RED "Core Principles" - Text

2.1 Background to RED

• The NSW Government has made a commitment to assist in improving the quality of life in the Redfern/Waterloo area. To this end, the Redfern/Waterloo Partnership Project was established to work with the community to achieve sustainable solutions that address community concerns. This is taking place through a whole of government, whole of community approach to addressing issues and concerns in the area.
• One initiative of the Partnership is the Redfern-Eveleigh-Darlington (the RED Strategy). The RED Strategy aims to provide a holistic approach to address urban renewal, economic revitalisation and improvements in urban amenity for the Redfern, Eveleigh and Darlington precincts. PlanningNSW and NSW Premier's Department are the lead agencies for the RED Strategy.

2.3 The Study-Area

 Existing

• The Study area represents 340ha and is defined by Cleveland Street to the North, Eastern Distributor to the east, O'Dea Avenue, Bourke Street, Botany Road, McEvoy Street, Fountain Street, Mitchell Road, Henderson Road and Railway Parade to the south and Newtown to the west.'
• The area is characterised by inner city terrace housing, multi unit housing and industrial structures such as factories and warehouses.
• The original street grid pattern is generally still intact, however, the area suffers from regional traffic accessing the CBD from the airport and industrial areas to the south.
• The largest land holdings are the former Eveleigh rail yards, the Department of Housing estates and Sydney University's Darlington Campus.

2.6 What is a Planning Frame work - RED STRATEGY PROCESS (Graphic)

Core Principles

PRINCIPLE 1         Develop a Sustainable Town Centre to Serve the RED Area

PRINCIPLE 2         Capitalise on Redfern station's location in the RED area, infrastructure potential, and position in the Metropolitan rail system to support revitalisation of Redfern Station and Town Centre precincts.

PRINCIPLE 3         Provide a Safe and Activated Public Domain

PRINCIPLE 4         Optimise Social and Economic return from Government Land Holdings

PRINCIPLE 5         Ensure Social Equity in Public Life

PRINCIPLE 6         Foster Community Identity

PRINCIPLE 7         Strengthen Community Cohesion

Principle 1

Develop a Sustainable Town Centre to Serve the RED Area

Strategies

• Position Redfern as the economic and cultural centre of the area.
• Reduce impact of regional traffic on Redfern and Waterloo.
• Revitalise the retail strips of Redfern and Regent Streets.
• Encourage the full range of retail outlets in Redfern and Regents Streets, particularly street front businesses and supermarkets.
• Undertake streetscape improvements.
• Provide parking opportunities to support easy access to retail precincts.
• Increase the number of people living and working in the RED area.
• Identify redevelopment opportunities.
• Provide development links to North Eveleigh.

Principle 2

Capitalise on Redfern station's location in the RED area, infrastructure potential, and position in the Metropolitan rail system to support revitalisation of Redfern Station and Town Centre precincts.

Strategies

• Increase employment within 500m radius of the station.
• Connect main railway entrance to town centre.
• Improve access to Redfern Station thereby facilitating access to regional jobs and facilities.
• Provide improved access between the station and Australian Technology Park.
• Redevelop the station including a southern concourse providing a strong linkage to North Eveleigh, improved access to Sydney University and the Lawson Street precinct.
• Intensify retail and other uses on the station concourse. Provide for a bus/rail interchange.

Principle 3

Provide a Safe and Activated Public Domain

Strategies

• Provide intensive lighting to preferred pedestrian and cycle ways leading to the town centre, schools, universities and other community facilities.
• Built form along these streets will maximise casual surveillance.
• Traffic calming mechanisms will be implemented to improve safety and amenity of local streets.
• Opportunities for pavement enterprise and small neighbourhood retail precincts will be supported.
• Develop community safety strategy for the public domain pending revitalisation of the area through growth.
• Introduce temporary use strategies for vacant shop fronts e.g: shops as gallery spaces.
• The railway station precinct to become an integral component of the public domain.
• Improve quantity and level of amenity of local parks and develop linkages with regional open space.
• Prioritise creation and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian routes.

Principle 4

Optimise Social and Economic return from Government Land Holdings

Strategies

• Increase development potential of ATP, North Eveleigh and Redfern Rail Station by exploiting potential synergies.
• Create additional development opportunities on rail lands to the north of Redfern Station and West Eveleigh.
• To facilitate a sustainable, balanced and diverse social mix in residential precincts.
• Maximise retention of surplus government sites in light of current and projected demand for community infrastructure.

Principle 5

Ensure Social Equity in Public Life

Strategies

• Prioritise safety and security.
• Facilitate access to economic opportunities for people not in the workforce.
• Provide for efficient and affordable public transport access to local community, recreation, health, education, retail and cultural facilities.
• Prioritise opportunities for creating local employment and enterprise development.
• Broker employment partnerships between community and major employers eg: Sydney University.
• Ensure supply of community infrastructure to support social, cultural and economic capability of community.
• Design of the public domain to ensure opportunities are provided for people with diverse physical, cultural and economic needs are able to use public places.

Principle 6

Foster Community Identity

Strategies

• Position Redfern Town Centre as the heart of the area.
• Develop shared sense of place through the celebration of cultural, industrial and built heritage.
• Develop initiatives that grow cultural enterprises.
• Develop specific locality identity.
• Implement thematic unity through treatment of the public domain.

Principle 7

Strengthen Community Cohesion

Strategies

• Implement initiatives in the public domain that build community cohesion eg: Greening the Streets.
• Create attractive and safe open spaces and meeting places at the neighbourhood level to promote social interaction.
• Facilitate a sustainable and diverse social mix in residential precincts by increasing affordable housing without reducing public housing.
• Reduce impacts of physical barriers that create social barriers eg: arterial roads, rail line, Lawson Street Bridge.
• Provide places for community celebrations and cultural expression.