Stockland consortium
Who is working with Homes NSW to develop the Waterloo estate?
The NSW Government has signed contracts and formalised the partnership with Stockland, Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing, and Birribee Housing to commence the delivery of Waterloo South.
Now that contracts are finalised, work will continue with site investigations, planning approvals, community engagement and stage 1 relocations.
What will be delivered?
The project will deliver more than 1,000 new social homes, over 600 affordable homes and around 1500 private homes in a mixed and integrated community.
The renewal of Waterloo South will focus on cultural inclusion, housing outcomes and greater support for Aboriginal people. This includes working with Birribee Housing to deliver 20% of all new social homes and 15% of all new affordable homes for Aboriginal tenants.
The renewal will also include community facilities and a two-hectare urban park – the largest delivered in the city in recent times.
Will the Stockland consortium be leading the redevelopment of Waterloo Central and Waterloo North also?
The Stockland consortium will only be leading the renewal of Waterloo South at this stage.
Once the renewal of Waterloo South is underway, Homes NSW will work with Stockland, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and the City of Sydney on future plans for Waterloo Central and Waterloo North.
Relocations
Relocations – Stage 1
To enable the renewal of Waterloo South, tenants living in the first stage of relocations (Stage 1) area have been notified that they will need to relocate.
Stage 1 of Waterloo South renewal includes tenants living in the area bounded by Cope Street, John Street, Mead Street and McEvoy Street.
Important information
- Tenants will be given at least 6 months’ written notice before needing to move
- Tenants will be supported by a dedicated Homes NSW Relocation Officer to find a suitable home that meets their individual housing needs
- All tenants will have the opportunity to return to Waterloo once the development is complete
- Tenants living in Waterloo Central and Waterloo North (the high-rise buildings) will not be moving for at least 10 years.
Where will tenants move to?
The Relocation Officers will arrange a meeting with each tenant to discuss their housing and support needs.
Tenants can choose to relocate to another property in the local area or another part of NSW.
The Relocation Officers will find each tenant a suitable home that meets their housing needs.
What happens when tenants need to move?
The Relocation Officers will meet with each tenant who received a relocation notification to understand their specific housing and support needs. This is called a Housing Needs Assessment Interview and will assist Homes NSW to find suitable alternative housing.
Tenants will receive assistance from their Relocation Officer to gather all required supporting documentation and information to determine their housing, locational, health and support needs.
Each tenant will receive a personalised Relocation Statement outlining their housing entitlements discussed in the Housing Needs Assessment Interview.
When an offer of housing is made, tenants will have the opportunity to inspect the home to confirm it meets their entitlements as outlined in their Relocation Statement.
The Relocation team will support tenants with the move. Homes NSW will pay for all reasonable relocation costs which include:
- Organising and paying for removalists
- Organising for boxes to be provided
- Reimbursing tenants for the reconnection of electricity, gas, phone and internet
- Paying for the redirection of mail for 3 months.
How will tenants be supported during relocations?
There will be a range of individual and community wide support provided throughout the relocation process including:
- A dedicated Relocation Officer to support each tenant throughout the relocation process
- A Relocation Support Specialist to assist tenants with complex support needs such as referrals and to secure access to services
- An Aboriginal Relocation Support Specialist will be available to provide appropriate cultural support for Aboriginal tenants
- An Independent Tenant Advocate will be available to support tenants who are relocating from Waterloo South
- A wide range of additional support may be available to tenants on a case-by-case basis through the relocation process. This includes packing and unpacking, mail redirection, utilities reconnection, decluttering and rubbish removal, support to move with pets, and necessary travel costs.
We understand some tenants may currently have existing relationships with various service providers in and around Waterloo. Our goal is to support all tenants, including access to new support arrangements as needed.
The Project
What is Homes NSW and the Stockland consortium doing in Waterloo?
Over the next 30 years, we will be redeveloping the Waterloo Estate.
Our aim is to deliver a vibrant place to live, work and visit that is close to jobs and transport.
The redevelopment will be home to a mix of social housing tenants, private property owners and people on low and middle incomes who provide essential services for our city, such as nurses, childcare workers, teachers and police.
