[North Eveleigh] Waterloo South Concept Plan Observations, On-line Info Session & REDWatch meeting / FOE on Liberal Plans / Southern Arterial History

Mon Nov 3 10:18:45 AEDT 2025

Dear REDWatch members, supporters and agencies,

Waterloo South Concept Plan similar to Preferred Masterplan

Stockland on-line Information Session - Monday 3 Nov 5pm

Next REDWatch Meeting 6 Nov - Community Feedback session with Stockland

Friends of Erskineville responds to Liberal Party inner-city plans

History of the Southern Arterial Road / Route
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.
Waterloo South Concept Plan similar to Preferred Masterplan
The Stockland Consortium has released some information on its Concept Plan for Waterloo South, as well as details of its consultation sessions on www.waterloorenewal.com.au<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterloorenewal.com.au%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExQTFTc1VJdndwWTRIck9WTAEepKn-PFil_4zeIb0dXe9RcJLmwcVdVeQaa8WQJrYRZcxYypSYF2ZbLT8FXe0_aem_-taYSLofWYETgbeVHirZSQ&h=AT1x2TdSkOphOEjjZUoNWRmFsBoFxTDPjmb5QB8CCVZs1EEzX19S2HYYGukRIYLc1-aOaPQ_yp_cb3YdrA6rSmHhev_kLSSnu3Ywzavi1qScq9AryPIvXo3iuLenmpZiR7PTiCMiR_29YA&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5b0%5d=AT2_lYTg_hW5dW9j4vCnjuqzCgtcSiR18I-hqxiCgLmHULXB4-zLBaUvMI5T66sqK6zTKXVK8UfMb-TK7TSNWVbtq3CyfJAdBcBE0q_sgWGrmzDhgdbA1k0S6rfcjsiHVIMT75Dj26aj78wfkFOuzzrFEPYziW382YWNlLvYNA>. Some additional information, including about proposed heights, was supplied to a tenant briefing, which REDWatch has also seen. It contains information not yet on the consultation website.
REDWatch has now reviewed the material. There is a lot of information missing from that placed on the website and some aspects of the web descriptions are misleading. A number of key issues are not covered at all such as the design excellence changes Stockland wish to make to deliver the extra 10% floor space they are planning for. We are not going into all the details of the issues we have identified here but REDWatch has posted the Stockland web information with our analysis and comments on the REDWatch website at http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251029redw<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251029redw?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExQTFTc1VJdndwWTRIck9WTAEevK2iVUomH_ilJ5352xiAm2XBMqruorDAtZS75n3uxB1BXWWMWYUm4LWRmgA_aem_gLy6oilwV_rqSQ-le5MHtg>.
What is now clear from the material is that the Stockland proposal is not a tweaking of the earlier controls to incorporate the extra 10% design excellence floor space without increasing heights as is required by the current planning controls. That approach has been taken on the four towers which remain in roughly the same location with larger footprints as they cannot go higher due to airspace restrictions. The rest of the Stockland Concept Plan is a major rework that is much closer in heights to the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) Preferred Master Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/prefplan/190115lahc> than to the City of Sydney's preferred 13 storey maximum with four towers found in the 2022 planning controls and design guide<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/Keelie+Drupal+Documents/Final+Design+Guide+-+Waterloo+Estate+(South).pdf>.
It should be remembered that the current planning controls came from Council's work rather than LAHC. With the extra 10% floorspace the Stockland proposal will deliver 3,300 to 3,400 units depending on the final unit sizes not the 3,000 proposed before the 10% increase. This is about half of the Preferred Masterplan's aim of 6,800 units across the whole estate. LAHC engaged the developer so it should not be surprising that its preferences might be more relevant than Councils for the future planning of the site. The decision to include education and learning as facilities uses for example comes from LAHC's preferred plan.
It is instructive to compare the heights proposed in Stockland Concept Plan and LAHC's Preferred Master Plan for the Waterloo South. Using the Preferred Plan's height categories it shows: 33-40 storeys - 3 buildings each; 16-32 storeys - 7 (Stockland) vs 6 (LAHC); 8-15 storeys 11 (Stockland) vs 12 (LAHC). The Stockland draft Concept Plan includes 1x22 storeys; 2x19 storeys; 1x18 storeys,1x17 storeys,1x16 storeys, 3x15 storeys. The western side of Pitt Street will have a 30-storey tower and three buildings of similar height to Cook, Banks, Marton and Solander. Next door to the north of the park in addition to the 27 storey tower there is now also a 19 storey building. We await some shadow analysis to see what the combined effect of the buildings to the north and the west will be on Waterloo Park. The 22 storey building sits to the south of the new large park in the location the Master Plan proposed for one of its towers.
The Stockland plan does not follow the Preferred Plan court yard surrounded by buildings approach and hence uses the height to potentially provide more open space at street level, although details of what will be public and private open space has not yet been released. Stockland argues that it is not possible to stick with the Council initiated design approach and that its Concept Plan approach is the best way to deliver the quantity of floorspace approved.
Height and built form is just one part of what is important in the Concept Plan, so also have a look on the REDWatch website at Stockland Consortium Waterloo South Concept Plan with REDWatch comments<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251029redw> and Some Issues for consideration in the Waterloo South Concept Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251017redw> for some other issues. Other background documents on the Concept Plan can be found at www.redwatch.org.au<http://www.redwatch.org.au>.
Stockland on-line Information Session - Monday 3 Nov 5pm
REDWatch is encouraging people to register for the Stockland Online information and Feedback Session on Monday 3 November 5:00-6:30pm. You need to email hello at waterloorenewal.com.au<mailto:hello at waterloorenewal.com.au> to register and receive the session link.
This is currently the only public session where Stockland will present on its proposal, so it is a good place to find out what it is proposing and why. For the REDWatch meeting Stockland has been asked to limit its presentation to 15mins to leave maximum time for questions and discussion. Based on what was presented to tenants this session will contain information not yet on Stockland's consultation website.
You can see a list of pop-ups and drop-in sessions for both tenants and the wider community where you can talk directly with Stockland representatives at www.waterloorenewal.com.au<http://www.waterloorenewal.com.au>
REDWatch will endeavour to put up any new material or comments based on Monday night's presentation on its website prior to the REDWatch meeting.
Next REDWatch Meeting 6 Nov - Community Feedback session with Stockland
REDWatch has set its 6 November meeting aside to focus on the Concept Plan and the Rezoning discussion with Stockland. We are encouraging people to go to the Monday 3 November Stockland on-line session to get an understanding of what is proposed. REDWatch has asked Stockland to limit its presentation to 15 minutes so that there is plenty of time for questions and discussion.
The REDWatch meeting is at 6pm on Thursday 6th November 2025 at Counterpoint's Factory Community Centre, 67 Raglan Street, Waterloo or join us on line by Zoom http://tinyurl.com/RedwatchMeetingZoom. A flyer<https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1235532248603634&set=pb.100064406121052.-2207520000> for the event is on REDWatch's Facebook page to share to promote the event.
REDWatch has produced the following documents to assist people think about the Concept Plan and its implications:

