State Election 2019: Labor to sign agreement with local councils on planning

City of Sydney Council would pursue its rival plan to redevelop the Waterloo Housing Estate under a Labor government. But the local Labor MP said current residents should be the top priority.

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City of Sydney Council could be free to pursue its own plan to redevelop the Waterloo Housing Estate under a Labor Government.

It’s understood the Opposition would not proceed with the State Government’s controversial masterplan for the precinct, if elected on Saturday.

While local Labor MP Ron Hoenig remains unconvinced a major redevelopment was needed, saying protecting long-term residents should be the top priority.

Opposition Leader Michael Daley announced on Wednesday he would sign an agreement with local councils to work in partnership with them on planning in NSW, pledging to help restore decision-making powers lost under the current State Government.

NSW Opposition Leader Michael Daley with Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore. Picture: Lukas Coch

The pledge to repair this “critically important relationship” came in Waterloo alongside Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the site of a tussle between City of Sydney and the government over rival redevelopment proposals.

“It’s a good starting point (the agreement),” Cr Moore said, insisting the estate needed to be redeveloped.

“We have a shortage of housing and a shortage of affordable housing.”

The council has condemned the state’s plan for a complete revamp of the site to create 6800 dwellings in towers up to 40 storeys high.

Cr Moore announced an alternative masterplan including 5300 dwellings, limiting new building heights to 12 or 13 storeys and keeping existing buildings.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Opposition Leader Michael Daley inspect rival plans for the Waterloo Housing Estate Redevelopment.

She said the council’s plan was “more humane” and called on the Berejiklian Government to follow Mr Daley’s lead in handing control back to council.

Mr Daley said the state’s proposed redevelopment of Waterloo was “emblematic of the arrogance” the current government had shown in its approach to planning.

Labor’s proposed agreement would mean the government would hold regular meetings with councils to improve transparency and consultation in planning decisions.

“There will be a reinvention of the partnership between a Daley Labor State Government and local councils right throughout NSW,” he said.

“We will treat councils as our partners. We will listen to them, we will learn from them.”

The state government’s plan for a public park in Waterloo.

The council’s vision for the site.

Mr Hoenig, whose seat of Heffron includes much of the Waterloo estate, said the Opposition’s position to collaborate with councils provided the best chance of protecting residents in danger of losing their homes.

Under the government’s plan for a staged redevelopment, residents would be moved out to make way for construction before returning to new accommodation.

“Labor doesn’t kick out 3000 public housing tenants and hand over public land to developers to build 40 storey towers,” Mr Hoenig said. “We would allow the council to undertake a proper planning strategy for that site.”

Ron Hoenig (back right) and Wednesday’s announcement.

However, although “extremely impressed” with the council’s work on its Waterloo masterplan, Mr Hoenig said he wasn’t convinced it needed to proceed.

“It’s my view that (the council’s plan) is still too dense,” he said.

“Some of the three-level walk-ups have been renewed, they’ve had tens of millions of dollars spent on them. There’s no need for them to be demolished.”

City of Sydney councillor Linda Scott, the president of Local Government NSW, said the new partnership was the start of building a “better future” for the state.

“Local government is always seeking to work productively and constructively with the other tiers of government,” she said.

“It’s what our communities want and it is what we are committed to achieving: an equal partnership with all tiers of government based on collaboration and consultation.”