If you have seen the news in the last few weeks, you might be asking yourself: ‘what is happening in Waterloo?’. With the Waterloo Consortium submitting its concept design and rezoning for public exhibition at the same time as contractors arrived to fence off the soon-to-be demolished three-story walkups, needless to say there’s been a lot going on!
Need a refresher?
In 2015, the then NSW Liberal Government announced it would be redeveloping the Waterloo public housing estate to renew the area in support of the Sydney Metro project. This redevelopment proposed that the state government would partner with a private developer to provide a 30/70 split of social and market housing.
While opposed by Labor in opposition, upon entering government, the terms were renegotiated to limit market housing to 50% of the development, with affordable housing making up the balance. In 2024, it was announced that Stockland would lead the development consortium, partnering with Homes NSW, Link Wentworth, Birribee Housing and City West Housing to deliver this project.
In 2025, phase one of the tenant relocations commenced, with many tenants able to move to the new Link Wentworth operated social housing in the Waterloo Metro Quarter over station development. During this time Stockland and its development partners started to produce plans to satisfy local controls and sought feedback from the community and development approval was sought for demolition and excavation of basements.
Which brings us to now. On 25 May, Homes NSW began to undertake demolition works, beginning with fencing in the site. These works are expected to be carried out over the course of six months. Meanwhile, the first ‘proper’ plans for the site were submitted to DPHI and exhibited to the public.
The redevelopment of Waterloo has been contentious from the get-go. At a time when residents in Millers Point were unceremoniously forced from their homes under the guise of ‘asset recycling’ (read: privatisation), the NSW Liberal Government were proposing a similar fate for public housing tenants south of Redfern. However, this idea was not unique, new, nor original. In 2004, the Carr Government explored plans to redevelop public housing in both Redfern and Waterloo, to ‘aid social leveling.’ Rather unsurprisingly, these most recent events have been met with community opposition, with a community camp now setting up a picket line against demolitions.
As much as it’s easy to talk about housing as completions and approvals, as numbers contributing to an economy, it misses the point: housing is immensely personal. Losing agency over where you live can be distressing. To win social license for such change, the community must believe that those changes are worth it.
At this stage, the jury is still out. The amendment of the 30/70 social private split to 30/20/50 is a start. Commitments to the delivery of accessible and adaptable social homes that meet high energy efficiency standards also help. How the community in Waterloo continues to be engaged – whether they feel listened to and represented in the development process – will be what drives success. There’s a lot of expertise in Waterloo. It just has to be carefully and consistently listened to.
Shelter NSW will continue to engage closely with Homes NSW, Stockland and the Waterloo Consortium, as well as local tenants, agencies and advocates to ensure the best possible outcome is delivered for this community.