Macquarie Park redevelopment update

The NSW Government has released further details of the Macquarie Park redevelopment.

According to a Department of Family and Community Services media release, construction works will take place on the site of the NSW Land and Housing Corporation's Ivanhoe Estate. It follows that State Property Authority land in Macquarie Park will not be utilised, and no private property will be acquired. Furthermore, the precise number of affordable housing dwellings to be constructed is 128.

An artist's impression of the Macquarie Park redevelopment

The redevelopment will also form part of a new FACS initiative called 'Communities Plus'. According to Fairfax Media's story on the announcement, the initiative will deliver approximately 550 social, affordable, and private dwellings in Gosford, Newcastle, Tweed Heads, Seven Hills, Telopea, and Liverpool, in addition to the Macquarie Park project. 

Precise details about the initiative are not yet available. It appears that all Communities Plus developments will contain a mix of social, affordable, and private residences. According to Fairfax, developers will hold the private dwellings, the NSW Government will hold social housing dwellings, and community housing providers will hold affordable housing. 

In the Fairfax story, FACS Minister The Hon. Brad Hazzard MP also describes Communities Plus as, "a new way of thinking in social housing. Many of the new social housing units will be a base for pilot programs that link housing assistance to education, training and local employment opportunities." And the FACS media release describes the project as a collaboration of "the very best in urban design, construction, community engagement and tenancy services."

Minister Hazzard will host an industry briefing on Communities Plus on 4 November 2015. 

Redevelopment of Macquarie Park, 2016-2018

The NSW Government has announced an extensive redevelopment of the Sydney suburb of Macquarie Park.

Macquarie Park is situated in northwest Sydney. It is part of the City of Ryde, though borders the North Shore councils of Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby. It is home to the Ivanhoe Estate – a medium density public housing complex consisting of 259 townhouses and apartments, and approximately 460 residents. Ivanhoe was built approximately 25 years ago.  

 

NSW Government plans to build 2500 new apartments in Macquarie Park by 2018, with construction commencing next year. The number of new residences could rise as high as 5800 between 2019 and 2031, though the Government has not actually confirmed what, if any development will take place following the first stage of construction.

Irrespective of the final scope of the redevelopment, it will represent a substantial increase in the population density of Macquarie Park. According to City of Ryde data, current density is 9.10 persons per hectare over 676 hectares. At the 2011 census, its total population was 6149. Indeed, the suburb is presently comprised mostly of university grounds, commercial properties, parklands, and low-density housing.

Effect on public and affordable housing stock

The Ivanhoe Estate will be demolished as part of the redevelopment. However, the first stage of construction will include 556 new public housing dwellings (that is, 22.24% of total new dwellings).

This represents a better net result for the public housing stock than provided for in the Macquarie Park Task Force’s development fact sheet, published in May 2012. This provided that, “If the Ivanhoe estate is redeveloped, the same number of social housing homes will be built. There will be no loss of social housing in the area.”

The 2016-2018 developments will also include an affordable housing component. Media reporting conflicts on precisely how many affordable housing dwellings will be built. The Daily Telegraph’s report, available here, says there will be 128 affordable housing dwellings (5.12%). The Sydney Morning Herald says “about 25 per cent” of total dwellings will be either public or affordable housing. Given the public housing component is confirmed to be 556, this would mean about 69 affordable housing residences (2.76%) will be built.

Effect on current public housing tenants

NSW Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard has said that, from 2016, FACS Housing will assist residents of the Ivanhoe Estate to relocate to available public housing properties in the vicinity of Macquarie Park. The Minister said that FACS Housing will also offer Ivanhoe residents the opportunity to move back into Macquarie Park once redevelopment is complete. 

This is largely consistent with what was provided in the Macquarie Park Task Force’s fact sheet; “Where tenants are moved out of the estate to allow redevelopment to take place, they will have the option of moving back to the estate provided that a new dwelling is available that is also suited to their needs.”

