Saturday, November 2, 2024

Geoff Turnbull

Bio:
Geoff Turnbull is the spokesperson for REDWatch, the residents group that covers the inner Sydney suburbs of Redfern Eveleigh Darlington and Waterloo (REDW). He has held this role since REDWatch was established in 2004 and maintains the REDWatch website which has documented government initiatives in the area since the early 2000’s.

Geoff has lived in Lawson Street Redfern since 1978 and has run a small import export company in the area since 1990. He undertakes his community work on a voluntary basis. With his wife Lyn they produced the emailed Redfern Waterloo Issues Update for several years. He has been contributing articles to the South Sydney Herald since 2004 and mainly focuses on planning, policy and social equity issues.

Geoff has served on the Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA) Built Environment Ministerial Advisory Committee (BEMAC) (2005-2011), was a member of the Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce (2010 and 2011) and since 2009 Geoff has also been the REDWatch representative on the Roll Up Redfern committee. He has held executive positions in the former Redfern Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and been a member of advisory committees for the AHC’s Pemulwuy Project and for Redfern Legal Service as well as campaigns to save Eveleigh Heritage. Geoff is on the Management Committee of The Factory Community Centre where he is currently Secretary. He is active in the Groundswell Coalition and the Lift Redfern Campaign.

104 POSTS

Urban life in Waterloo – past and future

A walking tour around Waterloo by REDWatch and a forum on The Future of Public Housing at Counterpoint’s The Factory, were parts of the Henry Halloran Research Trust at Sydney University’s Festival of “Public” Urbanism 2024. The festival explored the future of urban governance, planning and design in the face of climate change and social inequality.

Homes NSW’s preferred consortium for Waterloo

Homes NSW has announced its preferred partners to lead the Waterloo renewal are the consortium of Stockland, Link Wentworth, City West Housing, and Birribee.

Homes NSW to develop North Eveleigh Clothing Store site

The North Eveleigh Clothing Store Precinct will be transferred to Homes NSW for the delivery of 500 new homes, half of which will be social and affordable homes.

Tenants have their say about Waterloo

In the first half of 2023, at community events, online and through government and non-government agencies, tenants had opportunity to provide their views as part of the Waterloo Public Housing Tenant Survey.

Can the Waterloo South People and Place Plan deliver?

Homes NSW Portfolio (formerly LAHC) has placed its Draft People and Place Plan on its Waterloo South site for comment until the end of May.

Where does the housing we need go?

The NSW government plans to increase housing within existing city footprints and communities are on edge fearing what it means for their neighbourhood. Inner Sydney is already denser than inner London, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Bridge Housing CEO to head Homes NSW

Rebecca Pinkstone has been named the inaugural Chief Executive of Homes NSW, the new Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) division established by the...

Setting customer service expectations for public housing tenants

Tenants have long complained about the way they get treated by the staff of their housing manager currently branded as the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Housing but by February 2024 a part of Homes NSW.

Stockland and Lendlease to compete for Waterloo redevelopment

The Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) process to choose a developer consortium for Waterloo is now down to two consortia with the successful group expected to be announced in mid-2024.

Waterloo South – taking shape

Sydney University students have used the new planning controls and design guide for Waterloo South to produce a scale model of what might be built. While the final building design will differ, the size and general form of the buildings will be like that in the photo above (and those on the REDWatch Facebook page).

Community access gives lift to Redfern station

A new southern concourse at Redfern station was opened by Premier Minns on October 8 at a reported cost of $166 million. The concourse replaces the southern bridge to the station removed in the 1990s. Alexandria, Waterloo and Eveleigh will get improved access to the station through entrances in Marian and Little Eveleigh streets.

Aboriginal housing for Waterloo welcomed

The CEOs of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) and the Aboriginal Medical Services Limited (AMS) have welcomed the NSW government’s commitment to a minimum of 15 per cent of all social and affordable housing in the Waterloo South redevelopment being for Aboriginal people.

Waterloo South to proceed with 50 per cent social and affordable housing

The NSW government has brought some clarity for Waterloo tenants revealing that Waterloo South will proceed with at least half the units being social...

Minister looks to rework Waterloo South

When the current stage of the previous government’s procurement process for Waterloo South ends in about a month, the new NSW government will review...

Public housing hiatus

Public housing tenants anxiously await news from the NSW Labor government about the future of their homes. Prior to the election, Ron Hoenig, the...

North Eveleigh Paint Shop Precinct rezoned

New planning controls for the Redfern North Eveleigh Paint Shop Precinct will come into effect at the end of June 2023. An updated Design...

Bridge Housing wins on 600-660 Elizabeth Street

REDFERN: Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) announced a consortium led by Community Housing Provider Bridge Housing with infrastructure advisor Capella Capital to develop the...

Clothing Store Precinct surprises

Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) is looking to retain ownership of most of the Redfern North Eveleigh Clothing Store Precinct by a 99-year ground...

Clothing Store Precinct preparing for sale

The Clothing Store Precinct between Carriageworks and Pines Estate in Newtown may be the first part of North Eveleigh to be redeveloped. At the end...

New Waterloo estate consultations

Following a long absence, the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) is back with its consultants in Waterloo. LAHC wants to talk with the community and stakeholders about a “People and Place guiding framework” it is developing for the next stage of the redevelopment.

