Councillor Chris Harris

Media Release (joint release with Sylvia Hale)

The Greens have called on Minister Sartor to stipulate that a percentage of affordable housing targeted to people on low to moderate incomes be included within the new development on the CUB site on Broadway in Chippendale.

“Minister Sartor is currently thinking about taking over the CUB project. He has said that he will levy the developers for affordable housing, but it will be spent in Redfern/Waterloo. We are saying that affordable housing should then be provided at the CUB site, not a suburb away”, said Sylvia Hale, Greens spokesperson on planning and housing, and Councillor Chris Harris, City of Sydney Greens councillor and local resident.

“The CUB site is close to UTS and the city. The affordable housing could be rented to students, older people and city-based workers on low to moderate incomes”, said Sylvia Hale.

“There is no reason to take all of the levy and spend it elsewhere, when 5 to 10% of the new apartments at the CUB could be designated as affordable housing, and be located in Chippendale. City West Housing Company manages over 500 units of affordable housing in Pyrmont-Ultimo and Green Square and would be ideally placed to manage new units at the CUB site,” Councillor Harris said.

“Minister Sartor should not trade off design quality or height restrictions in exchange for levies. These things should be non-negotiable”, said Councillor Harris.

In other major brownfield sites, such as at London’s Imperial Wharf, it is a condition of development consent to supply a percentage for affordable housing purposes on site. About 1,600 homes are envisaged at Imperial Wharf, of which 47% will be pegged at affordable prices.

“Sydney is a global city like London. The Greens have called for legislation requiring a modest 10% levy across most of NSW’s new housing developments top ensure provision of affordable housing in new developments, which would include the CUB site”, said Sylvia Hale.

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