Decision details

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note the extensive advocacy and planning undertaken by the City of Sydney to improve the Land and Housing Corporation’s original proposal lodged in 2020 for Waterloo South:

(i)         the City’s amended proposal improved streets, reduced building heights, increased sunlight and reduced wind impacts;

(ii)        the amended proposal included 30 per cent of residential floor area to be social housing and 20 per cent affordable housing;

(iii)      the amended proposal was endorsed by Council and Central Sydney Planning Committee in 2021;

(iv)      the City successfully advocated for a large park next to Waterloo Metro station; and

(v)       the Department of Planning and Environment’s current planning proposal incorporates a significant number of improvements to the planning and urban design outcomes for the area;

(B)      Council note the Department of Planning and Environment has placed the Waterloo Estate (South) Planning Proposal and draft Waterloo Estate (South) Design Guide on public exhibition for the period between 3 March 2022 and 29 April 2022;

(C)      Council note the limited community understanding and awareness of the planning proposal and advocate to the Minister for Planning and Homes and the Department of Planning and Environment for an extension to the consultation period; and

(i)         that community workshops supported by Council have been held in recent weeks into Waterloo, including with public housing tenants, to support the community to respond to the Waterloo Estate (South) Planning Proposal;

(ii)        there remains a low level of awareness about the proposal amongst key sections of the community, and confusion about the meaning of the plans;

(iii)      the inclusion of an additional 10 per cent design excellence floor space bonus to the City’s amended planning proposal is a substantial change which has not been explained to the community;

(iv)      the public exhibition period is taking place over Easter, the school holidays and Anzac Day; and

(v)       that the City write to the Department of Planning and Environment seeking an extension of time for community to respond to the Waterloo Estate (South) Planning Proposal and Design Guide and to make available a clear visual representation of the proposal, noting that this is not readily available or easily accessible to the community in current documents;

(D)      Council note that:

(i)         the City’s Housing for All strategy and draft Community Strategic Plan: Sustainable Sydney 2050 includes targets for increasing social housing (including public housing) and affordable housing, to ensure that increased social (including public) and affordable housing is delivered as the City grows; and

(ii)        the draft Waterloo (South) Planning proposal delivers a significant reduction in the percentage of social housing on the public land, which is proposed for redevelopment;

(E)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Planning and Homes reaffirming the City’s call for significant increases in social and affordable housing in Waterloo and for the NSW Government to establish clear targets for social and affordable housing in the City; 

(F)       Council endorse the revised draft City of Sydney submission to the public exhibition of the Waterloo Estate (South) Planning Proposal and draft Waterloo Estate (South) Design Guide, as shown at Attachment A to the subject Information Relevant To Memorandum dated 8 April 2022, subject to the following amendments (additions shown in bold italics, deletions shown in strikethrough);

2.1 Social housing and affordable housing:

Recommendations

·      At a minimum, restore the requirement in the publicly exhibited planning proposal that at least 30 per cent of gross residential floor space on Land and Housing Corporation owned land be for social housing and at least 20 per cent be for affordable housing.

·      Ensure that the minimum percentage requirement for social and affordable housing applies to all residential floor space in Waterloo Estate (South), including any design excellence floor space.

·      Develop innovative funding and procurement models to allow for direct dealings with Community Housing Providers to support the increase of social and affordable housing in Waterloo Estate (South) and in later stages of the redevelopment in Waterloo Estate (North) and Waterloo Estate (Central).

·      Ensure the Department of Communities and Justice develops and implements the Human Services Plan including the delivery of services to existing residents, during the relocation of residents and all future residents.

·      Prioritise development of an independent Social Impact Assessment and Social Impact Management Plan to identify and mitigate impacts on communities from the redevelopment of the Waterloo Estate (South).

2.2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing

The City’s draft design guide included provisions to encourage LAHC, and any future community housing providers, to:

·      deliver in excess of 10 per cent or more of the affordable housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;

·      maintain or increase the current proportion of social housing provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and

·      ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing is culturally appropriate housing and developed in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Notwithstanding the above, the City acknowledges the Department for maintaining the requirements in the publicly exhibited draft design guide recommends allocating 10 per cent or more of the total number of dwellings to be provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing, noting there is much work to be done to achieve the outcomes aspired to in the draft design guide.

(G)      Council note that the City of Sydney submission recommends:

(i)         restoring the requirement in the publicly exhibited proposal that 30 per cent of gross residential floor space on Land and Housing Corporation owned land be for social housing and 20 per cent be for affordable housing;

(ii)        targeted funding by the NSW Government to increase the amount of social and affordable housing in Waterloo Estate (South) and in later stages in Waterloo Estate (North) and Waterloo Estate (Central); and

(iii)      development of innovative funding models and procurement models to allow for direct dealings with Community Housing Providers to support the increase of social and affordable housing in Waterloo Estate (South) and in later stages of the redevelopment in Waterloo Estate (North) and Waterloo Estate (Central);

(H)      Council note additional technical advice may be submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment, prior to the close of the public exhibition period on 29 April 2022, should additional issues be identified or further information be requested by the Department;

(I)        Council approve the draft Sydney Development Control Plan - Waterloo Estate (South), shown at Attachment B to the subject report to the 4 April 2022 Transport, Heritage, Environment and Planning Committee, for public exhibition for a period of 28 days;

(J)       authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to make any minor variations to the Sydney Development Control Plan - Waterloo Estate (South), shown at Attachment B to the subject report, to correct any drafting errors or inconsistencies, or to ensure consistency with the Waterloo Estate (South) Planning Proposal and draft Waterloo Estate (South) Design Guide;

(K)      authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to adopt the Sydney Development Control Plan - Waterloo Estate (South), shown at Attachment B to the subject report, following public exhibition, if no significant public submissions are received; and 

(L)       Council not give the concurrence required under Regulation 10 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 to the reservation of any land under this planning proposal and instructs the Chief Executive Officer to communicate this to the Department of Planning and Environment.

The motion was carried on the following show of hands:

Ayes (8)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Ellsmore, Kok, Scott, Scully and Weldon

Noes (2)               Councillors Gannon* and Jarrett*

*Note – Councillors Gannon and Jarrett abstained from voting on this matter. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 9.4 of the Code of Meeting Practice, Councillors Gannon and Jarrett are taken to have voted against the motion.

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