No bridging credibility

The failure to include a pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting Carriageworks to South Eveleigh in the recent North Eveleigh exhibition is the latest in...

No bridge for accepting North Eveleigh proposal

A planning proposal for the rezoning of the Paint Shop precinct between Carriageworks and Redfern station is on exhibition until August 25. It was...

Waterloo Estate will be developed

Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) has started the recruitment process for a consortium to redevelop Waterloo Estate starting with Waterloo South. The consortium will...

More trees and sunlight give Waterloo South four towers

The exhibition of the planning proposal for Waterloo promised in January has not occurred. Tenant and agency representatives who attended two Department of Planning...

Will LAHC’s redevelopment profit pay for Aboriginal affordable housing?

The NSW government’s Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) has a policy of trying to deliver 30 per cent social housing paid for by the...

Government drops Redfern Built to Rent

The NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) has cancelled Built to Rent (BTR) arrangements entered into for its proposed PCYC – Elizabeth Street Redfern...

Waterloo South taking shape

The Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment (DPIE) has released its assessment of Waterloo South. As it was the Council proposal, with three towers on...

Public housing developments

The Planning Proposal for Land and Housing Corporation’s (LAHC) 600-660 Elizabeth Street Redfern site, is now on exhibition with a drop-in community consultation on-site...

What a difference a bridge would make

It would take four minutes to walk across the railway on a bridge between Carriageworks and the western end of South Eveleigh’s Locomotive Workshop....

Investment needed in Aboriginal and social housing

The Redfern Waterloo Aboriginal Affordable Housing Campaign has renewed its call for Aboriginal housing and employment in Waterloo South saying the government has “no...

Waterloo South planning taken from Council

Minister Stokes and the Department of Planning Industry and Environment (DPIE) are now responsible for determining the future shape of the Waterloo South public...

Waterloo South proposals – stacking Lego blocks

The proposals for the future of Waterloo South produced by the City of Sydney Council (CoS) and Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) are now public.

Innovation Plaza – public space or retail encroachment?

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is hoping for approval to start work on the Redfern Station Southern Concourse before Christmas so it can use seasonal track closures. So expect activity at the station and occasional closures to the platform 10 exit.

Waterloo metro takes shape

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is hoping for approval to start work on the Redfern Station Southern Concourse before Christmas so it can use seasonal track closures. So expect activity at the station and occasional closures to the platform 10 exit.

Plans for Redfern and North Eveleigh

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is hoping for approval to start work on the Redfern Station Southern Concourse before Christmas so it can use seasonal track closures. So expect activity at the station and occasional closures to the platform 10 exit.

New city public housing redevelopments

LAHC has announced two new public housing redevelopments in the City of Sydney. It has put proposals for the redevelopment of Franklyn Street Glebe and Explorer Street South Eveleigh out for pre-lodgement consultations until December 11 (see the communitiesplus.com.au website).

Human services plan for Waterloo

Council has released some more LAHC masterplan studies relating to Waterloo South. Also, DCJ District has received funding to undertake work on human service improvements in Waterloo.

Integration crucial in Redfern North Eveleigh rail development

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has three separate sites in planning around Redfern station and North Eveleigh. SSH has previously reported on the proposed Southern...

Ministers agree to Waterloo cuts

Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) defunded the Waterloo Community Development, Aboriginal Liaison and Bilingual Workers (Mandarin and Russian) in June. Local organisations, Counterpoint Community...

Waterloo South – Council releases details

Since Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) released the Waterloo South artist impressions, Council has released further details. A map with building heights compares LAHC’s...

Waterloo estate – half a plan

The six high-rise towers are not covered by the Waterloo public housing rezoning plan lodged by Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) with the City of Sydney. In an earlier LAHC staging plan, the excluded area is not redeveloped for 13 to 18 years. The towers are now divided into two new precincts, Waterloo Central (Banks, Cook and shops) and Waterloo North (Marton, Turanga, Matavai and Solander).

Council process for rezoning Redfern and Waterloo public housing

There are a number of opportunities for the community to have a say in the City of Sydney (CoS) rezoning process. Before the Land and Housing Corporation’s (LAHC) proposal is officially exhibited, it goes through a council process that makes the proposal and its supporting documents publicly available. This allows the community input.

Build-to-rent rezoning proposal to Council

REDFERN: Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) submitted its rezoning proposal for the PCYC site and adjoining land at 600-660 Elizabeth Street to City of...

Station upgrade plans falling short?

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) held a short consultation for a proposed new six metre wide southern concourse for Redfern Station in the second half of May and early June - But it falls short of the full accessibility upgrade Redfern rail users seek.

Metro Quarter masterplan on exhibition

Masterplan and concept development applications for the Waterloo Metro Quarter to sit above the approved metro station design are both are on exhibition for public comment by January 30, 2019.

Tenants shocked by loss of local services

Redfern and Waterloo tenants were shocked to hear that Laura Kelly and David White would depart by late November.

Getting ready for Waterloo options

A white board animation on YouTube explains how the planning process for the Waterloo estate redevelopment works

Metro Quarter railroads public housing tenants

Undertakings given to public housing tenants broken as Metro Quarter exhibition is fast-tracked.

Significance of precinct announcement

The government proposes the creation of a mixed social and private development on the site under the Communities Plus program

An Aboriginal affordable housing ask for Waterloo?

One of the big questions about the redevelopment of Waterloo Estate is what will be in this for the Aboriginal community.