25 October 2006

In This Update

Pemulwuy Project Listed on Major Project Site

The AHC’s Project Description

The Pemulwuy Project Director Generals Requirements (DGRs)

DGR’s for Cleveland and Hart Streets Development in Eveleigh Street Precinct

RWA Youth Taskforce Meetings Suspended

Community Centres next for the RWA Reformation

RWA Newsletter on Human Services Plan Phase 2

RWA Catering Assistance Grants for Community Groups

Redfern Waterloo Indigenous Services under Federal and State Government partnership agreement

Indigenous Land Council DA for Black Theatre Site

Community Forum – Redfern Waterloo Local Action Plan – Monday 30^th October 2006

Redfern Street Public Art Concept Plan Display – to Monday 6^th November 2006

Update on Macdonaldtown Stabling Project

Infrastructure SEPP on Public Exhibition until 17 November 2006

Redwater News October 2006 & New HCAP Worker

ALP National Policy Aged care Seminar – 23^rd November 2006

Careers an Employment Expo – 1^st December 2006 ATP Oval

Have your say – Consultations mentioned previously:

- Inner West Local Action Plan Consultation – until Thursday 26^th October 2006

- Green Square Built Form Review and DCP Amendment – 30^th October 2006

- Heritage Streetscapes Study – 30^th October 2006

- REDWatch Meeting on Human Services Plan Phase 2 – 1^st November 2006

- Proposed New Heritage Items & Heritage Item listing amendments – NOW 3^rd November

- Redfern Oval DA – 8^th November 2006

Coming Events (entered on the REDWatch website)

Pemulwuy Project Listed on Major Project Site

After a long wait the Department of Planning have listed the Pemulwuy Project on the Major Projects Register. The listing makes public the September amendment Pemulwuy Project (PDF 1Mb) to the AHC’s initial project description which was prepared in March 2006 and the Director-General Environmental Assessment Requirements (56Kb) that a project application / concept plan for the site will need to meet.

The AHC’s Project Description

It is important at the outset to note that the document appearing on the Departments web site Pemulwuy Project (PDF 1Mb) is an amendment to the original project description. The initial project description contained more information than is on the web site but due to the changes in the planning controls for the area the initial application has been superseded. The Department requested the AHC to resubmit addressing the final RWA BEP and SEPP zones. As a result the AHC description appearing on the Department’s website is very general and provides only a broad indication of what the AHC initially proposed for the site. The photomontage and the colour drawings are included at the Department of Planning’s suggestion as they had been shown to Council during earlier discussions with council and government departments. With the changes in the planning controls some of the illustrations especially along the railway line do not represent current AHC thinking.

While the housing component shown depicts current AHC thinking for the site, the concept covering the land along the railway line is a basic outline of what might be developed if all landowners were in agreement and no details are provided. At the time that the AHC submitted an outline to the Department of Planning, the Draft Built Environment Plan proposed a residential reduction to a FSR of 0.5:1 and the building of the 62 homes on the Block would have been difficult for the AHC unless it could enter an agreement with at least some other land owners.

Under the current planning controls the AHC thinking is to limit the project predominantly to their own land moving the building along the railway line south towards Redfern Railway Station. However the broad project outline submitted to the Department of Planning allows all the landowners covered by the concept to join with the AHC in the Project by mutual agreement if they so wish.

It should also be made clear that under the Major Projects arrangements the AHC document is not a ‘development application’ as you would expect to see under council. In effect it is a document designed to indicate to the Department the interest of a developer to do a development. It is produced so the Department can prepare the Director General’s Requirements (DGRs). The DGRs tell the developer what they have to include in their project application or concept plan for the site. In the case of the DGRs supplied to the AHC they are almost equivalent to what would be required for the major project equivalent to a ‘Development Application’. The AHC can now refine its proposal in line with the DGRs and discuss possibilities with other interested land owners and the community to prepare its project application / ‘development application’ which, after checking by the Department of Planning, would be exhibited similar to a local government DA.

As a result of the above process the listing on the Department of Planning website is a little strange. It has an early major project number (reflecting it was prepared in March and then circulated to government departments and council for their DGR recommendations). The AHC requested a delay in the DGRs until the SEPP for the area was finalised. The resultant amendment 01 dated 6^th September 2006, after the final SEPP was gazetted on 30^th August 2006, was all that was posted, as parts of the earlier project description were rendered irrelevant by the SEPP change and hence became misleading. Ultimately the AHC plans have been, and we suspect will continue to be, governed both by what the Minister will allow and the interest of surrounding landowners in being involved in the Block redevelopment.

