Sunday, July 03, 2016

Baird plans class war on Waterloo community

A NSW Government plan to revitalise an inner-Sydney suburb has sparked fears it will tear apart the close-knit community and generate a "class war" in the area.

Under the plan, towers that are home to about 4,000 tenants would be knocked down, and a station built on a new Metro train line.

Six public housing towers and hundreds of homes at Waterloo are set to be refurbished to provide better accommodation for social tenants and open up the area to private investment.

The redevelopment will be staggered during the next 20 years, and residents will be relocated and given the opportunity to return.

But many say they have not been consulted, and believe the Government will demolish the towers instead of refurbishing them.

"Our fight in this area is to protect the homes of the vulnerable elderly around here," said Richard Weeks, from the Waterloo Public Action Group.

They have erected the tent embassy which used to stand at nearby Redfern, during that community's protest against the plans to regenerate the area and to secure housing for Aboriginal residents.
Artists impression showing what a high density development in Waterloo will look like.
One of the organisers, Jenny Munro, said the Government's plan for public and private housing to be built alongside each other at Waterloo would not work.

"What they're setting up this community for is a class war after the construction period," Ms Munro said.

"The government (is) deliberately making the people that come from here and have lived for generations here, the minority in this new plan.

In May, the City of Sydney Council expressed concern that density in the area would be too great, but the Premier dismissed concerns, comparing density levels to nearby Green Square.

"Some of the community are really looking forward to it, others are fearful of change, which we understand," he said.

Embassy members have vowed to remain until the Government agrees to more consultation.
"It's just being forced upon us, there's no real consultation," Ms Munro said. 

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