[North Eveleigh] Waterloo Redevelopment / Housing and Mental Health / Loneliness / Health Navigation

Tue Aug 5 13:32:13 AEST 2025

Dear REDWatch members, supporters and agencies,

Stockland and Homes NSW on Waterloo South - REDWatch Meeting 6pm August 7th

Waterloo high rise refurbishment feasibility bottom line

Housing and Mental Health

Recent Reports into Loneliness

Getting Out and Accessing Activities for Older Adults

Health Navigation Forum Presentations available
Please note - this email contains hyperlinks. This means that if you see a blue underlined word or phrase that you can click on it and go directly to a document or to get more information.
Stockland and Homes NSW on Waterloo South - REDWatch Meeting 6pm August 7th
A reminder that discussions between the community and Stockland with Homes NSW starts this month at the REDWatch meeting. The project update will provide an insight into the Consortium's proposal, current focus and an indication of next steps for engaging with key stakeholders and community. The Consortium is made up of Stockland<https://www.listcorp.com/asx/sgp/stockland/news/waterloo-renewal-project-3176260.html>, Link Wentworth Housing<https://www.linkwentworth.org.au/media-releases/nsw-government-confirms-stockland-consortium-as-delivery-partner-for-waterloo-renewal-project/>, City West Housing<https://citywesthousing.com.au/renewal-of-the-waterloo-south-estate/> and Birribee Housing<https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-coe-949723143_on-6-august-2024-i-sat-down-at-a-board-table-activity-7316030912880594944-c4SW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAA0OtUYBpxp_z1nS6OcOEaohVt7X5qEXkeU>.
So, come along to the REDWatch meeting and hear from the Consortium and join the conversation about what they are thinking and what you want to see from them. The REDWatch meeting is at 6pm on Thursday 7th August 2025 to Counterpoint's Factory Community Centre, 67 Raglan Street, Waterloo or join us on line by Zoom http://tinyurl.com/RedwatchMeetingZoom.
To set the scene for discussions with the Consortium REDWatch has earlier provided:

  *   the REDWatch Refresher on the Waterloo South Planning Proposal<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/250605redwpres/view>.
*         Initial Questions for Homes NSW Portfolio and Consortium Partners - Waterloo South Redevelopment in May 2025<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/lahc22-23/250523redw>.
You can promote the REDWatch meeting by sharing our post on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/posts/pfbid0AK79e7DgYYEVbomGB2PPDajcxjUczMXmZaQNaWxoUcQdbLwj3utLtqfxDYVzP2CWl>.
Waterloo high rise refurbishment feasibility bottom line
Refurbishment may solve one of the major problems with the potential redevelopment of Waterloo North and Central in ten years' time.  The just released study on the feasibility of refurbishment of the Waterloo high-rises by Not-for-Profit Architecture firm OFFICE gives us some comparative figures between new build and its proposed refurbishment costs. This helps better understand the options available in 10 years' time when Homes NSW looks at developing Waterloo Central and North.
Land and Housing Corporation has historically had a 30:70 approach to redevelopment where the developer delivers 30% of new social housing dwellings for the development of the other 70%. The basic formula still applies under the Labor approach used in Waterloo which also requires the 70% to include 20% affordable housing.
Where you already have lots of existing public housing, like with the Waterloo high-rises, very high densities are required just to replace the public housing. In a Waterloo Central and North new build, Homes NSW needs to push densities up to 4,200 on the site just to replace the existing 1,260 public housing units. The current LAHC indicative density figure of 3,000 units for these sites would mean a loss of 360 social housing units on a 30:70 basis.
OFFICE's plan puts the cost of the refurbishment of Matavia and Taranga at just over 50% of a new build, but it loses 84 units that would need to be built new. For the four slab buildings there is no loss of units and the refurbishment cost is 63% of a new build.
Running these figures, the high-rise refurbishment and the replacement social housing units is the equivalent to the new build cost of 787 units. On a 30:70 basis an extra 1,837 new buildings would be required to cover the cost of delivering a total mix of approximately 2,630 new and refurbished units. This is less than the infill that OFFICE has suggested, which delivers around LAHC's 3,000 units target, so there is plenty of room also for any error in the estimates.
If OFFICE's refurbishment to new build cost comparisons is correct, it tells us that it is financially feasible under the 30:70 approach to include a refurbishment of the existing social housing in Waterloo Central and North along with infill housing without losing any social housing or without pushing up density to extreme levels.
This is not to say that funding social housing refurbishments and new builds by privatising public land using the developer pays approach is the best way forward. Hopefully over the next 10 years this approach will be reassessed. All REDWatch is pointing out is that under the current 30:70 developer pays approach the Waterloo social housing refurbishment appears financially feasible and needs to be considered as a serious option.
Given the historical arguments we are sure that Homes NSW is likely to fall back on its de-concentration argument that sees the ideal tenure mix as only including 30% social housing. The above financial model to prevent very high density or the loss of social housing delivers a mix of 48% social housing and 52% affordable and private housing.
REDWatch does not agree with everything in the OFFICE study. One area of concern is around the costs of relocations which OFFICE has calculated on figures from a Victorian court case but not applied to their own proposal. In REDWatch's view there should be no difference between the relocation costs under the Waterloo Homes NSW approach and that proposed by OFFICE. This is because Homes NSW expects that it will have new social housing built on the estate to move people into within the ten year timeframe when they get to the high-rises which is exactly what OFFICE propose. Under both schemes those who want to move out of the area when relocated are likely to be the same.
You can see a bit more about the proposal in the South Sydney Herald article at Social housing refurbishment vs redevelopment<https://southsydneyherald.com.au/social-housing-refurbishment-vs-redevelopment/> and download the OFFICE report at https://office.org.au/resources.
You can also read The Battle for Waterloo - a resident's perspective<https://southsydneyherald.com.au/the-battle-for-waterloo-a-residents-perspective/> by Waterloo public housing resident Catherine Skipper. Catherine delivered this at the OFFICE launch where she reflected of on her almost 10-year Waterloo redevelopment journey .
Homes NSW has said that it does not expect to start the redevelopment of the high-rises for at least the next 10 years so there is plenty of time for discussion of how it might happen.
Housing and Mental Health
A recent Committee for Sydney event explored the crucial connection between housing design and mental health. This was especially timely in the lead up to discussions with Stockland and Homes NSW about design in Waterloo South.
The focus was a research report by Georgina Blix on "Design for Wellbeing: How we design for and measure wellbeing in the built environment<https://www.blixarchitecture.com/research>". Blix's study applies generally across developments but included a case study involving a trauma informed approach that may have implications for the design for social housing.
The presentation was followed by comments from Minister Rose Jackson whose ministerial responsibilities cover both Housing and Mental Health, and a panel discussion which including Jennifer Black the NSW Mental Health Commissioner<https://www.nswmentalhealthcommission.com.au/> and Sophie Pickett-Heaps from Stockland.
On the people side, REDWatch is keen to see how the NSW Housing and Mental Health Agreement<https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/Pages/housing-and-mental-health-agreement.aspx> can mesh with the work of the Waterloo Human Services Collaborative<https://waterloo2017.com/> to deliver better integration of supports and planning for those with mental health challenges in public housing.
Recent Reports into Loneliness
The NSW Parliament's Standing Committee on Social Issues has released its report on The prevalence, causes and impacts of loneliness in New South Wales<https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/3066/Report%20No.%2065%20-%20Standing%20Committee%20on%20Social%20Issues%20-%20The%20prevalence,%20causes%20and%20impacts%20of%20loneliness%20in%20New%20South%20Wales.pdf>. Many people and agencies made submissions earlier this year to the Inquiry. The key findings include:

