Last month, the NSW Government announced its plans for the largest investment in public housing in the state’s history: they aim to create 30,000 new homes across the state, with a focus on well-located affordable and public housing. Now, the first sites for these new major developments have been announced – and one is right in the inner city. Located close to the beloved Carriageworks, Redfern Station and the new Metro station at Waterloo, the former clothing retail precinct (which has been sitting unused for yonks) is one of four government sites that have been confirmed for redevelopment under the new housing plan. Better yet – a big portion of the homes will be reserved for victims of domestic violence.
Concept plans to transform the Clothing Store sub-precinct into a residential site were released back in 2008, but the stretch of government land has remained relatively untouched. Now, following a statewide audit of government land, this site is set to turn into 500 new homes. They've said 50 per cent of homes will be either public housing or affordable homes – and at least 50 per cent will be reserved for victims of domestic violence.
Alongside the centrally-located Clothing Store sub-precinct, a further three government sites have been confirmed for redevelopment into residential precincts:
- A site in north-west Sydney’s Kellyville (adjacent to Rouse Hill Metro station) is set to deliver between 75-83 new homes, 50 per cent of which will be social and affordable homes delivered by Homes NSW.
- In Camden, south-west Sydney, a smaller government site will be used to provide ten social and affordable homes.
- And on the WestConnex Dive site in Camperdown, more than 100 homes will be delivered in a mixed-use development – with some social and affordable housing and some homes built and sold through the private sector. Any profits gained through private-sector partnerships will be funnelled back into the project.
The wild thing about the Clothing Store sub-precinct redevelopment is that the land had been identified as ripe for development over a decade ago, but it's remained untouched. “These sites may have sat idle for decades, but in just a few years there will be families and communities calling these places home,” says NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said.
Of the total $6.6 billion investment set to go towards addressing the state’s housing crisis, $5.1 billion will go directly towards delivering new public housing on well-located sites, with Eveleigh’s Clothing Store precinct a case in point.
As NSW Premier Chris Minns said, “We know that housing affordability and availability is the single biggest pressure facing the people of New South Wales, and that without an immediate, comprehensive intervention, Sydney is at risk of becoming a city with no young people.”
Keen to hear more from the about the government's housing plans, from the horse's mouth? Read our interview with NSW Premier Chris Minns here.
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