$550m to `sex up' Eveleigh

The State Government yesterday released concept plans, which include the construction of 1260 new homes and an undercover fresh food and craft market to rival Melbourne's Queen Victoria market. To be known as North Eveleigh, the precinct will have new cafes, shopping areas and performance spaces.

The market will comprise more than 100 stalls with a focus on fresh produce and form part of the $3 million refurbishment of the Blacksmith's Workshop.

With the tendering process complete, the government hopes the market will be open to the public by the end of this year.

Seven historic buildings on the 10.7ha site will be retained, with the ground-level space used for retail and commercial purposes and residential unit complexes

built into the remainder of the structure. The plans calls for 1260 new dwellings to house an estimated 2400 residents.

Around 200 of the homes will be c ossified as affordable, to accommodate disadvantaged families.

Redfern railway station will also be upgraded — from funds raised through the sale of North Eveleigh dwellings — with a multi-million-dollar pedestrian and cycle bridge linking it to North Eveleigh and the nearby Australian Technology Park.

The precinct's transformation is part of the $1.3 billion Redfern-Waterloo renewal program.

Work has already started at the technology park, which is set to become a media hub after the Seven Network and Pacific Magazines relocated there.

NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor urged the community to view the North Eveleigh plans —"one of Sydney's most important urban renewal projects".

Around 3300 construction jobs will be generated with 300 to be reserved for indigenous workers.