  *   Lonely by postcode: Residents in parts of NSW have differential access to green space, public transport and essential amenities.
  *   Built environment matters: Poor urban planning can create 'lonelygenic' spaces that fuel disconnection.
  *   Isolation outside the cities: Regional and remote communities face additional barriers.
  *   Compounding risk: Discrimination and systemic exclusion deepen loneliness for marginalised groups.
The report calls for a whole-of-government strategy, led by the Premier's Department, backed by a whole-of-society framework. It noted that risk factors and potential interventions need to be considered at an individual, community and population level.
The 20 recommendations emphasise:

  *   Population-wide education strategies
  *   Targeted help for high-risk groups
  *   Stronger coordination and leadership from government
  *   Planning reforms to prevent social isolation in urban design
The report follows the June release of the World Health Organisation Commission on Social Connection report on From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies<https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection/report>.
Addressing loneliness is an area of work under the Waterloo Human Services Collaborative.
Getting Out and Accessing Activities for Older Adults
Did you know that City of Sydney has a web page on Programs and support for older people<https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/guides/programs-support-older-people> that has lots of useful information about assistance and activities for older people? It is also possible to see what activities are on that are tailored to Older Adults on Council's What's On website<https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/tags/older-adults>.
Health Navigation Forum Presentations available
The presentations from the Community Health Navigator Forum 2025<https://conference.unsw.edu.au/en/community-health-navigator-forum-2025> Building bridges - Navigating pathways - Improving health outcomes on 3 June 2025 are now available on line for those with an interest in health navigation.
The Community Health Navigator Forum 2025 brought together policymakers, consumers, health professionals, researchers and academics from around Australia. The Community Health Navigator Forum 2025 provided the opportunity to learn, connect and shape the future of Community Health Navigators in Australia.
Improving Health Navigation has been an important area of work for Groundswell NGOs in their work with Sydney Local Health District (SLHD). One of our early asks of SLHD was for a Health Link Worker for Redfern Waterloo. That request resulted in the Waterloo Healthy Living Program role undertaken by Shane Brown. One of the very successful programs run by SLHD as part of the Waterloo Human Service Collaborative was a trial project to train tenants on Health Issues and to assist them to act in the community as Peer Educators.
Health Navigation cuts across what case managers and community services do in their everyday work, as well as areas like social prescription and helping to address loneliness by connecting people with activities that involve them in community activities that are of interest to them.
If you would like to connect with the Health Navigator network, go to the stay in touch page<https://unsw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dcIw5U8OLK9kaPk> and enter your details.
Regards,

Geoff
Geoffrey Turnbull
REDWatch Spokesperson
Ph Wk: (02) 8004 1490  Mob: 0418 457 392
email: spokesperson at redwatch.org.au<mailto:spokesperson at redwatch.org.au>
web: www.redwatch.org.au<http://www.redwatch.org.au/>
FB: www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/<http://www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/>

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