[North Eveleigh] Waterloo Consultation and Issues, Stockland and People and Place Changes, Studies and Social Impacts, Explorer St and Elizabeth St Redfern approvals
Geoff Turnbull (REDWatch Spokesperson)
spokesperson at redwatch.org.au
Tue Oct 21 13:45:21 AEDT 2025
Dear REDWatch members, supporters and agencies,
Waterloo Estate South consultation coming
Some issues for consideration in The Concept Plan Consultation
Next REDWatch Meeting 6 Nov – Discussion of the Draft Master Plan and Rezoning
What we learnt at the last REDWatch meeting with Stockland
Scoping: What Changes does Stockland want to make to the 2022 plan?
Changes proposed to the Sydney Local Environment Plan (LEP) Planning Controls
Changes proposed to the Design Guide
Changes proposed to Design Excellence process
Stage 1 public benefits and community infrastructure deliverables
Waterloo South People and Place Plan interrogated
People and Place is not a whole of Waterloo Social Housing Plan
Homes NSW retreats on some earlier undertakings
People and Place has more accurate comparisons of Waterloo South with Sydney and NSW
Studies and Issues to be looked at in the Rezoning and the Concept Plan State Significant Development Application (SSDA)
Social Impacts to be Assessed and Managed
Explorer Street Eveleigh Public Housing has been Rezoned
600-660 Elizabeth Street, Redfern Planning Approval Granted
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.
We must be getting close to the end of the year, or a major consultation. Every time over the last week when we have tried to get an email update out something else drops. As a result, we have put a lot of information up on the REDWatch website and will link to it from this email. We know that the REDWatch website is up and down, but the size of this email if we did not do this would be even more horrendous. If you have difficulty accessing the website email mail at redwatch.org.au<mailto:mail at redwatch.org.au> and we will email you the information.
Waterloo Estate South consultation coming
Homes NSW and the Consortium have delivered a letter and flyer to Waterloo tenants about the coming consultation. They have also established a new website at www.waterloorenewal.com.au<http://www.waterloorenewal.com.au> which contains information about the coming consultation. The Consortium website says the proposed plan and additional information about the Concept Application will be on this website when consultation commences on 27 October.
Most of the program outlined so far is designed for drop-in sessions or pop-ups. No themed workshops have been proposed, so people will need to raise their specific concerns during these “information and feedback sessions” or the pop-ups.
The Consortium says that between 27 October and 4 December (Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm) you can meet Stockland’s team, see the draft plan, ask questions and share feedback. This may be the best time to meet specific specialist consultants if you can find out from Stockland when they might be at Homes NSW’s Waterloo Connect Office (95 Wellington Street opposite Oz Harvest).
Two sessions where there will be a presentation by the Consortium are more structured than the drop-in. These are:
* Tenant ‘Orientation Session’ Wednesday 29 October 1:00-3:00 at Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre (95 Wellington Street opposite Oz Harvest).
* Online information and Feedback Session Monday 3 November 5:00-6:30 - Email hello at waterloorenewal.com.au<mailto:hello at waterloorenewal.com.au> to register and receive the session link.
We encourage those attending the REDWatch meeting on Thursday 6 November to attend one of these sessions prior to the REDWatch meeting as we do not plan to ask Stockland to repeat the presentation, instead we want to discuss the issues that arise from it.
The website provides the following contact details:
* Renewal Partner - Email: hello at waterloorenewal.com.au<mailto:hello at waterloorenewal.com.au> Phone: 1800 997 318
* Homes NSW Waterloo Connect Team - Email: WaterlooConnect at homes.nsw.gov.au<mailto:WaterlooConnect at homes.nsw.gov.au> Phone: (02) 9384 4134
The Consortium has said it will put on extra sessions as the need arises, so if your group wants a presentation or you want a session on a specific topic then contact the Consortium.
Stockland will produce a Draft Concept Plan for the beginning of the consultation late October. Stockland said it will carry out a wide range of activities to gather input from tenants, agencies, frontline workers, residents and planning groups.
Stockland has sketched out an engagement framework for 6 weeks starting 27 October until the first week of December. It says it will:
* explain what a Concept Application is and what a Concept Plan shows
* share the work done so far
* show the ways that the design is evolving, and explain why
* provide answers to questions about the Concept Plan where we have that information
* offer the community different ways to connect with us, give feedback, and ask questions
Some issues for consideration in The Concept Plan Consultation
Lots of issues are emerging from the Scoping Proposal for the Rezoning and Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA), the Waterloo South People and Place Plan and issues around potential social impacts. The release of the Draft Concept Plan will add to issues to be considered.