The Pemulwuy Project Director Generals Requirements (DGRs)

As mentioned above Director-General Environmental Assessment Requirements (56Kb) are prepared based on the input from government departments, council and, in the case of our area, the RWA. DGRs hence vary from project to project. It is therefore informative to compare the AHC DGRs with the DGRs for some other local projects (say Channel 7 in the ATP and CUB) as this highlights what has been put in the DGRs specifically for this project. From such a comparison major differences in the three areas below stand out.

A Social Impacts section - this is not common in DGRs. A Google search of the Department of Planning site for DGRs that include a Social Impacts Section only showed up the North and South West Rail Link DGRs as having this section but in very different terms. One gets the impression that the Eveleigh Street Precinct is being asked to jump through hoops that other developers are not required to do. While this may be the ushering in of a whole new government agenda for broader social responsibility for property developers, we suspect not. Ask yourself for a moment what would happen if these conditions were put on Meriton or another major developer on any similar sized developments away from the Block:

“Address the relocation of existing residents during the construction phase of the proposed development and any longer term impacts on the immediate and wider Aboriginal community. As some of the existing houses within the project site provide a source of affordable housing for Aboriginal people, the impact on these residents and the neighbouring community must be addressed. The project shall identify employment, education, cultural, social and residential opportunities that will be provided to support the development of a sustainable community. The project must address long term social sustainability issues such as governance, housing mix, community safety, local community impacts and minimisation of crime and anti-social behaviour.”

Staging – The usual requirement seems to be that it “be done in an orderly manner”, however the Pemulwuy project DGRs set conditions which seem designed to ensure houses and offices are built in a set ratio throughout the development and are subject to subjective assessments such as a “bona fide commitment and achievability of a genuine mixed used”:

• demonstration as to how residential and non-residential components of the project will be integrated for each stage to ensure the achievement of a mixed use precinct;
• demonstration as to how the development, when completed, will achieve the objectives of the SEPP (Major Projects) Amendment No. 7 2005 (Redfern-Waterloo) for the Business zone – mixed use;
• a demonstrated bona fide commitment and achievability of a genuine mixed used development;
  

Consultation with Local Aboriginal and community groups – It is good to see consultation with the community as part of any development, however again you have to ask if the Department of Planning are proposing to roll this out across all 3A Major Projects or only for the Eveleigh Street precinct. We note for example that consultation with the local community is not a requirement for either the CUB site or the Channel 7 3A major project DGRs. We are sure that the Chippendale people would love Fosters, or the Expert Panel for that matter, to have to describe the consultation process and the issues raised in the formulation of the design of the project!

Given the significance of the Block to the wider Aboriginal community details of the consultation undertaken with the Aboriginal community in the formulation and design of the project should be provided. The consultation process and the issues raised should be described in the Environmental Assessment.

The AHC can now sit down and finalise their development proposal. The reduction of the residential FSR from 1:1 to 0.75:1 over the Block, where the AHC wants to put the housing component, still creates a problem for the Pemulwuy Project. The AHC is still pushing for the residential allowance of 1:1 to be restored and the AHC and REDWatch has recently met with NSW Upper House MPs to discuss the AHC’s concerns. If the Block was in South Australia the parliament would be able to override the Minister’s decision but in NSW this is not possible.

The AHC is scheduled to meet Minister Sartor on 1^st November 2006. The Minister has the power to restore the residential FSR over the Block. The question is will Minister Sartor restore the 1:1 residential floor space for the area where the AHC want to build houses, and bring it into line with the residential allowance he has provided adjoining sites or will the Minister use the 0.75:1 residential allowance to try and push the AHC to further modify their development plans for the Block?

DGR’s for Cleveland and Hart Streets Development in Eveleigh Street Precinct

The Department of Planning have also just posted the DGR for the other Eveleigh Street Precinct Major Project on Cleveland Street. These DGRs were posted after the AHC DGRs and share a lot in common with the AHC’s DGRs. They include “Social and Economic Impacts” which include long term sustainability issues like governance and the requirement to consult with local community groups and to describe the consultation process and issues raised in the Environmental Assessment. There are a few other differences such as there is no requirement for the employment of aboriginal people on the Cleveland Street project or for the “bona fide commitment” requirement made on the AHC.

