Essential workers like nurses, paramedics, teachers, police officers and firefighters provide invaluable services to people across NSW. Without them, NSW would grind to a halt.

Why we need housing for essential workers

Often many essential workers can’t afford housing in the areas they serve.

Commuting long distances adds stress, time and costs to already demanding jobs. On average, a community based key worker spends 1.5 hours per day in their car while a residential based worker (e.g. a home care nurse) spends 2.3 hours per day on public transport (Source: Orchard Talent Group, 2024).

Hospitals, schools, and emergency services are struggling to retain staff because housing is unaffordable in the areas where they are located. Without local housing options, we risk understaffing critical services.

Homes for essential workers in the heart of Camperdown

We are seeking approval to deliver a mixed-use apartment building with a total gross floor area of around 14,479sqm, providing at least 200 build-to-rent homes for essential workers to rent at a discount, as well as ground-floor retail and commercial spaces.

The building will remain in NSW Government ownership, with tenancies managed by a suitable operator. Details will be made available closer to project completion.

The project is well located, close to the Sydney CBD, public and active transport, parks and major health and education hubs. The below map shows essential workplaces around the site.

We will submit a range of technical studies with the applications to address:

🏘️ Housing needs
🚍 Access, traffic, parking and transport
🛍️ Amenity and social impact
🔊 Noise and air quality
⚠️ Hazardous materials
🏛️ Heritage
🌳 Urban design and landscape design
⚙️ Civil engineering
🌱 Environmental considerations

Technical studies can be viewed during public exhibition later this year.

Site remediation

Given the site’s former uses, remediation is needed to manage contaminants found onsite so that it is safe for future development. We have engaged specialist environmental consultants to develop a strategy to manage this process.

Traffic and parking

Assessments show that local roads will have capacity for traffic generated by the proposed development. As the site is well-located, future residents can also walk, cycle and use public transport to reach many nearby destinations.

The number of private parking spaces will align with planning requirements, and firm up as planning progresses.

Heights, visual amenity and privacy

The rezoning proposal is seeking permission for buildings up to 20 storeys. Building heights are subject to feasibility and constraints, including existing flight paths.

Our planning must consider privacy and views of neighbouring properties, and overshadowing (see below diagram from shadow studies).

Proposed setbacks, landscaped public spaces, pedestrian laneways and the distance between buildings will help to reduce overshadowing, while providing future residents adequate privacy and sunlight. We have prepared shadow studies to reduce impacts on surrounding buildings.

We want proposed development to contribute to the Camperdown neighbourhood, creating a place that future residents are proud to call home and supporting them to become part of the community.

We aim to showcase design that connects with surrounding buildings, with public space, laneways and new shops and services encouraging the development to become a vibrant destination.

Five principles are guiding our design approach:

• A new urban centre for Camperdown
• Greening the heart
• Continuing the fine grain character
• Increasing connectivity
• Private, communal and public amenity

Materials and facades

While older brick buildings adjacent to the site are not heritage listed, there are heritage buildings nearby on Mallett Street and Parramatta Road.

Proposed development aims to be sympathetic to the area’s industrial past and heritage character through building setbacks, and use of similar materials and colours.

Connecting with Country

We are eager to understand how our projects can better connect with Country and respect the rich history and culture of Aboriginal people. Our projects fundamentally transform Country forever and we can deliver our projects in a respectful and considerate way to celebrate the uniqueness of each place.

The Camperdown site is on Gadigal lands. We have engaged a specialist consultant to meet with local First Nations community stakeholders to help us better understand the context and history of the site and surrounds, invite feedback and ideas about the proposed development, and inform principles to recognise, celebrate and connect with Country.

Concept masterplan - prepared for consultation

Proposed development will enhance the neighbourhood’s amenity and vibrancy with ground-floor shops and services, landscaped outdoor spaces and new pedestrian links between Parramatta Road and Pyrmont Bridge Road.

Shops and services

The proposal includes approximately 5,976sqm of retail tenancies, located at ground level alongside public spaces and thoroughfares to activate the area.

We envisage future tenancies would be suitable for food and beverage, convenience and other specialty retailers, complementing shops and services nearby. We are preparing a Retail Strategy to assess current local amenities and provide recommendations for what could be included in future development to help meet the daily needs of local residents, while creating a vibrant destination for people to visit and support the local economy.

Creating an urban oasis

The proposal includes approximately 6,029sqm of public open space and laneways.

The provision of publicly accessible green and open spaces is central to the proposal, providing places for people to meet, relax and socialise. Landscaping will feature native plants to support urban biodiversity and increase tree canopy cover to provide shade and cool the air.

The below landscape masterplan, prepared for consultation, shows what the site could look like in future. The landscape masterplan is subject to change and approvals.