Much to the disappointment of locals, the long-awaited pedestrian bridge between Carriageworks and South Eveleigh did not find its way into the proposed North Eveleigh renewal plan, despite having the support of the City of Sydney.
The proposed Redfern North Eveleigh Precinct Renewal project will see the 10-hectare site transformed into a revitalised, mixed-use precinct.
It will support the delivery of Tech Central and provide diverse housing and commercial spaces across buildings of up to 28 storeys in height. This includes 450 new homes, at least 15 per cent of which will classified as affordable housing.
The Redfern North Eveleigh Precinct comprises the Clothing Store, Carriageworks and the Paint Shop sub-precincts. The rezoning proposal for the Paint Shop Sub-Precinct went on exhibit from 26 July to 25 August 2022.
Community groups REDWatch, Alexandria Residents Action Group (ARAG) and Friends of Erskineville who have long been campaigning for a bridge across the Eveleigh tracks expressed disappointment over the non-inclusion of the bridge in the redevelopment plan.
In contrast, the Central Precinct rezoning proposal has three new pedestrian and cycle connections included in the plan.
An online campaign has so far encouraged 774 people to send written letters to Active Transport Minister Rob Stokes. Despite overwhelming local support, the proposed bridge is yet to get a commitment from the state government.
“For a long time a bridge has been proposed in planning for North Eveleigh to remedy this, and we believe that with Transport for NSW reviewing plans for this site the time has come to build it,” the online petition said.
“We need an active transport corridor to connect Waterloo Metro, Alexandria and South Eveleigh on one side, to Carriageworks, North Eveleigh, Darlington and Sydney University on the other.”
On 25 August 2022, the City of Sydney made a submission on the Paint Shop Sub-Precinct rezoning proposal highlighting several issues with the proposals including the lack of commitment to provide an active bridge that will connect the Sub-Precinct to the South Eveleigh.
“As expressed by the Lord Mayor in her letter to the Minister for Transport and Roads on 10 November 2021, the City wishes to collaborate with TfNSW, key stakeholders and communities to provide this essential pedestrian and cycling connection across the rail line. We also need to heal the scar of the railway which has divided suburbs,” the submission stated.
The City of Sydney added that the lack of an overbridge will result in a “physical disconnect” between the sub-precinct and the rest of the innovation precinct. Thus, it recommended the NSW Government include a “firm commitment and implementation plan” for a pedestrian/cycle bridge to link North Eveleigh to the “business and innovation activities in South Eveleigh (former Australian Technology Park) and the communities of Darlington and Chippendale with those in Erskineville, Redfern, Waterloo, and Alexandria.”
REDWatch said that a pedestrian and cycle bridge that will link the Australian Technology Park and North Eveleigh was proposed 15 years ago. The Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA), however, withdrew the plans put forth in 2008.
REDWatch, in its submission, likewise noted that there is a single-page assessment included in the proposal’s Urban Design Study which states that “detailed consideration” of the pedestrian link between the North and South Eveleigh is outside the scope and does not have NSW Government funding.”
The Group insisted that the master plan must deliver a pedestrian bridge, whether it will be paid for by the developer or the Government. They are, therefore, recommending that TfNSW and TAHE amend the master plan and honour the “long-term commitment to the community.”