Macquarie Park and all surrounding suburbs are situated in FACS Housing’s Northern Sydney allocation zone. FACS Housing lists current wait times in Northern Sydney for those eligible for public housing as “10+ years” for all types of dwelling. This suggests that public housing availability in the vicinity of Macquarie Park is generally very low.

Nothing announced to date gives credence to the rumour, published in a Daily Telegraph story in 2014, that “Public housing tenants could be forced to pay full rent after five years under a “work for the dole”-type public housing trial in Macquarie Park”.

Land acquisition

It is not yet clear whether any privately owned residential properties or commercial land will be compulsorily acquired to facilitate the redevelopment.

However, the Macquarie Park Task Force fact sheet states that, collectively, the State Property Authority and NSW Land and Housing Corporation already own 12.2 hectares of land in Macquarie Park. The Ivanhoe Estate is built on approximately 7 hectares. 

Infrastructure Investment

The Sydney Morning Herald report linked above says the NSW Government will invest $5 million into new infrastructure to accompany the redevelopment. The Daily Telegraph says a new school “could be built” as part of first stage of construction.

It is unclear whether construction of the school would be paid for out of the $5 million infrastructure budget, or by private developers in return for permission to undertake for-profit construction – as occurred, for example, with construction of the Homebush Bay bridge.

Windfall

According to the NSW Government’s Globe program, the land value of the Ivanhoe estate site is approximately $45,000,000. As the Government has not yet announced what, if any additional land will be utilised for construction, it is not possible to calculate additional land values.

Data reflecting projected sales figures for apartments and commercial land to be sold on the private market has not been made publicly available.

Urban Activation Precincts explained

Just a quick note: our colleagues at Shelter NSW have produced a handy paper on Urban Activation Precincts.

Randwick UAPs 'on hold'

We mentioned a few months ago the Urban Activation Precincts (UAPs) covering parts of Randwick/Kensington and Anzac Parade that include social housing estates.

Both those UAPs are now on hold, with NSW Planning and Infrastructure promising to return with further plans and consultation early this year. See the Herald's report for comment by various interests.

Anzac Parade South: consultation

As we mentioned in our last post the NSW State Government is proposing to increase heights and density along Anzac Parade South.

Kingsford and Maroubra from the air (photo: Bidgee)

Some social housing estates are included in this process.

The Government is about to start consulting with the community on these projects and like Randwick Council, who provided this information in a recent e-news bulletin, we think it is important residents know what is going on and how to be involved.

Find out about the consultation processes in the Draft NSW Urban Activation Precincts Guideline.

We liked the following in the Draft NSW Urban Activation Precincts Guideline:

“Community engagement is important when investigating potential changes to a precinct. In addition to the formal public exhibition process, community reference groups may also be established where the Department considers it appropriate. These groups should include a broad membership from the local community. The purpose of these groups will be for representative members of all sections of the community to access information and provide better informed feedback throughout the investigation process. Other community engagement techniques may also be used, tailored to the individual precincts.”

We think major changes to social housing make it appropriate to have a community reference group. Local communities know what local communities need.

South Randwick Redevelopment Developments

The Anzac Parade South Urban Activation Precinct (UAP) was recently announced by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure. The UAP aims to revitalise existing areas to deliver homes, jobs and infrastructure.

Maroubra Junction, intersection of Anzac Parade and Maroubra Road ©Department of Planning and Infrastructure

The result of the process will be a proposed rezoning for some of the precinct. This may include medium or high density apartments within an easy walk of public transport.

Housing NSW have provided an update on what may or may not happen to 2,500 social housing dwellings in the UAP over the next 20 years. Read more what they say on a factsheet here.

Yes, it is important that governments and communities plan for the future.  However, it often seems to us at the TU that governments seem to take a much more detailed interest in the lives and homes of its citizens in social housing than other citizens.

While no one can argue with the need for appropriate development and increased housing, we hope the government agencies involved don't forget that research demonstrates the disturbing effects that dislocation can have for people living with disadvantage, the elderly and those on very low incomes.  The experts on these impacts are the members of the communities effected, whether that is Randwick, Minto, Airds, Erskinville or Riverwood.  We should all remember to listen to them.