RWA Youth Taskforce Meetings Suspended

Reorganising youth services into three youth precincts was one of the main goals from the first round of the RWA Human Services Plan. Part of this reorganisation of youth services was the establishment a Youth Taskforce. A Place where the RWA and youth services could meet together and work out how they can better provide youth services in the area seemed like a good co-operative mechanism to us. We were hence a little surprised in the last few days to hear that Youth Taskforce meetings have again been cancelled this time until further notice. It appears that the RWA has not yet finalised the directions for the Youth Services Framework and until this is finalised there is no point in the Taskforce meeting! We think this underlines the broadly held perception that RWA Taskforces are part of a centrally directed process for top down change rather than a place where services meet together to address the issues and challenges facing them and the youth of the area.

Community Centres next for the RWA Reformation

If reorganising Youth Services was the push from the first stage of the Human Services Plan the reorganising Community Centre’s seems to be the RWA focus for NGOs from the second stage. We have been alerted now from a few directions to a round of discussions between community centre CEOs in Redfern Waterloo and the RWA in the lead up to a Community Centres Roundtable on October 26th. Aldo Pennini, RWA Director Reforming Human Services has confirmed to us that the RWA is starting a process of talking to Community Centres with a view to looking at how Community Centres may better respond to the needs of the Redfern Waterloo community. The RWA are initially looking to identify service gaps and areas where improved service delivery might be possible.

This is one of the busiest times of the year for project acquittals, annual reports, AGMs and of course preparing comments on the Draft Human Services Plan Phase 2. We are told that there has been very short notice about the roundtable and for community centres to think about how they can best respond to the questions being asked. According to participants one of the early issues appears to be what constitutes a community centre? The RWA are using a much broader definition than the organisations traditionally considered local community centres and funded to act as community centres.

Our major concern however is that most Community Centres operate from a community base with community management committees containing people with long experience in the area. While we appreciate that the RWA is starting this process by discussions with CEOs, we are particularly concerned that the Community Centre review process does not get too advanced before there are opportunities for management committees and other interested members of the community to input into the process. Planning for improved Community Centres would seem to be an ideal area for some bottom up participatory planning drawing on the wide experience in the community rather than the predominantly top down processes experienced under the RWA Reformation to date.

RWA Newsletter on Human Services Plan Phase 2

The RWA have produced an October edition of their Redfern-Waterloo Update which has a focus on the Draft Phase 2 Human Services Plan. The RWA newsletter lists out the 8 Key proposed priorities and the key actions proposed for each priority. This will be the first broad notification about the Stage 2 service areas to the community and it is to be hoped that the newsletter will generate some input to the RWA before 7 November 2006. If you have not seen a printed copy, download Redfern Waterloo Update October 2006 (pdf ~278kb). It is probably also worthwhile again mentioning here that REDWatch is holding a meeting on 1^st November at the Factory at 6pm on the issues raised in the RWA’s Update.

The RWA Update also has a small article about the Redfern Street Health Centre which is expected to be completed in late 2008 as well as articles on catering assistance and the Federal State indigenous agreement which we have mentioned below.

RWA Catering Assistance Grants for Community Groups

The RWA, in partnership with the NSW Community Relations Commission, is offering one-off catering assistance grants of up to $200 to help non-profit community groups meet the cost of holding a small community event. A neighbourhood BBQ or a small-scale community cultural event is an example of activities which may be eligible for funding grants. You can download further details from the RWA website from these links: Guidelines for Local Community Event Catering Assistance Grants (pdf ~19kb) Application for Local Community Event Catering Assistance Grants (pdf~10kb).

Redfern Waterloo Indigenous Services under Federal and State Government partnership agreement

The RWA newsletter provides a little more information on the agreement signed by Frank Sartor and Mal Brough which was first mentioned at the release of the RWA Built Environment Plan F4 Aboriginal Affordable Housing.doc. It is hoped that the agreement will be made public soon so everyone affected can see what has been decided about them. The RWA newsletter said:

The NSW Minister for Redfern-Waterloo, Frank Sartor, and the Federal Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, have signed a 10-year partnership agreement on enhancing opportunities for Redfern-Waterloo’s Indigenous community.

The agreement’s aim is for both governments to work closely on initiatives relating to employment and enterprise, education and training, health, Indigenous housing (including the area known as the Block) and delivery of other human services, “as a means to address social and economic disadvantage, to reduce welfare dependency through wealth creation and to improve delivery of services.