  *   Stockland Consortium Waterloo South Concept Plan with REDWatch comments<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251029redw>
  *   Waterloo South Concept Plan combined maps<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251029scpredw/view>
  *   Some Issues for consideration in the Waterloo South Concept Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251017redw>
  *   REDWatch primer for Waterloo South Concept Plan and Rezoning Consultation - October 2025<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251020cpredw>
  *   REDWatch concerns on final Waterloo South People and Place Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251020pnpredw>
  *   Scoping: What Changes do Stockland want to make?<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251015redw>
  *   People and Place Recommendations 2025 Changes from 2024 Draft<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251019pnpredw/view>
Friends of Erskineville responds to Liberal Party inner-city plans
On 23rd October the NSW Liberal Party released its plan to deliver up to 15,000 additional dwellings across Erskineville, Macdonaldtown, Newtown and St Peters if elected<https://nswliberal.org.au/news/renewing-the-inner-city-for-homes-and-communities>. The Macdonaldtown location would have implications for parts of Newtown and Darlington. The Friends of Erskineville has written to Mark Speakman setting out their concerns about the proposal especially as it relates to the delivery of infrastructure. You can see their detailed letter setting out the issues here.
The Macdonald town end of North Eveleigh is already earmarked for redevelopment by Homes NSW to deliver 50% social and affordable housing as well as 50% market housing. Transport for NSW is still to vacate the site and for it to be transferred to Homes NSW. It is expected that in 2026 Homes NSW will be in a position to talk to the community about its plans.
This proposed redevelopment of the Clothing Store Precinct, as well as the rezoning for redevelopment of Explorer Street Eveleigh, will put further population into the rail corridor strengthening the need for the delivery of the Carriageworks to South Eveleigh pedestrian and cycle bridge. Since the last NSW election REDWatch, Friends of Erskineville and Alexandria Residents Action Group have been unsuccessful in getting a promised community briefing on the feasibility of the bridge from Transport for NSW and have now made a GIPA request for studies undertaken about the Eveleigh bridge.
History of the Southern Arterial Road / Route
Long term residents of Ultimo, Chippendale, Redfern, Alexandria and Waterloo may recall a long-drawn-out saga that originally included the possibility of large slices of these suburbs ear marked for destruction to create a Southern Expressway. That plan morphed over time into the twin pair route where Regent Street / Botany Road being paired with Gibbons Street and effectively Wyndham Street to the south linked via Cleveland Street to Abercrombie Street /Wattle Street being paired with Harris Street / Regent Street to the north. This provides the main truck route north for hazardous materials that cannot travel through tunnels.
Jake Coppinger has collected together the complicated history of this road connection through our neighbourhood and made a Wikipedia article which you can read at Southern Arterial Route<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Arterial_Route>. If you have any additional information on this topic then please email him at jake at jakecoppinger.com<mailto:jake at jakecoppinger.com>

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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