The NSW government has signed contracts to develop the first stage of the Waterloo South renewal project with the Stockland, Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing and Birribee Housing consortium. At the media conference on April 10, Managing Director and CEO of Stockland, Tarun Gupta, said he expected construction to start in 2027 and to start delivering new homes in 2031.
According to the Waterloo redevelopment website, the project will deliver more than 1,000 new social homes, over 600 affordable homes and around 1,500 private homes in a mixed and integrated community. The announcement shows an increase of 100 social housing units over earlier Homes NSW requirements for 30 per cent of 3,000 to be social housing and 20 per cent affordable housing. This also pushes the number of home units delivered from 3,000 to 3,100. It is not currently known how these extra social housing homes will be delivered within the planning controls.
The government’s requirements have also been exceeded in the delivery of an additional 5 per cent of social housing homes dedicated to Aboriginal people. Dedicated Aboriginal housing now is 20 per cent of social and 15 per cent of affordable housing. It has been confirmed that Birribee Housing, the Aboriginal Community Housing Provider (CHP), will manage both Aboriginal social and affordable housing, leaving open the possibility of movement between the two tenure types without changing landlord and hopefully while being able to stay in the same house. It has also been confirmed that Aboriginal tenants will continue to be housed in the non-Aboriginal controlled CHPs if they wish.
The SSH understands that the plan is for all affordable housing to be in perpetuity although funding to make this possible has not yet been finalised.
This process began in July 2022 with a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI). In August 2023, the new Labor government changed the requirements to include 50 per cent social and affordable housing. A preferred developer was chosen in August 2024 and final contract talks have been ongoing since then.
Both the community and the developer partners have been frustrated because the partners were not allowed to speak with the public or local groups about the project. Now, they are finally allowed to talk openly with the community about the redevelopment.
No details have been released about what has been agreed between Homes NSW and the consortium. For example, it’s unclear how the People and Place Plan – which focuses on community services and was heavily criticised when it was first shown – has been included in the agreement. This plan hasn’t been brought up again.
Consortium members and Homes NSW have been invited to a REDWatch meeting on Thursday June 5 to present the proposal and answer questions.
With contracts now finalised, the project will progress to the next phase, including site investigations, planning approvals and ongoing community engagement, alongside the staged tenant relocations already underway. It is expected planning approvals will take about two years.
With echoes of the rationale for the Metro coming to Waterloo rather than Sydney University, Minister Jackson, at the media conference, used the Waterloo redevelopment as a good example of Transit Orientated Development (TOD) delivering more density with well-located homes and said they would be taking advantage of any and all instruments to build for the demand.
Prior to the consortium announcement Minister Jackson met with some of the tenants being relocated from Waterloo South Stage One into the new social housing above Waterloo Metro that will be run by Link Wentworth. At the announcement the Minister emphasised that the redevelopment was about better homes for social housing tenants and not just about more homes.
You can see the statements about this announcement at the following links by the agreement parties: NSW Government Media Release; Waterloo South Renewal Project web page; Stockland, Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing and Birribee Housing.
At a press conference, Minister Jackson highlighted the Waterloo redevelopment as a strong example of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) – where more homes are built near public transport. She compared it to the earlier decision to bring the Metro to Waterloo instead of Sydney University. She said the government will use all available tools to meet the growing demand for housing.
Before the developer was announced, Minister Jackson met with some tenants who are being moved from Stage 1 of Waterloo South into new social housing above the Waterloo Metro. This housing will be managed by Link Wentworth. During the announcement, the minister stressed that the redevelopment is focused on providing better homes for social housing tenants – not just increasing the number of homes.
You can find statements about the announcement from all involved parties at these links: NSW government media release; Waterloo South renewal project web page; Stockland; Link Wentworth Housing; City West Housing; Birribee Housing.
Geoff Turnbull is Spokesperson for REDWatch.