On the REDWatch website we have started a document Some Issues for consideration in the Waterloo South Concept Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251017redw>. We will update this document as issues arise and more information becomes available. REDWatch has also made some comments about Concept Plan issues in our emails to members and supporters. To join the REDWatch email list send your email address to mail at redwatch.org.au<mailto:mail at redwatch.org.au>.
It is important to build on the planning that has gone before rather than go over old ground, unless the earlier planning missed things important to the community.
In preparing for the consultation, you may want to think about:
* Are there important things that were no taken up in earlier planning? e.g. bike path and community centre locations etc.
* Are the changes to accommodate the extra floor space reasonable and do they deliver improved outcomes? e.g. changes in heights, building footprints, tree cover impact etc.
* Will the other changes Homes NSW and Stockland have proposed deliver better community outcomes than what was earlier proposed? e.g. Should there be a health facility and what should it provide or should it be replaced by “educational establishments”; will the removal of the 2022 design excellence provisions from social and affordable housing still result in great outcomes or should silver liveable apartment standard and accessible car parking for market apartment be reduced? For the full list of proposed changes see Scoping: What Changes does Stockland want to make?<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251015redw>
* What should be provided in the no less than 5,000 m2 set aside for community facilities (2,400 m2 is already allocated to Council), health facilities (2,000 m2 proposed in 2022) and centre-based childcare facilities? Should “education establishments” be also added as a use for this space?
* What should be provided in the no less than 7,000 m2 set aside for other non-residential uses such as shops to service the local community including low-income options, creative enterprises and social enterprises?
* How do we make public spaces safer than they are at the moment and deal with public activities that disrupt others quite enjoyment of their homes or create concern in parts of the community, such as public drinking?
* Are the trees proposed to be retained adequate? Is there a way to deliver the development and retain more tree cover? Is the space allocated for future tree planning sufficient to provide the tree cover needed to mitigate high summer heat?
* What possible social impacts, both good and bad, do you see from the redevelopment and what can be done to get the best of the benefits and deal with the impacts that will be felt by some people?
REDWatch raised some Initial Questions for Homes NSW Portfolio and Consortium Partners – Waterloo South Redevelopment in May 2025<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/250523redw>. Some of these questions are relevant to the consultation. In the absence of a written response to these questions REDWatch will add in what we have heard from the Consortium as we find out.
REDWatch has produced some documents to help people understand some of the issues heading into the consultation:
* REDWatch primer for Waterloo South Concept Plan and Rezoning Consultation – October 2025<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251020cpredw>
* Scoping: What Changes does Stockland want to make?<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251015redw>
* REDWatch concerns on final Waterloo South People and Place Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251020pnpredw>
* People and Place Recommendations 2025 Changes from 2024 Draft<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251019pnpredw/view>
* Some Issues for consideration in the Waterloo South Concept Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251017redw> - This last document is currently in the above outline and will be updated with known issues and on an ongoing basis as issues emerge.
Next REDWatch Meeting 6 Nov – Discussion of the Draft Master Plan and Rezoning
REDWatch has set its 6 November meeting aside to focus on the Concept Plan and the Rezoning discussion. We will firm up the exact focus when we see Stockland’s Draft Concept Plan.
Please catch up on the more structured Stockland presentations prior to the next REDWatch meeting, as we do not want to spend time repeating Stockland’s presentation but rather want to use the time to discuss the issues it raises. As a reminder the two structured Stockland presentations are:
* Tenant ‘Orientation Session’ Wednesday 29 October 1:00-3:00 at Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre (95 Wellington Street opposite Oz Harvest).
* Online information and Feedback Session Monday 3 November 5:00-6:30 - Email hello at waterloorenewal.com.au<mailto:hello at waterloorenewal.com.au> to register and receive the session link.
What we learnt at the last REDWatch meeting with Stockland
You can see the presentation Stockland made to REDWatch in Stockland Update on Waterloo South Planning and Design to REDWatch on 2 October 2025<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251002stockland/view> and if you missed the session it can be viewed on REDWatch’s YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cGQ3lZ_hoc&t=1847s . While the Scoping Proposal was written in late August it was only made public after the Stockland presentation to REDWatch. The Scoping Proposal contained additional information to that provided to the REDWatch meeting, so also see Scoping: What Changes does Stockland want to make?<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251015redw>
At the meeting Stockland provided much more background than previously about how it intends to approach planning in Waterloo. This included an overview of the renewal partner’s commitments, a planning and design update and information about the coming consultations.