It will also create more community facilities and green spaces for tenants and Waterloo locals.
The project capitalises on the new Waterloo Metro Station, which opened in 2024, to ensure tenants and the community have easy access to services and amenities through various modes of transport.
Why is the Waterloo Estate being redeveloped?
Waterloo Estate is an important part of Sydney’s social housing story. However, the buildings are between 40 and 70 years old, and many are nearing the end of their intended lifespan and do not meet the changing housing needs of current tenants.
Many of the homes in Waterloo do not meet contemporary accessibility and sustainability standards, and many tenants have specific needs that can’t be met with current housing.
We understand the needs for more open space, better community facilities, and shops that suit tenants. Therefore, more local, community-focused services can make it easier to do everyday things, like grocery shopping and meeting up with friends.
The project is also important for creating new jobs, homes, and community spaces close to the Sydney CBD.
What is the Waterloo Renewal Project?
The Waterloo Renewal Project will enhance the strength and diversity of Waterloo, a unique urban village on Gadigal Land.
The renewal will deliver new homes, community places, and green spaces which prioritise the health and wellbeing of social housing tenants and more sustainable mixed communities.
The project objectives are:
- More and better social housing: deliver more and better social housing in mixed communities to meet the needs of tenants now and in the future.
- Positive outcomes for tenants: create a place that supports tenants’ health and wellbeing and sensitively manages change over time.
- Outcomes for Aboriginal people: prioritise outcomes for the Redfern-Waterloo Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through planning, delivery and operations.
- An authentic sense of place. building on Waterloos past and current strengths to create an authentic, distinctive and welcoming place.
- Environmental sustainability: support a community that is resilient to climate change and carbon positive.
- Strong collaboration: collaborate with the community, not-for-profit and private sectors to deliver social and housing outcomes.
How long will the project take?
The Waterloo Renewal Project is expected to take up to 30 years. It will be completed in three stages: Waterloo South, Waterloo Central and Waterloo North.
Waterloo South is the first stage of the renewal and will be redeveloped over the next 10 to 15 years.
What is Waterloo South?
Waterloo South is the first stage of the project and covers about 65% of the Waterloo Estate.
On completion, it will include around 3,000 new homes – made up of social, affordable and private housing – as well as new and improved parks, open spaces, and retail and community facilities.
Who is leading the renewal of Waterloo South?
The renewal of Waterloo South will be led by Homes NSW in partnership with the Stockland consortium, consisting of Stockland Development, Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing and Birribee Housing.
Will the new social housing at Waterloo South look different to private housing?
No. Part of the success of mixed housing communities is that social and private housing are indistinguishable. For more information, explore Good Design for Social Housing and the Land and Housing Corporation Dwelling Requirements (PDF, 421.67 KB).
The social housing will be appropriately sized to provide quality housing that meets the needs of current and future Waterloo tenants. All homes will be built to Silver Level Standard of the Liveable Housing Design Guidelines to increase accessibility.
Will you be delivering more social housing than is currently in Waterloo South?
Yes, there will be more social housing in Waterloo South compared to what is currently there.
In addition, there are 70 new social homes at the Waterloo Metro Quarter, and around 95 more social homes will be delivered nearby at Elizabeth Street, Redfern.
Who will manage the social and affordable housing?
New social and affordable housing in Waterloo South will be managed by Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing and Birribee Housing.
How will the project meet the needs of First Nations people?
The Gadigal of the Eora Nation are the Traditional Custodians of the place we now call Waterloo.
The renewal of Waterloo South will focus on cultural inclusion, housing outcomes and greater support for Aboriginal people.
We are committed to supporting and improving outcomes for the Aboriginal community, and to respecting and celebrating the integral role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait culture and heritage plays in the area.
We will work collaboratively with partner community housing providers, the Aboriginal Housing Office and the local Aboriginal community to identify opportunities to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people through the design, planning, delivery and operational phases of the project.
This includes working with Birribee Housing to deliver 20% of all new social homes and 15% of all new affordable homes for Aboriginal tenants, and ensuring that culturally appropriate asset and tenancy management services are available.
We will also prioritise Aboriginal procurement and workforce participation during construction to create more job opportunities for the local Aboriginal community.