Movement at the station to ease squeeze

The historic North Eveleigh workshops will be turned into 1260 new flats, including up to 200 flats reserved for affordable rental housing, Planning Minister Frank Sartor announced yesterday.

More than $100 million is expected to be raised from selling the public land. It will be funnelled into upgrading Redfern railway station with a pedestrian bridge among other amenities.

Mr Sartor said the now derelict railyards would become a new, vibrant, living community.

"It is a fantastic urban renewal project which will keep the old heritage buildings and juxtapose it with the new," he said.

The yards would become home for more than 2500 people, provide 3000 jobs during construction and breathe new life into Redfern, he said.

Mr Sartor acknowledged problems of the area as the noise of passing trains and planes flying overhead drowned him out several times during the announcement.

"This not about the hot end of town," he said. "This is about providing an important new living community within the inner city."

The development is only a short walk from Sydney University, the new media hub being built for Channel 7 and the growing Technology Park.