Below is some previously unseen information about the renewal partner’s proposal to government.
Project deliverables
* Deliver Waterloo South in line with the key parameters set out when the land was rezoned; maximum ~280,000m2 of Floor Area
* Deliver new homes as per the following mix:
* 30% of residential GFA (Gross Floor Area) as social housing
* 7% residential GFA as affordable housing as per Sydney LEP, plus additional affordable housing to reach the target of 50% combined social & affordable
* No more than 50% of residential GFA as market housing
* Deliver against the Voluntary Planning Agreement –parks, streets and community facilities for Council
Project commitments
* Skills exchange and redeployment hub
* Aboriginal employment and procurement targets
* Place activation – we’ll work with community on a Place Activation Strategy for the future
* Community facilities that meet the needs of the existing and future community
* Develop a governance model for future precinct management that involves community voices
* Deliver tenancy wrap-around support coordination for all social and affordable residents
* Sustainability targets and measures
* Explore ways to support local businesses
* Explore pathways to health and education outcomes
One area needing clarification is around the 13% affordable housing that was added after the change of government. This seems not to be guaranteed in perpetuity and may not be based on a percentage of income.
Information was provided on the role and responsibilities of the consortium members, but regrettably all the Community Housing Providers were unable to attend so people couldn’t meet them or ask them questions.
Scoping: What Changes does Stockland want to make to the 2022 plan?
With the release of the Stockland and Homes NSW - Scoping Proposal for a Rezoning and Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Waterloo Estate (South) dated 20 August 2025<https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=PDA-92945710%2120250904T080824.723%20GMT>, we have our first detailed look at some of the changes the Homes NSW and the Stockland consortium wished to make to the proposal as the outlined in the 2022 rezoning and how they plan to proceed. This is a snapshot of what Stockland proposed on 20 August 2025 to Planning NSW. Thinking may have changed since this document as a result of further work and consultation.
This report was prepared to request the Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs)<https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-93222706%2120251007T231353.430%20GMT> (now issued) which sets out the concurrent Study Requirements for the Rezoning and for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) for the Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA). The SEARs tell the proponent what studies and issues it needs, to get approval for what they have outlined. This tells you what issues Stockland should consider and consult on.
REDWatch has prepared a summary of the Scoping Proposal, which is to long to repeat here, but can be seen on the REDWatch website as Scoping: What Changes does Stockland want to make?<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251015redw> Below we will try and summarise some of what we learnt.
We now know Homes NSW / Stockland applied for the “Prioritising rezoning that delivers social and affordable housing program<https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/prioritising-rezonings-that-deliver-social-affordable-housing-program-guideline.pdf>” and this was approved by Planning NSW on 10 June 2025. This program allows both the Rezoning and the Concept Plan State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to be dealt with together on an accelerated timeline for Homes NSW land. Homes NSW / Stockland have been unable to meet the accelerated timeframe and expect to submit their proposal to Planning towards the end of quarter one 2026.
As the land is owned by Homes NSW, and Stockland has also indicated that it proposes to:
* Use a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) process for the demolition of the buildings and removal of trees in Stage One. This process needs to be made public, but does not require exhibition.
* Use an Early Works SSDA will seek Crown Development Consent for the removal of approximately 60 trees, including 25 street trees (subject to detailed arborist assessment) and the construction of basements on the Stage One site (Blocks 8&9).
* Prepare the Stage 1 SSDA(s) for the development of buildings in the Stage One area.
* Under changes Stockland proposed for Design Excellence, the “initial planning strategy has the market and social/affordable dwellings split into separate applications because of the different design excellence pathways they will be subject to and therefore the different amount of time it will take to prepare each application”.
It is important to note that the combined rezoning and concept plan SSDA appear on the Planning NSW web site as “the future delivery of 3,000 dwellings”. This was the figure before the 10% design excellence bonus and changes made by the NSW Labor Government. The planning controls specify a percentage of floor space be given to different tenure types and the final number of dwellings will be determined by the average unit size delivered as social, affordable or private housing.
