Clover Moore calls for more social housing after Redfern land sale

Clover Moore calls for more social housing after Redfern land sale
Image: Sydney Lord mayor Clover Moore. Photo: Flickr.

By TOKS OGUNDARE

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has spoken out against the NSW government over a “deficit” in Sydney’s affordable and social housing portfolio following a decision to sell public land in Redfern.

A plan to house 500 social, affordable and private build-to-rent homes in Redfern was scrapped last year when the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) earmarked the land for sale.

Cr Moore said yesterday that the state government had “snubbed” targets for the delivery of social and affordable rental homes, called for by the City of Sydney council.

“Disappointingly, the Department of Industry, Planning and Environment last year rejected these targets for developments on LAHC sites – including an important site at 600 Elizabeth Street Redfern,” she wrote.

The planning controls the City of Sydney prepared for the site were finalised and put in place by the NSW government last Friday, proposing that the development should include 30 per cent social housing and 10 per cent affordable housing. However, the state government changed this to only 30 per cent for both social and affordable housing.

“Without these planning controls, the land could have been sold and developed entirely for market housing, with no social or affordable housing included,” a City of Sydney spokeswoman told the Daily Telegraph. 

Cr Moore said that the government was missing a “vital opportunity” to increase the amount of social and affordable homes in Sydney.

“Last year the state government moved to deliver much-needed social housing in Cowper Street, and we supported that in every way we could,” Cr Moore said, noting the redevelopment in Glebe, which changed from a mixed-tenure to 100 per cent social homes last year. 

“A similar outcome is needed at 600 Elizabeth Street if the government is to demonstrate it is taking the current housing crisis seriously.”

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