Redevelopment

City of Sydney Urban Design Study and Public Housing

During 2006 the City of Sydney undertook an Urban Design Study of Redfern Waterloo. This study included land owned by the NSW Department of Housing. The study found that some areas of Public Housing were of quite low density and that there were opportunities to increase density on DoH lands and decrease heights. Here we have bought together the key aspects of this study as it releates to public housing.

Social Mix - Will it solve the problems?

Improving 'social mix' is at the heart of NSW Government plans for Redfern Waterloo. Worldwide there have been many attempts to implement a better 'social mix' through the redevelopment of public housing estates. In Melbourne in 2010 a trumpeted development to improve 'social mix' in an inner city housing estate looks like it might lead to a wall to protect private housing amenity from the adjoining public tenants after the redevelopment. Here we have bought together some of the research and issues that will need to be addressed if an engineered improved housing mix is going to lead to improved outcomes for public tenants as well as the new residents in Redfern and Waterloo. The documents include papers given to the Shelter Conference ‘Estates in the balance’, relevant media articles and opinion pieces that open up some of the issues that need to be addressed. Thanks to Ross Smith for suppling much of the material.

RWA Plans

Public Housing within Redfern Waterloo was not included in the initial State Significant declaration area in Redfern Waterloo. After initially saying that redevelopment of Public Housing was not on their agenda the RWA has now said that it will start planning now for Public Housing Redevelopments in Stage Two of the Redfern Waterloo Plan.

Housing NSW Master Planning for the Redevelopment of Redfern Waterloo

In addition to working with the RWA on BEP2 Housing NSW has gained Federal Government funding for Master Planning the redevelopment of Redfern Waterloo public housing. Here we have collected information from HNSW regarding the redevelopment and the master planning.

Map of HNSW land covered by Redfern & Waterloo Redevelopment

This is an aerial map photo map showing the area that will be covered by the RWA Built Environment Plan 2 and the Housing NSW Preliminary Master Plan. The map is labeled with the names of the HNSW high rise buildings. The Map is a large 3.4 MB PDF.

Elizabeth & Walker Streets Redfern Redevelopment

The plan for this redevelopment was announced in July 2002 as part of the DoH's decision to use privately funded redevelopment (see article in Redevelopment tab). In September 2003 the NSW Department of Housing wrote to residents formally informing them of what was planned in the development. The DoH could not get interest in the development as initially proposed and in May 2005 advised residents that they would try to gain interest by including the PCYC site in the development. Here we are collecting information about the Elizabeth Street development.

Matavi and Turunga Bed Sit Coversion

On 25th October 2005 Minister for Housing, Cherie Burton, announced $880,000 would be spent converting 28 bid sit units in Matavi and Turunga in Phillip Street, Waterloo into one bedroom apartments. While this is not a major development the undertakings given to residents will need to be honoured if public tenents are to have faith in undertakings given in larger developments.