The Paris-inspired proposal to transform an inner-Sydney barracks

The regency-style Victoria Barracks in Sydney’s inner east would be converted into residential housing and public parks under proposals from local councillors that echo Paris’ acclaimed transformation of its historic Reuilly barracks.

The federal government received an audit of the Australian Defence Force’s sprawling real estate portfolio at the end of last year, which includes the site located between Oxford Street and Moore Park Road, but is now not expected to release its response to the review until after next year’s federal election.

Sydney deputy mayor Zann Maxwell outside Victoria Barracks.Credit: Edwina Pickles

The City of Sydney will consider a motion on Monday calling for residential redevelopment on parts of the 12.5-hectare Victoria Barracks site if it is put up for divestment as a result of the government’s defence estate review.

“Given the density of surrounding Paddington, it’s a site that could potentially accommodate the growing demand for new housing and could provide housing solutions for City of Sydney residents in the future,” says the motion from deputy mayor and Labor councillor Zann Maxwell, which is expected to pass with the backing of Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

While up to 50 per cent of Victoria Barracks is heritage-protected, the motion argues that redeveloping parts of the site “could provide significant public benefits, including housing and enhanced community amenities” including parks and bike paths.

Arguing that Sydney “needs bold ideas and proactive planning”, Maxwell said: “If Victoria Barracks becomes available, we must be ready to transform it into something extraordinary – something that meets the needs of today while preserving the legacy of the past.”

Troops on parade at Victoria Barracks.

Maxwell said he wanted to kickstart a debate about how the barracks could be best used if the land is released for alternative use.

“I can picture affordable homes integrated with vibrant public spaces, where people picnic on the grass in front of the stunning heritage sandstone barracks, enjoying a space that has been opened up for everyone,” he said.

A spokesperson for Moore said the site, built in 1841 to house military personnel in colonial Sydney, “contains one of the most important groups of Edwardian military buildings and one of the best collections of colonial sandstone buildings in Australia”.

“While the site’s heritage significance would need to be maintained, this land could provide significant additional benefit,” the spokesperson said.

“It is not often such a significant amount of inner-city land becomes available, so any change in use would have to involve community consultation, but affordable housing, parkland and cultural infrastructure are front of mind.”

Paris: Military barracks dating back to the 1600s have been transformed into almost 600 apartments, open space and a community centre.Credit: Merlin Dauget/Ville de Paris

Greens councillor Sylvie Ellsmore pointed to the 2020 redevelopment of Caserne de Reuilly, a 19th-century former barracks in central Paris, into 600 affordable homes alongside a nursery, artists’ studios and green spaces.

“There’s so much in the inner-city where land is really precious but still belongs to the Defence Force,” Ellsmore said.

“We could deliver lots and lots of public housing and maintain the green space given the size of that site.

“It doesn’t have to be a trade-off.”

Victoria Barracks currently houses the headquarters of the Forces Command, which oversees 85 per cent of Army personnel, the Australian Army Museum of NSW and the Australian Army Band Sydney.

The ADF, which is failing to meet its ambitious staffing targets, is likely to argue that divesting beloved military sites would make it even harder to attract and retain enough military personnel.

Defence is the largest Commonwealth landowner, with a 3 million-hectare portfolio consisting of more than 1000 owned and leased properties, including military bases, barracks, wharves, ports, airbases, training ranges and storage facilities.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton attacked the prospect of a “fire sale” of Defence properties when this masthead reported on the issue in February, accusing Labor of “trashing the history of the Australian Defence Force”.

The government subsequently shelved plans to release its response to the review this year, with Defence Minister Richard Marles saying the decisions involved were complicated and should not be rushed.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Raelene Lockhorst, who has written widely about defence infrastructure, told this masthead earlier this year that Victoria Barracks should not be sold off because of the disruption to staff working there.

Instead, she nominated HMAS Penguin at Balmoral, a 14-hectare naval training facility sitting on a spectacular site on Middle Head in Sydney Harbour, as a ripe target for divestment.

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