On Thursday, 2 October, Stockland met with local group REDWatch to outline the consultation process for its Concept Plan for the Waterloo South redevelopment. The Concept Plan is the next step required by the Department of Planning before any development applications can be lodged.
Community consultation will begin in late October, when Stockland will release a draft Concept Plan for feedback. The plan will set out where social, affordable and private housing; retail and office space; community, child care and health facilities; new roads, footpaths, trees, landscaping and open space will go. It will also address subdivision, flood mitigation, contamination, and wind, sound and solar access. Stockland also has to provide the delivery sequence for the development.
At the meeting, Stockland confirmed it will deliver the development already approved. During that process, the overall floorspace was increased by 10% due to design excellence changes.
Affordable housing was a focus of concern. The planning controls guarantee 7% affordable housing in perpetuity. However, the additional 13% requested by the Labor Government may only be time-limited, and will be shown separately in the Concept Plan.
Council is expected to receive two new community facilities as part of the redevelopment, although their use is not yet decided. Sydney Local Health District has expressed interest in establishing a health facility on the estate.
Stockland said it will carry out a wide range of activities to gather input from tenants, agencies, frontline workers, residents and planning groups. The company is already meeting with Council’s planning staff.
The “meet the consortium” session advertised for the REDWatch meeting did not take place, but the Community Housing Providers involved in the project will be available during the consultation period.
Meanwhile, relocated tenants will soon move into the new Metro Quarter building managed by Link Wentworth, with some units for Aboriginal tenants managed by Birribee. The public square at the Metro site next to the new social housing is proposed to be named “Badumurru Place,” from the Gadigal words Badu (water) and Murru (path).
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Geoff Turnbull is the Spokesperson for REDWatch.
For more information email: waterloo@stockland.com.au or visit www.redwatch.org.au Stockland’s dedicated website will launch soon.