In their application Stockland set out the changes it wants to make to the Sydney Local Environment Plan (LEP), the Design Guide and the Design Excellence process. The key changes are detailed below:
Changes proposed to the Sydney Local Environment Plan (LEP) Planning Controls
The planning controls were originally proposed to include a possible increase of 10% floor space for design excellence. The rezoning made this 10% design excellence bonus in addition to the proposed floorspace. The Scoping Proposal on page 20 says the text in Section 4 of the Design Guide confirms that the City of Sydney Design Guide envelopes were designed to accommodate 265,000m2 gross floor area, however the LEP permits approximately 286,000m2 gross floor area if design excellence is awarded.
The Scoping Proposal says the rezoning will not seek to increase the maximum GFA currently permissible across the Waterloo South Estate.
* Amend Height and FSR Maps - Rectification to the height controls in the Sydney LEP 2012 are required as they are currently inconsistent with the building envelopes established in the Design Guide, nor do they fully accommodate the floor space achievable under the design excellence bonus applicable to the site.
* It is proposed to make “education establishments” and “creative industries” allowed as active street frontages.
* It is proposed to remove the approved requirement for a Health One or medical facility and reduce by 2,000m2 land to be used for purposes other than residential accommodation or add “education establishment to replace medical facility. REDWatch notes that Sydney Local Health District continues to be interested in having a health facility within the Waterloo South development, but it has been deleted by Homes NSW or Stockland.
* Allow rooftop access to communal open space and related amenity structures from the height of the building measurement in line with City of Sydney Housekeeping Amendment to the LEP.
* Change to definition of community facilities
* Changes in traffic and parking around updating the car park locations, accessible car parking rates, and entries map. These amendments are in response to changes to the building layouts, flooding planning levels, land uses and a reduction in accessible car parking in market apartments.
* Changes in tree removal in response to the amendments proposed under the rezoning. These updates will outline the proposed strategy for tree retention and removal.
The scoping proposal contains two new maps. One providing an indicative location for social, affordable and market housing<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/Stocklandsp250820F6> and another showing “six indicative stages” in Waterloo South<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/stocklandsp250820F5>.
Changes proposed to the Design Guide
The Scoping Proposal indicates the following changes will be made in the Design Guide:
* Staging and Implementation Update to include proposed project staging. This section is to be amended to reflect the indicative staging of the Concept Scheme.
* Land Use Update - location of non-residential uses at ground level and update the active street frontages map. Minor refinements are proposed to reflect the Concept Scheme.
* Community Facilities & Services - Remove reference to Health One facility. Include reference to alternative uses such as an Education Establishment. Change required as Health One Facility is no longer proposed within the precinct.
* Public Space - Include reference to additional public open space proposed at the southern end of George Street.
* Update Tree Strategy to reflect trees proposed to be retained and trees to be removed and minor refinements proposed to reflect the Concept Scheme.
* Transport, movement & parking - update carpark locations and entries map, and minor refinements proposed to reflect the Concept Scheme.
* Building Layout, form & design – there are three major changes proposed in this section of the design guide:
* Amend provision regarding max. floorplate of tall buildings to enable floorplates larger than 720m2 GFA above 15 storeys.
* Reduce the requirement for silver liveable apartment standard and accessible car parking for market apartments.
* Update design excellence requirements to reflect revised design excellence strategy.
* Other changes in building layout and form include:
* Remove detailed building sections and redundant images from the Design Guide.
* Update building height in storeys map.
* Update floor to floor heights.
* Update building setbacks map.
* Update roof level communal open space and green roofs map.
* Update the ground level deep soil and planting locations map.
* Minor refinements proposed to reflect the Concept Scheme.
Changes proposed to Design Excellence process
The concept SSDA will seek approval for an alternative Design Excellence Strategy for the precinct.
The Scoping Proposal says: To prioritise the delivery of more social and affordable homes for communities in need, amendments to the Design Excellence Strategy are proposed. Streamlining the design excellence process across the precinct will not only accelerate the delivery of social and affordable housing and support tenant relocations directly into new homes, but it will also bring the Design Excellence Strategy into alignment with contemporary practice.
