plans and policies to provide a guide for future development.

Design concept

The design concept for the RWA strategic sites is to:

• create and reconnect east and west Redfern across the rail line, also linking the ATP, North Eveleigh and South Eveleigh sites and the major employment zones

• create an interconnected street network between North and South Eveleigh and reinforce this network with active uses to provide good passive surveillance

• create greatest density around Redfern Railway Station in terms of both built form and activity

• improve the public domain by increasing surveillance and “eyes on the street”, quality landscaping, signage and street furniture

• ameliorate traffic issues and impacts to create safe and pedestrian friendly links across Gibbons and Regent Streets to the main street

• reinforce and continue existing street, land and pedestrian links to the current street pattern and extend the current street alignments into the RWA strategic sites to integrate them into the broader context.

General urban design principles

The following design principles will guide future development on RWA strategic sites:

• Built form and massing of new development to respond to the immediate context and character of the site and should provide a transition between scales. Development around the Redfern Railway Station to emulate the southern Sydney CBD (as around Railway Square).

• Reinforce the sense of enclosure to the streets, reinforce street alignments and achieve appropriate human scale at street frontage.

• Buildings are to be designed to achieve sustainability principles, excellent amenity, solar access and passive surveillance.

• Provide active frontages to all public domain areas including streets, lanes and mid block connections.

• Encourage high quality landscape design of public spaces, the interface between public spaces and private development within new development.

• Provide high quality amenity to the public and private domain.

• Achieve design excellence in urban, landscape and architectural design, utilising design competitions for significant sites.

• Create new links and connections through larger sites that operate as real streets and laneways.

• Ensure that new development is designed and located to minimise acoustic impacts from the railway corridor and traffic on major roads.

3.2.3 Public Domain Strategy

The Public Domain Strategy is based on the following broad initiatives:

• upgrade of Redfern Railway Station and the immediate surrounds

• creation of a new civic space linked with the town centre and Redfern Railway Station which will provide a focus for activity and enterprise

• landscaping and improvements along linkages and connections to the Railway station and town centre, Redfern Street and Regent Streets, North and South Eveleigh, and ATP

• provision of open space areas associated with new development

• improved safety and security by encouraging retail and other active uses adjacent to the public domain.

These initiatives will be supported in a detailed Public Domain Improvement Plan which will be prepared for the RWA strategic sites.

3.2.4 Infrastructure Strategy

A number of strategies will be employed to facilitate the delivery of public amenities and services including public domain improvements, upgrade of the Redfern Railway Station and an affordable housing program. These will include the imposition of development levies linked to value capture from increased development potential, sale of government land with development approval, borrowings, partnerships with other State Government agencies, partnerships with the private sector, and levies from future development within the Carlton United Brewery site to assist with provision of affordable housing.

An Affordable Housing Program, Affordable Housing Contributions Plan and Contributions Plan for Public Amenities and Services will be prepared and will complement any plan governing development in the area.

3.2.5 Heritage Strategy

The RWA strategic sites have many buildings and structures which are evidence of the diverse and interesting history of these sites. These buildings and structures also form a key part of the physical character of the area and can provide a unique quality to a development site.

The key heritage actions are outlined below.

Conserve and protect heritage items where appropriate

Existing Conservation Management Plans and heritage inventories for items on RWA strategic sites will be reviewed to determine the value of any items and to provide for appropriate development controls. In some cases, Conservation Management Plans for some strategic sites may need to be prepared to identify existing significant heritage items to be retained and appropriate management. Where any item needs to be removed, an archival record will be prepared in accordance with the NSW Heritage guidelines.

Encourage the adaptive reuse of heritage items within new development

The ATP Locomotive Workshop and the upcoming Contemporary Performance Arts Centre in North Eveleigh provide excellent examples of adaptive reuse of heritage items. Wherever practical, heritage items will be used and incorporated into new developments.

3.2.6 Transport Strategy

Changing Redfern-Waterloo from simply being an interchange locality which funnels people to other areas in Sydney, to an area which is a key destination for workers, visitors and residents requires reconfiguration of the transport provision and servicing to the area. This shift is about providing better access to Redfern-Waterloo and ensuring people can access activities and places within the area safely and easily.

The key transport initiatives are outlined below.

Public Transport

Redevelopment of Redfern Railway Station

As discussed in Section 2 upgrading of Redfern Railway Station is central to the revitalisation of the area. Upgrading will enable the Station to better cater for the proposed increased residential and worker populations, improve entry and connections to the area, provide disabled access and provide for better rail to rail interchange.

These changes in turn will make the area more accessible and attract businesses to the area.

In addition, to upgrading the Redfern Railway Station, the land adjoining the Railway Station and Gibbons Street will be redeveloped for residential and business activities. Retail and other active uses at street level will create safer and more vibrant public spaces.

 

The RWA is currently working with RailCorp to develop design options for the redevelopment of the Redfern Railway Station. These options are anticipated to be presented to the community in late 2006.

Management of traffic generated from new development

For non residential land uses it is proposed that the RWA will seek to implement a target of 60 percent non car use for journey to work trips. Further work will be undertaken to determine the most appropriate parking provision for retail and residential uses.

The RWA will undertake further transport assessment of the proposed development of the RWA strategic sites and work with the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) on a Transport Management Plan. A parking policy for the various land uses will be incorporated in a Development Control Plan.

Improved connections to bus services

Due to the high regional connectivity provided by the bus services in Redfern and the significant rail to bus interchange which occurs during weekday morning and afternoon peak, it is important to enhance the visual and physical connection between the Railway Station entrance/exit, proposed civic space and well used bus stops on Regent and Lawson Streets. The RWA will ensure that any development proposed for this area considers these important connections to facilitate ease of access to other forms of transport and will work with the relevant State Government agencies to address these issues.

Roads

Improved traffic operations on Regent and Gibbons Streets

Regional traffic through Redfern is having a negative impact on pedestrian amenity and the operation of businesses along Redfern and Gibbons Streets. This impact will continue to worsen due to foreshadowed increase vehicular and truck movements from the Airport and Port. The RWA and RTA are currently assessing a proposal to revert Regent and Gibbons Streets to two-way operation and restrict truck access into Regent Street. Any solution will however need to take into account broader metropolitan and regional traffic issues and address any associated congestion issues.

A number of local traffic management initiatives such as additional street parking to service the businesses along Regent Street and improved phasing at intersections may be introduced in the short term.

These actions would help to revitalise the Regent Street retail strip by providing an improved environment for pedestrians and additional on-street parking spaces.

Improved connections between ATP and North Eveleigh

The rail corridor physically disconnects the northern and southern parts of Redfern-Waterloo and limits access to key destinations such as ATP, the University of Sydney and other health and educational facilities.

To overcome this disconnection RWA is currently undertaking a design and feasibility study for a potential tunnel proposal to provide a direct north-south vehicular connection. A separate pedestrian and cycle link is also proposed to connect the northern and southern part of Redfern-Waterloo.

Cycling

Encourage safe and easy cycling in the area

There are a number of off-road cycle routes through the Redfern-Waterloo area. The RWA and City of Sydney will work in partnership to ensure that existing cycle routes are enhanced, including, providing bicycle routes to RWA strategic sites and to key destinations. The provision of bicycle facilities/storage will be encouraged in new developments and at Redfern Railway Station.

3.2.7 Utility Services

The relevant utility providers (related to water, gas, electricity and telecommunications) will be consulted to provide preliminary information regarding the provision of infrastructure to service the proposed development in this draft Plan. It is expected that developers will be responsible for certain costs with regard to installation and connection of these services. In addition, more detailed design of services will be required to be undertaken at the development design stage.