Indigenous Land Council DA for Black Theatre Site

The ILC have certainly been busy in Redfern this year. In addition to the former Redfern school site they have also been involved with the old Black Theatre site and in purchasing 233 Abercrombie Street for future use by Mudgin-gal. The DA (Number: D/2006/1615) for the Black Theatre site is for 27, 29 and 31 Cope Street as well as 88 and 90 Renwick Street. The DA is currently on exhibition through the City Council until 31^st October 2006. The DA proposes a new three storey commercial building fronting Cope Street. The building is proposed to accommodate retail uses on the ground floor, office space on the first floor and a radio station on the second floor plus a rooftop terrace. Car parking and landscaping are also proposed, with vehicle entry provided from Renwick Street. Plans for 31 Cope Street REDFERN NSW 2016 can be downloaded from the City of Sydney website.

Community Forum – Redfern Waterloo Local Action Plan – Monday 30^th October 2006

The focus for the next City of Sydney Community Forum for Redfern Waterloo and Eveleigh will be on the proposed Local Action Plan. This has been developed from community surveys circulated earlier in the year as well as studies, discussion with resident focus groups, Councillors and many other interested people. Council is bringing it back for consultation and discussion at the meeting. Some details of the shared community values and suggested projects have been placed on the councils website at http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/LocalActionPlans/InnerSouth.asp  and in the leaflet advertising the meeting Update - October | PDF 1Mb.

The hour from 6.00pm – 7.00pm will again be available for residents to meet with councillors, council staff and police to talk about their own issues. From 7.00pm – 8.30pm the meeting will focus on the Draft Local Action Plan discussion plus an update on Redfern Street and Regent Street upgrade. The forum will be held at Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street, Redfern.

Redfern Street Public Art Concept Plan Display – to Monday 6^th November 2006

Part of the Redfern Street upgrade is the inclusion of public art to reflect the cultural and physical character of the street. After review of the expression of interests, the Redfern Street Public Art Review Group have selected five artists to submit concept proposals in direct response to a public art brief for Redfern Street and Jack Floyd Reserve. Concept proposals are now on display for public comment at the Council’s Redfern Neighbourhood Service Centre in Tower 2, 1 Lawson Square, Redfern, until Monday 6th November. Centre opening hours are: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm & Saturdays 9am to 12 noon. The proposals will also be on display at the Inner South Community Forum at Redfern Town Hall on Monday 30th October from 6pm to 8.30pm.

Follow the exhibition period The Redfern St Public Art Review Group will assess the proposals and public comment to select a proposal to be developed as a permanent public art work. The group is to represent local views and knowledge as well as experience in public art and will make the final decision as to which proposal will be developed. The developed scheme is anticipated to be prepared for February 2007 for inclusion in the construction program of the main works. Information about the upgrade can be accessed on online at http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/CityImprovements/RedfernAndRegentStreetUpgrade.asp. For further information contact: Lisa Dodd, Redfern Street Project Design Manager, ph 9246 7693 ldodd@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.

Update on Macdonaldtown Stabling Project

The final plans for the Macdonaldtown Stabling Project are on display for the next two weeks at the Erskineville Town Hall (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) and Newtown Library (Mon & Wed 10am-7pm, Tues, Thurs, Fri 10am -6pm; Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 12noon – 4pm). There has been a lot of concern about the sound barrier proposals put forward for the project as well about trees being removed from near Macdonaldtown Station without proper consent. If you have concerns about the project you should have a look at the latest plans and put in your comments.

A yahoo group is operating so residents affected by the construction can exchange information on their concerns and these can then be taken up by the community representatives who meet with Railcorp and the contractor. For more information visit http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/MacdonaldtownCommunityLiaison/

Infrastructure SEPP on Public Exhibition until 17 November 2006

The Department of Planning has released a new SEPP prepared to consolidate and update planning provisions relating to infrastructure and government land. The draft SEPP outlines planning processes for considering classes of public infrastructure and particular infrastructure projects, exempts some minor public infrastructure from the need for an approval, clarifies where new infrastructure can be located and provides for additional permissible uses on government land and requires State agencies constructing infrastructure to consult local councils when a new infrastructure development is likely to affect existing local infrastructure or services. The draft policy can be found at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/planning_reforms

Redwater News October 2006 & New HCAP Worker

The latest edition of Redwater News, the Newsletter of the Redfern and Waterloo public housing tenants Neighbourhood Advisory Boards is out and can be downloaded from the REDWatch website at October 2006 (PDF 831 KB). Apart from the reports about what is going on in various NAB precincts there are also articles on dehumanisation; the Department of Housing High Rise Strategy Project; Do you need assistance accessing fresh fruit and vegies? ; Mental health consumers (Eastern Zone); Getting off Direct Marketing lists; Waterloo honours the late Joan Russell and Redfern-Waterloo Built Environment Plan; as well as information on local activities and services.

