REDWatch

Further to our earlier post on TfNSW's proposed Botany Road changes. The graphic below was on the flyer letterboxed to some people near the proposed change. It shows where TfNSW expect traffic to go when the right-hand turn from McEvoy heading east into Botany Road South is stopped.

REDWatch and ARAG were briefed yesterday on Council’s concerns about this project. There is concern about cars being diverted from state roads to local roads as in the diagram but also that there is no traffic study that substantiates the need for a bus only lane in the am heading against the peak hour movements. There is concern that the bus lane proposal is being used as a trojan horse to push through road widening and footpath narrowing which will have a detrimental impact on an area where there will be increased pedestrian activity.

Council makes the argument that TfNSW WestConnex volumes did not eventuate and that they see no need for $22 million to be spent on this project. You can see the letter from Lord Mayor Clover Moore to Jenny Aitchison the Minister for Roads along with Council’s view on this Facebook post - https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1687043279449196&set=pcb.1687046479448876

The post from Clover Moore encourages people to write to Minister Aitchison rather than just fill-in TfNSW’s response form. REDWatch is passing on this information so everyone is aware of the arguments and can make a considered response.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has placed a proposal to widen Botany Road south bound between John Street and McEvoy Street, introduce a dedicated bus lane and to and make changes to the intersection of Botany Road and McEvoy Street. In short, the changes are:

• A new southbound morning peak bus lane on Botany Road, between Raglan and Bourke Streets. The bus lane will start at the intersection of Henderson Road and Raglan Street and end at the intersection with Bourke. And relocating a bus stop on Botany Road
• A new right turn lane southbound on Botany Road for vehicles turning right into westbound McEvoy Street.
• Removing the right turn eastbound from McEvoy Street into southbound Botany Road on expectation that diverted traffic would likely be spread across multiple alternative routes.
• Widen road on the eastern side of Botany Road between John Street and McEvoy Street, removing 9 tress and trimming 7 trees to make space for the new right turn lane.
• The verge area being used for informal parking (around 14 spaces) on the eastern side of Botany Road will be removed to allow for the road to be widened.

You can see the TfNSW proposal on the Botany Road and McEvoy Street intersection and bus corridor improvements at https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/botany-road-and-mcevoy-street-intersection-and-bus-corridor-improvements

You can see some analysis of the proposal in Jake Coppinger’s “Just one more lane: TfNSW revives WestConnex zombie Alexandria to Moore Park road project” at https://jakecoppinger.com/2026/09/just-one-more-lane-tfnsw-revives-westconnex-zombie-alexandria-to-moore-park-road-project/

Feedback on the proposal must be received by Monday 28 September via either the TfNSW Botany Road Feedback Form - https://yoursay.transport.nsw.gov.au/botany-bus-improvements/surveys/botanyroad_subscribe1 or by contacting TfNSW via email at [email protected] or call during business hours on 1800 684 490

An undertaking that Homes NSW will seek funding to include air-conditioning in the Waterloo South Social Housing was one of the outcomes from the September 3 2026 REDWatch meeting on Lessening Climate Change impacts in Social Housing.

Homes NSW is currently reviewing funding opportunities to enable the installation of air conditioning units across the social housing buildings. While no final funding decision has been made at this stage, Homes are actively pursuing options and recognise the importance of resolving this issue as part of the project delivery.

The meeting started with a presentations from Abby Mellick Lopes (Prof of Social Design UTS) and Stephen Healy (As Prof Human Geography and Urban Studies WSU about their research "A battleground of climate change: Summer air temperatures in social housing". This is followed by Zuzia Buszewicz the Tennant's Union (NSW) Policy and Campaigns Officer on the proposed Minimum Energy Efficiency Rental Standards (MEERS) across all rental housing types including social housing and Christopher Standen from UNSW on the heat findings in the Waterloo HIA.

The second part of the meeting includes a presentation by Abbey Johnson Project Director Waterloo Major Projects Homes NSW and Samantha Czyz – Stockland’s Head of Stakeholder Engagement - Waterloo Renewal Project covering the implications of climate change for the buildings being designed now for the future social housing in Waterloo South.

You can see the Lopes - Healy Becoming climate ready in social housing: learning to live with the heat presentation at http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/260903lopesandhealy

You can see the Homes NSW Stockland Designing for thermal comfort at Waterloo South at http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/stage1/260903stockland

You can see the video of the presentations at: https://youtu.be/qAfseiWQqqM

Lessening Climate Change impacts in Social Housing This is a recording of the REDWatch public meeting held on 3 Septem...

Lessening Climate Change impacts in Social Housing will be the focus of the REDWatch Public Meeting Thursday 3rd September 6pm at The Factory Community Centre 67 Raglan Street Waterloo or online at http://tinyurl.com/RedwatchMeetingZoom

As fires blaze across Europe we are reminded that summer heat can create major problems. This is especially so for renters who have little control over the properties they occupy. It is especially a problem for people in social housing where a history of underspending by the landlord has left tenants especially vulnerable. The coming summer looks like it will be hot, so it is a good time to think about how we handle heat now and into the future.