The proposal seeks to remove the previous design excellence process and replace it with:
* Direct appointment of architects for the Concept Plan, First Nations architect/advisor concept landscape architect, social and affordable housing and community buildings. This would be overseen by the Design Review Panel
* Competitive design processes for all market housing buildings exceeding 100m in height (i.e. only the four towers), including a minimum of three (3) competitors invited for each competition, unless a design competition exemption is granted as per clause 6.21D(2) of the Sydney LEP 2012 and/or an approach similar to the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) competition exemption pathway is agreed with GANSW. The City of Sydney are proposing Design Excellence panels above 35m in height in recent proposed changes.
* A Design Review Panel (DRP) be formed for each Stage to review the various buildings and landscape proposed within that Stage and guide the project to achieve design excellence.
Stage 1 public benefits and community infrastructure deliverables
The Scoping Proposal references several public benefits and community infrastructure items it proposes to deliver in Stage One including:
* Skills exchange and reemployment hub
* Social enterprise incubator
* Local Aboriginal health service facility
* Educational establishment
* A Council owned community facility and public park
* Childcare centre
* Activation of the “Ground Plane” with retail (particularly along George Street)
* Precinct Management Deed and place activation funding
The development proposed within the first stage of the project (Stage 1 – Block 8 and Block 9) is anticipated to include the following mix of housing:
* Approximately 600 market housing dwellings
* Approximately 400 social housing dwellings
* Approximately 70 affordable housing dwellings
Stage One includes two of the four residential towers as well as part of the George Street retail precinct.
Waterloo South People and Place Plan interrogated
In June 2024 Homes NSW sought feedback on its People and Place Plan. In the lead up to the rezoning, Homes NSW has now released the final version of its Waterloo South People and Place Plan (PDF 2.86MB)<https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/noindex/2025-10/waterloo-south-people-and-place-plan-2025.pdf>. It provides recommendations that primarily Homes NSW and the Consortium / Delivery Partner are expected to implement. People should be aware of these undertakings heading into discussions with Stockland.
Some of the recommendations have been changed since the consultation draft. You can see details of these changes on the REDWatch website at People and Place Recommendations 2025 Changes from 2024 Draft<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251019pnpredw>.
Homes NSW has also released a Waterloo South People and Place Feedback Report (PDF 182.92KB)<https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/noindex/2025-10/waterloo-south-people-and-place-plan-feedback-report-2025.pdf> which is a dot point summary of the issues raised in the 12 submissions it received, but contains no detail as to what was said, or why or why not feedback was accepted or rejected.
People and Place is not a whole of Waterloo Social Housing Plan
The People and Place Plan (P&PP) still only relates directly to the people of Waterloo South. It is linked to the redevelopment and the Consortium, not to the Waterloo Estate or the wider Waterloo public housing community. This is not a Waterloo Estate Management Plan, which REDWatch has argued for.
The P&PP is only a high-level outline mapping out recommendations and suggests who will lead and support the implementation of recommendations.
It does not deal with the disparity between those people living with Homes NSW as a landlord and those who will be in the new estate where Community Housing Providers are expected to deliver much better supports, because they get Commonwealth Rental Assistance on top of rents. It does not deal with how these two communities will work together on common concerns.
This plan plays only lip service to the Waterloo Human Services Plan, which is about trying to tackle tenants’ existing problems rather than those that may be solved somehow in the future. There is still much work that will need to be done to produce a Human Service Plan that deals with the service issues facing existing tenants, the additional service needs that will arise from relocations and the redevelopment.
Homes NSW retreats on some earlier undertakings
REDWatch has made a comparison between the People and Place draft from 2024 and the final 2025 recommendations. You can see that comparison on the REDWatch website at People and Place Recommendations 2025 Changes from 2024 Draft<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251019pnpredw>.
While four new recommendations have been added, it appears from that comparison that Homes NSW is stepping back from some of the earlier recommendations. Gone are recommendations relating to access to affordable health care and the need for low cost or free options for community spaces and shops.
Some other recommendations are now to “explore” and “explore opportunities” rather than “provide” “ensure” or “deliver”. For example, “incorporate public toilets” has now become “to explore the provision of” (6.11). Terms like codesign and “report back” disappear while “increase employment” becomes “provide capacity building to enhance skills and increase employment”. You can see all the changes in the comparison document.
There has also been some simplification in who is responsible for delivering on actions. The main change is that the RP (Renewal Partner) is responsible and Aboriginal / Community Housing Providers (A/CHPs) have been removed. Given that Homes NSW and the Delivery Partner are down as leads on most of the recommendations, the question for Homes NSW and the consortium is now how are they going to deliver on these recommendations.
