Kristina Keneally Comments on the RWA BEP

1. Redfern Waterloo Built Environment Plan Released

A landmark strategy to drive the physical renewal of Redfern and Waterloo was released by the NSW Government last week, along with new plans for a $10 million community health centre.

Minister for Redfern-Waterloo Frank Sartor said the final Built Environment Plan (BEP) is intended to encourage economic growth and the creation of up to 18,000 jobs.

“The NSW Government is working to kick-start investment in Redfern and Waterloo in order to create more jobs and opportunity for local residents,” Mr Sartor said.

“The Redfern-Waterloo Authority has engineered almost $300 million in new investment for the area, including direct RWA investment of more than $76 million."

In the BEP, the Government is committing funding of $32 million for:

• A $10 million community health centre at the former Redfern Courthouse and Police Station;
• A $6 million pedestrian and cycle bridge to link Australian Technology Park with North Eveleigh;
• $16 million over ten years towards affordable housing for Aboriginal residents.
  

Mr Sartor said the draft Plan had been amended in response to public consultation.

Proposed new zonings in the Eveleigh Street Precinct have also been modified.  Significantly, the new zonings will permit the Aboriginal Housing Company to build up to 69 residential units on the land it owns in Eveleigh, including the area known as the Block and AHC land across the street.  This is a significant increase on what had been permitted in the draft BEP, and exceeds the residential capacity of the AHC's original proposal to build 62 residential units on the Block. 

Other key aspects of the Built Environment Plan include:

• New planning frameworks for eight strategic sites across Redfern and Waterloo, to generate more than 400,000 square metres of new employment space and up to 2,000 new homes;
• A new Town Centre around an upgraded Redfern Railway Station, including a civic square, to serve as a hub for community and commercial activity;
• The restoration or adaptive re-use of up to 7.65 hectares of heritage structures on RWA strategic sites, including up to 6.7 hectares of rail heritage.
  

A new State Environmental Planning Policy for the area will be gazetted.  For more information visit www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au

2.  Marian Street Park Saved! 

One piece of fantastic news from the BEP is that the Minister for Redfern Waterloo has listened to the community and saved Marian Street Park.

The community can celebrate that our campaign has saved Marian Street Park from being turned into an 18-storey building.

In June I wrote directly to Minister Frank Sartor to support Watertower residents who lobbied to preserve the park.   I believed that the Government needed to listen to local residents in their desire for local, usable, passive public open space.

Minister Sartor said in his press release that the draft Plan had been amended response to public consultation.

“Following representations from the Member for Heffron and local residents, Marion Street Park will be preserved and zoned for public recreation.”

“The State Government is offering to dedicate the land to City of Sydney Council, if agreement can be reached on plans to upgrade the Park for the enjoyment of locals.”