The redevelopment of Waterloo South has been promoted as an opportunity to improve housing stock so it was surprising for tenants and agencies to discover recently that Homes NSW had not contracted Stockland to include reverse cycle airconditioning in the new build.

This REDWatch meeting will explore how to go about lessening climate change impacts in both existing and new social housing with the help of people who have researched this issue.

Come along and meet and hear directly from the Community Housing Providers (CHPs) that will manage new social housing in Waterloo South. The three CHPs (Link-Wentworth, Birribee Housing and City West Housing) are already managing social housing tenancies for some of the public housing tenants relocated from Stage 1 in Waterloo South.

In this REDWatch meeting the CHPs have been asked to explain what is Community Housing? How does it differ from public housing? Who are the CHPs and what experience do they bring? REDWatch has supplied some questions raised by tenants and there will the opportunity to ask your own questions.

This meeting will focus on CHPs and social housing we will do a seperate session on affordable housing at a later date.

So join us to hear directly from the CHPs on Thursday August 2026
between 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Counterpoint’s Factory Community Centre 67 Raglan Street Waterloo or on Zoom at http://tinyurl.com/RedwatchMeetingZoom

There will be no REDWatch meeting on 2 July 2026. There is lots to discuss but REDWatch was unable to lock either the Consortium CHPs in to talk about their experience in running social and affordable housing or Council to talk about its proposal to open up George Street Waterloo to McEvoy Street. Both said they needed more time, so hopefully by August we will have one of these. We did not see any point in just having a meeting without a speaker and focus.

More details about both these issues were covered in our latest email update which you can subscribe to by emailing your email address to [email protected]

REDWatch Spokesperson, Geoff Turnbull, recently did an interview for Koori Radio about the Waterloo South redevelopment. In this interview he covers some of the basics around the redevelopment, relocations, allocations and human service supports.

You can hear a podcast from that interview at

The Waterloo Renewal Project; Glossy images vs community impact - Koori Radio Producer: Kirstyn Lindsay The Waterloo South Concept Plan and Rezoning housing redevelopment is now moving forward with the first stages...

The City of Sydney is consulting on where new housing should go in its area. This presentation by Council staff looks at its "Housing for All" discussion paper with a focus on what that might mean for Redfern, Eveleigh, Darlington and Waterloo (the suburbs covered by REDWatch).

This recording gives residents a good idea of where and how Council might proceed to deliver more housing in the Local Government Area. Council is at the early consultation stage of this process so feedback will likely alter some aspects of how Council might proceed. There will be more opportunities to input before Council considers changing the planning controls in about 5 years’ time.

Having an early opportunities to see what is being considered helps communities have a greater say in what happens in their neighbourhoods. You can see the REDWatch meeting video presentation and response to questions at https://youtu.be/MQKlYaMzFk4

REDWatch thanks Council Strategic Planner Christine Heather for the presentation and Ben Pechey, Executive Manager Strategic Planning & Urban Design for his responding to the questions. REDWatch apologises that the introductions and Acknowledgement of Country were not recorded due to a technical error.

CoS Housing for All - REDWatch Meeting 4 June 2026 The City of Sydney is consulting on where new housing should go in ...

For the 4th June REDWatch meeting we will focus on Councils Housing for All consultation with a presentation by Council. The City of Sydney is seeking feedback on its Housing for All discussion paper. That paper sets out where further growth should go in our Council area including in Redfern near prince Alfred Park and Waterloo near Green Square. It also seeks to encourage “more life (and living) on our high streets”, “gentle density on laneways”, “park-side living for more people to enjoy” and housing built on government owned land. It also encourages the NSW government to accelerate development on its own land and recognises the need for a diverse range of market and non-market housing.

A Council planner will explain Council’s paper and discuss what it might mean more specifically in our area of Redfern, Eveleigh, Darlington and Waterloo (REDW). You can see the discussion paper and make comments at https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/policy-planning-changes/have-your-say-on-future-homes-in-our-area

This is a public meeting and everyone is welcome. You can join the meeting in person on 4 June from 6:00 pm at Counterpoint’s Factory Community Centre, 67 Raglan Street, Waterloo or join us on line by Zoom http://tinyurl.com/RedwatchMeetingZoom.

A few weeks ago, Geoff Turnbull, REDWatch Spokesperson, was interviewed by Belinda Barnett for her UrbanTalk Podcast on Community Voice and Advocacy in the Redfern Waterloo area. That podcast is now live on a number of podcast platforms including on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAy5sKpSQoI

In this podcast, that lasts about an hour and a quarter, Geoff responds to questions about the NSW planning system and community engagement from the perspective of REDWatch’s 20+ year involvement trying to ensure outcomes for community around planning decisions past and present in our area.

Being grilled about what REDWatch does and why is a bit of a change from Geoff’s usual role of asking these questions of others in community meetings. It does however give an overview of the why and how REDWatch does some of the things it has done and of some of our struggles with government and developers as well as some of our achievements.

UrbanTalk Podcast Episode 23 – Community Voice and Advocacy in the Redfern Waterloo Area REDWatch is one of the most well established community organisations in Sydney and has spent the last 20 years maintaining a website, sending email notificat...