Redevelopment proposal for Redfern's "The Block"

[Fabian]

The Aboriginal Housing Commission which controls housing in Redfern's "The Block" in Eveleigh St recently made a proposal to redevelop some of the land into new housing for the Aboriginal residents of the area.

The plan according to "The Wentworth Courier Central" calls for 62 three and four bedroom apartments to be constructed on one of the blocks within the street. A small rendering was published. It's a horse shoed shaped building that rises from one storey at one end to five storeys at the other end.

It is hoped this will provide adequate and good quality housing for the local Aborigines.

[brizer]

I wonder if it will be any more successful than any of its predecessors? How many have there been so far?

[SinCity]

Sadly, these bunch of corrupt wankers have promised many things in the past, but they always delivery nothing ...........

Dont hold your breath until they get booted out of the area. You only have to see what has become of their own offices in Eveleigh Street to see the reality of it all ........ :mad:

[Trances]

Hmm ?
This area seem like a lost cause
Maybe it just be left to sink and hit rock bottom ( if not already there sadly) so a real urban redevelopment can take place
All these little projects seem like bandaid apporaches for social problem that requires much more planing and aid

[Fabian]

The Aboriginal Housing Commission (AHC) are very serious about this one. The redevelopment is to restore a strong and healthy sense of community in the area with a strong emphasis on Aboriginal culture & spirituality. There has been massive consultation with community leaders.

A number of designs have submitted by final year architecture students at Sydney Univeristy who were provided by briefs from the AHC. A model will be available for inspection next month at 104 Lawson Street, Redfern, as part of the consultation process and will run for three months. Expect a D/A to be lodged with council by the end of the year.

[SinCity]

I'm not holding my breath .........

[MrTall]

What's the point of it all when it'll all be trashed within a couple of months of occupation.

[Fabian]

Don't make those assumptions that it is going to fail and the apartments will be trashed. We haven't even seen the model yet. You might be surprised. I think this is a good thing for Redfern and for the residents of this long neglected area of town.

If you can improve the quality of life for them, it's going to lead to the reduction in problems in the area. I'm sure there will be community facilities built as part of it to help build the sense of community.

There are also other issues that need to be addressed that are not related to this development too. This is just one part of addressing the problem.

[ParraMan]

Assuming that the AHC is run by Aborigines who are in close contact/consultation with their community/constituents, this should be a great outcome. If the plans truly take into account the needs of the community there is no reason that it should fall into disarray or disrepair and instead should be well looked-after. I've got my fingers crossed that this is worth holding my breath for.

[MrTall]

I don't know if the residents will have the character to keep these new homes in order.

[alpina]

as a person looking to buy in the redfern area, i too have my fingers crossed.

it is amazing that a suburb so close to the city and seperated by only 1 street from surry hills carries such a bad reputation.

there are some very pricey houses in redfern and i bet a fair bit of influence is being exerted by these residents for change.

i still see redfern as a sleeper with huge potential. influencial residents have been able to clean up the Cross in recent years. it will be interesting to see what will become of redfern.

regards,

julie

[Tony P]

The pricey areas of Redfern are around George Street and Pitt Street bewteen the Cleveland Street and Redfern Street intersections. The houses there were relative bargains when I was going to uni in the mid-late 1990's, around $300K for a terrace, but now are around $650K - $1 Million now. One of the terraces I remember even had a ballroom! As beautiful as Paddington anyday. As you go down towards Waterloo though, things get worse.

[Blue_Copper]

any update on this?

[LanceDriver]

see http://www.ahc.org.au/redevelop/pemulwuyconcept.pdf and http://www.ahc.org.au/

Crunch time for The Block
by REDWatch — last modified 2007-11-20 20:12
http://www.redwatch.org.au/media/071115psg/

Years after the Pemulwuy Project was first planned, the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) will submit its concept master plan for the redevelopment of the Redfern Block to the NSW Department of Planning. Under state law, the department will have 40 days to accept or reject the project reports Angela Dewan in Precinct South Sydney Edition Issue 4/2007 in November 2007.

The project has a number of special features which are designed to meet the needs of the Aboriginal community and that highlight the significance of The Block. The Block is made up of terrace houses, owned or rented by Aboriginals. It was bought by the AHC after receiving a grant of $530,000 in 1973 under the Whitlam government.

The project aims to provide more affordable housing for Aboriginal low to middle income earners and to provide "a clean, healthy and safe environment" for Aboriginal children, as stated in the Pemulwuy project profile.
"We want to pave the way for the next generation. We don't want this generation now to be caught in this vicious cycle.
We want them to grow up in a good environment," said Mick Mundine, chief executive officer of the AHC.

With only 20 dwellings currently on The Block, five of which are unoccupied, the AHC 's project includes 62 dwellings. "The reason we picked 62 was because there were 62 Gadigal families in Redfern who got wiped out by smallpox when the British arrived. It's sort of like a commemoration to them," said Mr Mundine.

The Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA), a statutory body which was set up in 2004 with powers to override local councils, has a different vision for The Block. In response to the AHC's Pemulwuy project, the RWA incorporated its vision to commercialise the Block in their 2006 Built Environment Plan.

In August last year the RWA changed the zoning status of the Block from a 'Residential 2b' zone to a 'Business-Mixed Use 10' zone. It also reduced the residential floor space ratio from 1:1, which is still enjoyed in other areas of Redfern, to 0.75:1, forcing the AHC to redesign parts of its project and slow down its progress. Mick Mundine is outraged by such requirements. He pointed out that in other developments they can go up to 15 storeys high but in The Block they can only go to three levels.

A spokesperson for Minister Sartor, however, denied The Block has been treated differently to other parts of Redfern and Waterloo. "The Department of Planning assesses all proposals it receives rigorously and on their merits."
The project now complies with all of the RWA requirements as per the Built Environment Plan. Their floor space ratios have been adjusted and 50 per cent of the land will be used for commercial development.

Peter Valilis, manager of the Pemulwuy Project, supports the idea of commercial development on the AHC's land. "I've always been of the notion that we need some commercial development to generate income for the community but not at the expense of the residential; as long as we get our 62 houses."

The housing component of the Pemulwuy Project involves having a fourth room as a 'home clinic' where ill family members can stay in comfort. This was initiated in consideration of poor Aboriginal health standards in the area.
Other features of the plan include a three-tiered rental system to accommodate for families of different income levels, the consideration of Aboriginal culture in the area by renaming the streets with traditional Aboriginal names, use of solar light and rainwater tanks, opening up The Block as opposed to keeping it a `no-go' area to help community members integrate and lower crime rates through design and development.

Despite the fact the project had won several awards, in 2004 the RWA minister Frank Sartor, said he wanted to reduce further Aboriginal housing on The Block. His comment followed a parliamentary inquiry, leaked from Cabinet in the same year, into the value of land in Redfern. It found that the value of the land would increase by 30 per cent if The Block were a commercial zone.
After Mr Mundine's refusal of the Minister's proposal, Mr Sartor suggested merely renovating the 20 dwellings that exist on The Block and placing other residents in public housing elsewhere in Redfern and Waterloo. Mick Mundine also opposed that suggestion. "They can't make us sell our land to anybody, but they're trying to pull the wool over our eyes to really undermine us."
It has been seven years since the Pemulwuy Project plan was first drafted.

The plan sits with the AHC's lawyers who are perfecting it to ensure its approval with the NSW Planning Department. Mr Valilis is confident that the project can not be rejected for any planning reasons as it now complies with all of the RWA's requirements.

Mr Mundine is ready for action if the Pemulwuy Project is not approved. "If Sartor knocks us back after the 40 day period, we're going straight to the Land Environment Court. We're going to fight him all the way."

Publications from the UTS School of Journalism can be found online at http://www.journalism.uts.edu.au/future_students/student_publications.html and at http://www.reportage.uts.edu.au/

[Fabian]

Disappointing that there is still no progress after four years. Before yesterday, the last proposal called for entire area to disappear with no housing for Aboirignes and that was a year ago.

[reusachtige]

I heard there are plans to move African refugees into the redeveloped area.

[LanceDriver]

Rivalry helps Redfern cause
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rivalry-helps-redfern-cause/2008/09/10/1220857637779.html

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/09/10/block_wideweb__470x313,0.jpg
Impasse … Meredith Burgmann stepped in over the development on the Block.
Photo: AFP
Sunanda Creagh Urban Affairs Reporter
September 11, 2008

IN A deal fuelled by this weekend's council elections, a controversial 62-house development on the Block in Redfern is a step closer to fruition.

An impasse between the Aboriginal Housing Company and the Department of Planning arose after the indigenous developers refused to pay a $60,000 processing fee. The charge covers the cost of processing the housing company's application to build the $50 million housing project, a gym and an elders' centre on the Redfern site.

Labor's lord mayoral candidate in the City of Sydney elections, Meredith Burgmann, brokered a deal under which another department, the Redfern Waterloo Authority, paid the fee. "The situation needed a circuit breaker," Dr Burgmann said.

Peter Valilis, a director of the housing project, said the intense election competition between incumbent Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Dr Burgmann helped his cause. "I am sure we all know that politicians are always very motivated during election time but Meredith does come across as very genuine," he said.

Mr Valilis agreed it was unusual for the Government to cover the cost of a processing fee for a private developer but said: "This project is a fully affordable housing project that is sorely required in this city. The savings the Government will make in terms of reduced crime and reduced need for affordable housing will show that this fee is really nothing. It will pay for itself."

The development application will go on exhibition for 30 days but Mr Valilis said the housing project would consider Land and Environment Court action if its plans were not approved.

[driglow]

The Block really needs to be developed. I remember walking past there once and it's probably the worst place in the entire entire country. So antagonistic and it's not a place a tourist (like I was at the time) should see. It's just a no-go zone really. It needs to be cleaned up. I'm actually in favour of bulldozing the area and emptying it out and replacing it with something less open to remove the bad presence the people there bring to the place.