Independent Planning Commission approves 18-storey tower in Redfern
A $90 million project set to be built a stones’ thrown from Redfern station has been given the green light — a move welcomed by the City of Sydney. SEE THE ARTIST IMPRESSIONS.
Central Sydney
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An 18-storey social and affordable housing project set for the heart of Redfern has been given the green light, at the site of a former council depot.
The Independent Planning Commission on Tuesday announced it had approved the $90 million project, to rise in place of a rundown worksite at 11 Gibbons St.
Located about 140m from Redfern railway station, it will provide 160 social and affordable dwellings with ground floor office, retail and commercial space, according to developers St George Community Housing Sustainability Ltd.
The organisation, which is planning five social housing developments across Sydney, said in its application that there would be between 40 to 60 social housing apartments and 100 to 120 affordable units in the tower.
“There is a significant need for both types of housing in Sydney with over 320 priority households and over 1000 general applications on the NSW Housing Register for social housing in the area,” the application states.
The development fronting Gibbons and Marion streets will only have parking space for bicycles.
Determination of the State Significant Development was passed on to the independent commission by the Planning Department following opposition from the City of Sydney council.
The council, which sold the site to St George Community Housing, was initially concerned about the project’s proposed built form.
But a spokeswoman said many of its planning fears had been taken into account by the developer and rectified in the final design.
“The city welcomes the creation of more social and community housing across Sydney,” she said.
“We are continually exploring new ways to increase the supply of affordable housing in our city, including through selling land at discounted rates and through our Alternative Housing Ideas Challenge which will help develop new housing models and new ways of thinking about housing finance, management and design.”
The IPC found that the proposal would have a positive impact due to its provision of social housing, its creation of 50 jobs during construction and 20 operational roles, and that it was consistent with the Eastern District Plan’s vision for the inner city.
The commission in March knocked back plans for two high-rise towers on adjacent Rosehill St — planned to be 18 and 30-storeys respectively — saying the proposal “lacked merit”.
