New shops, homes and public space at Waterloo Metro Quarter

“Waterloo Station will inspire a modern community village centre, with easy access to a world-class metro railway,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance said.

“The new Waterloo Station provides an opportunity to make the area one of the most well-connected places to live, work and visit - now is the time for the community to have their say on this next part of Australia’s biggest public transport project.”

Transport for NSW will work with UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation to deliver an integrated development above the station, which will have up to eight new buildings including:

• A 600m² building for a new community facility;
• New landscaped public space, with easy pedestrian and cyclist access.
• Approximately 700 residential units with up to 20 percent social and affordable housing;
• Approximately 8,600m² of floor space for a range of commercial, shared office, health services;
• Approximately 3,330m² of ground-level retail space for local shops.

“The Metro Quarter is being designed to respect the area’s past and to be a welcoming hub for both new and existing residents,” UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation Chief Executive Officer Barry Mann said.

“We will prioritise pedestrian safety and new spaces for gathering, markets, public art and live entertainment.”

The NSW Government expects to award a contract to build the new Waterloo Station and the buildings above in 2019.

The first buildings in the 1.91 hectare Metro Quarter are expected to be open as early as 2022 – two years before railway services start – with the project completed in 2026.

The Metro Quarter is adjacent to the Waterloo Estate, which is being renewed by the NSW Land and Housing Corporation. Throughout June and July, the NSW Government will be engaging with the community about future plans for Waterloo.

Engagement on the Metro Quarter will happen first, followed by the Waterloo Housing Estate. The Metro Quarter will deliver easy connections to new metro rail for the Waterloo Estate as well as new community facilities and more social and affordable housing for the area.

Community drop-in information sessions on the Metro Quarter will be held on Wednesday 30 May (5pm to 8pm) and Saturday 2 June (11am to 2pm) at Redfern Town Hall, so residents and local businesses can have their say on the proposed plan.

The draft plan will be available to view at ugdc.nsw.gov.au/metroquarter and sydneymetro.info until 20 June.

Sydney Metro services start in the first half of 2019 in the city’s north west, with metro rail to be extended in 2024 under Sydney Harbour, through the CBD and beyond to Bankstown.

Sydney Metro will have ultimate capacity of a new metro train every two minutes in each direction under the Sydney CBD.