The Housing communities Assistance Program (HCAP) has a new Development Worker, Michael Shreenan has recently taken up post as the new Community Development worker for the Redfern and Waterloo area taking over from Orna Marks. Michael can be contacted at the Factory on 8399 1011.

ALP National Policy Aged care Seminar – 23^rd November 2006

The ALP National Policy Committee is having a National policy Dialogue Aged Care Public Forum on Thursday 23rd November 10.30—11.30am at PCYC South Sydney, 638 Elizabeth St, Redfern. Speakers include: Senator Jan McLucas Shadow Minister for Ageing, Disabilities and Carers; Paul Versteege Combined Pensioners and Superannuants; Pat Joyce The Aged Care Rights Service. This is an ALP function open to the public and is an opportunity to ensure your views, knowledge and ideas are considered as part of the ALP policy renewal. The poster for the event can be downloaded from ALP Aged care Consultation - 23 November 2006. RSVP: Paula.OSullivan@aph.gov.au  or Ph. (02) 9357 6366 (Essential for catering purposes).

Careers an Employment Expo – 1^st December 2006 ATP Oval

We have been asked to spread the word about the NEON Careers and Employment Expo that will be held 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Friday 1 December 2006 on the Vice-Chancellor’s Oval, near Henderson Rd, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh. This is an opportunity for people looking for employment to come and meet Australia’s top employers and training providers and to talk to employers about job opportunities that suit you. There will be a free sausage sizzle, entertainment and prizes to be won.  For more information see your school careers adviser or call Mark Spinks, Indigenous Service Officer, Centrelink Ph. 9243 3546. This event is organised by Centrelink in partnership with NSW Government agencies and is the seventh annual New Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) event. A poster for the Expo can be downloaded from Neon Employment Expo - 1st December 2006

Have your say – Consultations mentioned previously:

Below we have re-listed the various Plans and Consultations currently looking for community input:

- Inner West Local Action Plan Consultation – until Thursday 26^th October 2006

The 2006 Local Action Plan Inner West includes proposals for implementation in the villages of Camperdown, Chippendale, Darlington, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Golden Grove, Macdonaldtown and Newtown. If you live in one of these areas please visit the Council web site at Local Action Plan Inner West - Until Thursday 26 October 2006. You can download the details of the Plan for your suburb at Local Action Plan Inner West - Have your say | PDF 233Kb.

- Green Square Built Form Review and DCP Amendment – 30^th October 2006

For more information on Green Square proposals:

·         www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/UrbanRenewalProjects/GreenSquare/Default.asp

·         Draft Amendment to South Sydney Development Control Plan 1997 – Green Square Precinct - Until Monday 30 October 2006. and

·         Green Square Built Form Review - Until Monday 30 October 2006.

- Heritage Streetscapes Study – 30^th October 2006

Heritage Streetscapes Study - Until Monday 30 October 2006. Includes Redfern and Regents Street Redfern

- REDWatch Meeting on Human Services Plan Phase 2 – 1^st November 2006

REDWatch’s next meeting will be on Wednesday 1^st November 2006. The meeting will focus on the Draft Human Services Plan. Aldo Panini the RWA Director reforming Human Services will attend and we are encouraging all service providers and residents with an interest in the services covered by the Phase 2 Draft to attend. REDWatch meets downstairs at The Factory, 67 Raglan Street Waterloo. A Poster for REDWatch HSP2 Meeting 1st November 2006 (PDF 494Kb) can be downloaded from the REDWatch website.

- Proposed New Heritage Items & Heritage Item listing amendments – NOW 3^rd November

Proposed New Heritage Items & Heritage Item listing amendments - Until Friday 3 November 2006. Proposes to list Redfern Hotel, 88 George Street, Redfern as a 2 storey Inter-War style hotel, 1935.

- Redfern Oval DA – 8^th November 2006

The DA for Redfern Oval and Park is on exhibition and closes on the 8^th November 2006.You can View the full details and accompanying documentation here. The report on the Plan and Management and the Master plan that went to Council can be downloaded from Plan of Management and Master Plan - Redfern Park | PDF 31Kb; Attachment A | PDF 2.4Mb; Attachment B | PDF 2.7Mb; Attachment C | PDF 749Kb.