The City of Sydney has unveiled an alternative scheme for the redevelopment of the southern part of the Waterloo public housing precinct, which includes more social housing and fewer tall towers than the state government’s proposal.
Councillors voted unanimously in support of the suggested changes to the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC)’s scheme on 22 February. The council scheme calls for a 23 percent increase in social housing on the estate, from 749 to 920 dwellings, as well as a mandated floor of 20 percent affordable housing for new developments in perpetuity, including more housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The LAHC scheme has been prepared by a design team comprising Turner, Turf Design Studio, Roberts Day, Tribe Studio, and Breathe Architecture.
LAHC has already advised the council that they do not support the recommendations, citing impacts on assumed revenue as their predominant concern, according to a council report. This is just the latest disagreement between the council and state government, who have been trading blows over the redevelopment of the housing estate since the government unveiled its proposal in 2018. In 2019 the council endorsed another alternative proposal for the precinct that Matavai and Turanga public housing towers at the centre of the We Live Here campaign. Since then, the precinct has been divided into three areas, and the proposal now being considered is for the “Waterloo South” precinct.
The Land and Housing Corporation proposal, designed by Turner, Turf Design Studio, Roberts Day, Tribe Studio, and Breathe Architecture.
Sydney mayor Clover Moore said the council’s proposed scheme would now be presented to the community for an extended public consultation. Her statement came after comments from housing minister Melinda Pavey blamed the council for delaying the delivery of social housing projects.
“Throughout this long and complex process, the City has listened to and advocated for good outcomes for the Waterloo community,” Moore said.
“Our emphasis has always been on increasing the amount of social and affordable housing as part of the redevelopment, ensuring high quality streets and public spaces, maximizing access to sunlight, and delivering sustainable and accessible buildings.
“The City has attempted to forge a path that achieves the housing yield stipulated by the state government, while improving amenity and social and environmental outcomes for existing and future residents.
“Our amended proposal, a collection of mostly medium-rise buildings, provides a safer, more accessible and greener design. It increases the number of social housing dwellings without reducing the overall number of homes created.”
The council’s urban design program manager, Peter John Cantrill, said the state government’s plans to build nine towers of 20 to 30 storeys would lead to poor outcomes for residents.
“We believe the changes we have made will lead to a better living environment for residents, without reducing the number of homes built,” he said.
“The city has proposed just three high rise towers, with mostly medium rise buildings and the creation of two parks to better meet the needs of residents.
“Our plan provides more sunlight and less windy streets in the area, with reduced overshadowing, by placing the three proposed high-rise towers more widely spaced at the south end of the estate.”
The council’s move has angered NSW housing minister Melinda Pavey, who noted that the LAHC plan was the product of an extensive redesign and more than 12 months of negotiations with the council.
“The behaviour by the council is both disingenuous to the local community and delays work to deliver new homes for those most vulnerable,” she said.
“The political agenda of council should not be preventing the state from creating jobs and delivering new and better social housing for the Waterloo community.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