Many of the recommendations respond to issues that may be picked up in the Social Impact Assessment with potentially more fleshed out recommendations finding their way into the Social Impact Management Plan.
People and Place has more accurate comparisons of Waterloo South with Sydney and NSW
There has been some improvement in the report narrative with the inclusion of modern Aboriginal history. Still missing are the 500+ public housing units in the Waterloo Conservation area that are a legacy of the Green Bans that stopped the expansion of the Waterloo estate in the 1970s and led to all the conservation area renovations and infill housing of the 1980s and 1990s. This is strange as the LAHC History project did include this aspect and some of the conservation area tenants abutting Waterloo South will be as impacted as others in the Estate. One suspects that the names of those central to the community stopping the estate expansion, like Marg Barry, will not be considered for new place and building names.
One big change requested by REDWatch was for People and Place to use statistics that better reflect the Waterloo South area being redeveloped. REDWatch welcomes Homes NSW’s change from using Waterloo-wide figures to figures that only include the four Statistical Areas Level 1s (SA1s) covering the area being developed. Whiles these SA1s still contain some private residents, the dilution effect is nowhere near that when public housing tenants’ profile is impacted by the surrounding private community at a suburban level.
The results are especially noticeable in the health and wellbeing pillar where for example “no long term health condition(s)” was 65% Waterloo-wide, but in the four SA1 the result was much less at 39%. Having a “mental health condition” Waterloo-wide was 9% but it is 19% in Waterloo South. The figures now show the expected differences when compared to City of Sydney and NSW figures, and support the need for the inclusion of the medical facility that Homes NSW and Stockland have proposed to drop. You can see a table that shows the health differences in REDWatch concerns on final Waterloo South People and Place Plan<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251020pnpredw>
Studies and Issues to be looked at in the Rezoning and the Concept Plan State Significant Development Application (SSDA)
The Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs)<https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-93222706%2120251007T231353.430%20GMT> set out the concurrent Study Requirements for both the Rezoning and for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) for the Concept State Significant Development Application (SSDA). It includes a long list of studies that need to be undertaken or revised to support the proposals put forward in the Concept Plan and rezoning. It also includes issues that need to be addressed in the studies, rezoning or Concept Plan SSDA. REDWatch has noted at least 61 studies or issues that need to be addressed.
REDWatch has asked Stockland to make public details of the studies and the consultants responsible for their preparation.
In addition, the 2022 planning controls and the 2022 design guide sets out requirements like showing where different sorts of housing will be located across the site and other site wide issues that need to be determined before any individual Development Applications are made.
These study areas and issues are all areas where people can raise questions or concerns with Stockland during the exhibition period.
Social Impacts to be Assessed and Managed
The Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs)<https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-93222706%2120251007T231353.430%20GMT> request the proponent to:
* Provide a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) prepared in accordance with the Social Impact Assessment Guideline for State Significant Projects. Social Impact Assessment in accordance with the guidelines.
* Provide a Preliminary Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) to identify and mitigate impacts from the development on local communities. Preliminary Social Impact Management Plan.
Given historical concerns about the social and health impact of the redevelopment of a major public housing estate and the relocations on tenants, the inclusion of this study requirement allows tenants and agencies to raise a wide range of foreseeable positive and negative impacts, and to suggest how these can be impacted through a Social Impact management Plan. The 2019 Health Impact Assessment as Healthy Waterloo: A Study into the Maintenance and Improvement of Health and Wellbeing in Waterloo<http://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/105143>, recently made public is a good starting point. Work on a community-led Health Impact Assessment with the Waterloo Peer Navigators will also likely make a contribution to the Social Impact Assessment.
The SIA potentially interacts with issues in the Waterloo Human Service Collaborative Action Plan and the Recommendations in the People and Place Recommendations 2025 Changes from 2024 Draft<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/251019pnpredw>.
Stockland says it will have the Social Impact Assessment consultants at all engagement sessions to capture peoples concerns about potential social impacts and what can be done to address them. A Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) to identify and mitigate impacts from the development on local communities will be an output from the Concept SSDA process.
Explorer Street Eveleigh Public Housing has been Rezoned
Last week Planning NSW advised that the Explorer Street, Eveleigh public housing has been rezoned.
It said the major changes from the exhibition were to:
* require 50% of floor space to be used for social and affordable housing.
* protect sun access to South Sydney Rotary Park.
* require design excellence processes in accordance with the Design Guide.
