Anger over unresolved Public Housing DA in Glebe

The Hands off Glebe Group are angry no progress in the public housing development application has been made since protests in May.

The Group wants more action from the new State Government to solve the DA debacle after development was stopped on Cowper and Elgar Street.

“The government has their heads in the sand and are not dealing with the housing crisis,” said Denis Doherty, an activist from the Hands off Glebe Group.

15 Public Housing buildings are currently being demolished on Cowper and Elgar Street but no DA has been approved yet. Development plans have been halted at the site until the State government decides on a replacement policy for public housing from the previous Labor government.

The NSW government said it is currently establishing a housing taskforce to address the new DA.

Joan Parr was a resident at the Elgar Street Public Housing for 42 years before she was forced to leave last year for the demolition process to begin.

“I was devastated. I think it was ridiculous, foolish, and a waste of money.”

“The first time I went down to visit, I had a tear in my eye. It’s just very heart-rending,” she said.

Ms Parr is upset the buildings were demolished without an approved DA where almost 300 residents were living in 134 units. Ms Parr was relocated to a neighbouring street but said others were rehoused on City Road and a public housing estate in Lilyfield.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me. I can’t understand any Government or any Council allowing what they’ve allowed, it’s really sad,” she said.

Revered Julie Brackenreg from the Hope Street Baptist Church condemned the decision to tear down the buildings without an approved DA.

“It’s been poorly handled. There is no DA because there is no developer,” she said.

“To pull down the amount they have pulled down there then have no replacement for the people, it screams neglect.”

Reverend Brackenreg worked with affected residents last year and said many were left distressed with the uncertainty of being rehoused.

“A lot of them didn’t want to move to where they are now because there are no services like mental services and hospitals that they are used to being around,” she said.

The HoGG wants to stop the potential development of private housing mixed with affordable and public housing, should the policy for the current site be amended.

The redevelopment could turn publicly owned land in Glebe into privately owned high-rise units. This could see the construction of 83 affordable housing units, 153 smaller social housing units, retail spaces and 250 privately owned units.

“We are still pushing for the property belonging to the State Government. It should be 100 per cent to the public for affordable housing to those on low-income.”

“We’re on a mission of social welfare when it comes to the DA,” said Mr Doherty.

HoGG would like to see more government funding for the expansion and improvement of public housing.

By Vanessa Zhang