Gobble-de-gook

Washington Park is seen as a good example of an integrated private/public housing precinct developed on government owned land.

From ‘We are Washington Park’ website

Stephen Cox writes: 'Architects are meeting the challenge to create social housing that looks and feels like modern private housing, with the key being to mix those subsidised dwellings with private housing.' Read more here.

Government spin, real-estate-talk or just good, old gooble-de-gook?

The last word comes from a Riverwood public housing tenant speaking at the Tenants Union's 40-year anniversary celebrations on 15 August 2016. Her point ... if they want to do away with the stigma of public housing estates, then why hive off the redeveloped part of the estate and give it a different name. Here the public housing estate is Riverwood? The developer proclaims: 'Not simply a new development but an entirely new suburb, Washington Park is situated ...' Read more here and view their spiel here.

Proposed 'State Significant Precinct' at Riverwood

Minister for Social Housing, Brad Hazzard, recently announced a $3.4billion renewal of Riverwood in Sydney's south east, that will draw on the apparent success of the Washington Park project of Riverwood North. The announcement is reflected in this article from 'The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader' - 1600 new social and affordable homes to be mixed with private housing at Riverwood.

Image from http://washingtonpark.com.au/

The announcement says "The remaining 30.5 hectares of the Riverwood estate is being submitted as a State Significant Precinct (SSP), which will involve planning to identify all types of housing, community amenity, services and infrastructure needed for the local population."

State Significant Precinct's are a creature of planning law - specifically the State Environmental Planning Policy (State Specific Precincts) 2005. Determining an area to be a State Significant Precinct allows the NSW Government to override local government planning processes by either adjusting applicable Local Environmental Plans (as has happened with areas around Macquarie Park), or adjusting the SEPP to include zoning and planning controls within the document itself (as has happened with the Redfern-Waterloo area). More information about State Significant Precincts can be found in this document: here.

It is not clear which of the options will apply to the Riverwood site. However, in either case there is a process that needs to be followed and we understand this to be as good as underway. Responding to our enquiries, Minister Hazzard's office has confirmed that the Planning Minister has instructed the Department of Planning and Environment to provide the NSW Land and Housing Corporation - the Government entity that owns our public housing, and current owner of the Riverwood site - with an outline of what would be required to have the site considered a State Significant Precinct. The Land and Housing Corporation will then produce a submission, against which the matter will be considered. This will take some time, as it will involve a process of "consultation, design and planning".

It appears there will be opportunities for residents, the community and other stakeholders to have their say in the coming months. We can expect public exhibition of the resulting plans in the second quarter next year.

In the meantime, Minister Hazzard's announcement gives us a little more to go on. It says that “conservative estimates tell us we can get at least 1600 new social and affordable homes but there is a lot of planning and community consultation to do before we settle on final figures.” It also promises that "current residents in social housing will be able to continue to live in Riverwood, in the new housing. It will be two years before any resident will have to temporarily relocate to allow new building works to begin."

We can also expect involvement from the Community Housing sector in the renewal of Riverwood, and the management of any new social housing properties. SGCH, a Community Housing landlord that has worked with Government and the private sector on the Washington Park project, has noted Minister Hazzard's announcement in a recent newsletter (and a slightly reworded press release). CEO Scott Langford, said: “We very much look forward to having an input into the plans for the redevelopment and to seeing the next stage deliver housing that caters for the diverse needs of all people in our society.”

Riverwood North

We commence our first round-up of estate redevelopments with Riverwood North.

This is a redevelopment of about 150 public housing dwellings – mostly bedsits – in Washington Avenue, Riverwood, which are to be replaced by new, higher density buildings comprising about 150 social housing units, and 500 units for sale. The newly-built social housing units will be managed by St George Community Housing; the developer is Payce Communities.

Announced in September 2010, but talked about for a few years before that, the redevelopment is planned to take 10 years to complete. So far, all the tenants of affected buildings have moved out to other social housing premises, the old buildings have been demolished, and two new high-rises have been built. These are due to be handed over to St George in the next few months, which will let them as over-55s social housing. We understand St George and Housing NSW are getting in touch now with tenants of the old buildings to give them first option on moving back (but they'll have to pay their own moving costs). After that they'll offer tenancies to over-55s on the Housing Pathways register.

The next stage of work will be the demolition of the old senior citizens centre, and the construction of a third building – to contain a new senior citizens centre, a library and a mix of social housing and privately owned units (to be sold by Payce).

We understand from those on the ground that many of the tenants who moved out went from bedsits to new units with separate bedrooms, and that they were happy with that, and that Payce has been working to engage with the community by getting involved with the local school and community events.

So far so good.