The floor space of 2.94:1 would be achieved if design excellence provisions were met. Planning NSW says the rezoning could deliver up to 400 new homes. That is 400 more families in need the North to South Eveleigh bridge.
The email from Planning NSW says “Residents of Explorer Street are not being asked to move at this time, and there are no changes to current tenancy arrangements. Homes NSW will keep residents informed before any expected redevelopment in the future. Future development applications will be assessed, including consultation with the community, before any work can begin”. The department also says “Development will be subject to a design excellence process to deliver the highest standard of architectural, urban and landscape design”.
Of potential concern is that the NSW government has put in place a number of mechanisms to speed up housing delivery especially on Homes NSW owned land. Stockland is accessing some of these in Waterloo through Prioritising rezoning that delivers social and affordable housing program<https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/prioritising-rezonings-that-deliver-social-affordable-housing-program-guideline.pdf> and other provisions based on Homes NSW ownership. it will be very important for the community to keep a watchful eye on what happens on the Eveleigh site and support tenants especially as they await relocation through the appointment by Homes NSW of a Renewal partner and the Development Application stage. The 2029 Waterloo Health Impact Assessment Healthy Waterloo: A Study into the Maintenance and Improvement of Health and Wellbeing in Waterloo<http://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/105143> provides some information on the issues during this stage of a public housing redevelopment.
You can access the documents for the rezoning at Explorer Street via the Explorer Street Rezoning Proposal website<https://pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/draftplans/made-and-finalised/explorer-street-rezoning-proposal>. The main documents are:
* What the Department heard report<https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/what-we-heard-explorer-street-rezoning-proposal.pdf>
* Finalisation Report<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/*DPPs/Explorer+St/Finalisation+Report.pdf>
* Finalisation Report Attachment A<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/*DPPs/Explorer+St/Finalisation+Report+Attachment+A+-+Consistency+with+ECDP.pdf>
* Finalisation Report Attachment B<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/*DPPs/Explorer+St/Finalisation+Report+Attachment+B+-+Strategic+Alignment+Tables.pdf>
* Explorer Street Design Guide<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/*DPPs/Explorer+St/Explorer+Street+Design+Guide.pdf>
* Flood Impact and Risk Assessment<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/*DPPs/Explorer+St/Flood+Impact+and+Risk+Assessment.PDF>
* Detailed Site Investigation<https://shared-drupal-s3fs.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/master-test/fapub_pdf/*DPPs/Explorer+St/Detailed+Site+Investigation.PDF>
600-660 Elizabeth Street, Redfern Planning Approval Granted
The Department of Planning has issued development approval for the 600-660 Elizabeth Street Redfern redevelopment of the Homes NSW site that included Redfern PCYC. Now that approval has been given Bridge Housing can commence construction.
The Department’s assessment concludes that the proposal is acceptable as:
* it supports the State Government priorities to deliver well-located housing by providing a total 355 homes (197 affordable homes, 147 social homes and 11 specialist disability accommodation units) in an accessible location.
* it provides significant public benefits through the provision of 100% social, affordable and specialist disability housing, a new replacement community facility, new pedestrian connections and widened street footpaths.
* it achieves design excellence and delivers a built form of an appropriate height, bulk, scale and density that is compatible with the desired future character of this site and the surrounding area.
* while the development proposes minor variations to height and floor space controls, these exceedances have sufficient environmental planning grounds and do not materially change the scale or capacity of the development that was planned for this site.
* it provides a high standard of amenity for future residents, including appropriately sized apartments, good solar access and natural ventilation, and communal and private open space.
* it would not result in unreasonable overshadowing, view loss, wind, or privacy impacts to neighbouring properties.
* it would not lead to unreasonable flood impacts or risks, and a range of conditions are recommended to effectively mitigate and manage flood impacts.
The Department has recommended a range of conditions to mitigate or manage residual environmental impacts (see Appendix F) and has formed the opinion that the project should be approved.
Online you can view the Assessment Report<https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-51274973!20251010T021523.128%20GMT&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExVVdISEluV3NrOGQxVFhIdwEeNlGu72YyG-S2ddEUHzXb6fIPy0l-zWwx1nlZ5-RxLDjH2OZhDcitcUMrvzw_aem_lNkBjEu6SIcDPWzKJNwIyQ> and any other documents<https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/600-660-elizabeth-street-redfern-mixed-use> related to this development.
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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