Waterloo Metro Quarter

Through Sydney Metro, the NSW Government will provide a new generation of trains to connect people across Sydney. The new Waterloo Station will be located underground, with an entrance via the corner of Raglan and Cope Streets, Waterloo. Construction of the Sydney Metro is underway and Waterloo Station is scheduled to open in 2024.

The Waterloo Metro Quarter is the area above and around the station bounded by Botany Road, Cope Street, Raglan Street and Wellington Street.

UrbanGrowth NSW (now known as Infrastructure NSW) and Sydney Metro prepared a comprehensive masterplan in 2018 for the Waterloo Metro Quarter, which is integrated with the approved Metro station design.

In July 2018, UrbanGrowth NSW (now known as Infrastructure NSW) submitted the State Significant Precinct (SSP) Study for the Waterloo Metro Quarter to the Department for assessment. The State Significant Precinct Study sought approval for new planning controls which were intended to support the future development of the Waterloo Metro Quarter.

The new planning controls will deliver a cohesive and walkable community which will provide approximately 700 new private, social and affordable homes, retail and entertainment, employment opportunities and improved transport links.

The new planning controls support the future over station development of the new Waterloo Metro Station.

Sydney Metro submitted a Concept State Significant Development application (SSD) that seeks approval for concept plans for development over and adjacent to the new Waterloo Metro Station. The SSD is still under consideration.

New planning controls approved

The new planning controls for the Waterloo Metro Quarter have been approved subject to amendments resulting from consultation with the community, Council and other government agencies.

The Department carefully considered the Explanation of Intended Effect (EIE) and draft Development Control Plan (DCP), Council and community views during the assessment process.

The Finalisation Report is available on our draft plans and policies planning portal.

What are the final planning controls?

The planning controls are to be applied through amendments to the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 (LEP).

The final planning controls include:

• Increase the maximum building heights from 12m (3-4 storeys) and 15m (4-5 storeys) to a maximum height of RL 116.9m (29 storeys), stepping down to RL104.2 (25 storeys) and RL 96.9 (23 storeys)
• Increase the maximum floor space ratio from 1.75:1 to 6.0:1 across the site
• Introduce a clause which requires that a minimum of 12,000sqm of gross floor area is used for non-residential land uses including 2,000sqm of floor space for community facilities, and 2,200sqm of publicly accessible open space
• Introduce a requirement for 5% of the total residential floor area to be dedicated as affordable housing in perpetuity
• Introduce a clause for the consent authority to make guidelines relating to the design and amenity of the Waterloo Metro Quarter
• Introduce a satisfactory arrangements clause for the provision of designated State public infrastructure for residential land use
• Introduce a Design Excellence clause to ensure best-practice design, including an exclusion from a 10% floorspace bonus applicable under the existing clause in the SLEP 2012
• Introduce maximum car parking provisions for residential and commercial uses on the site
• Introduce Active Street Frontage provisions to promote uses that attract pedestrian activity along ground floor street frontages along Botany Road, Wellington Street, Cope Street and Raglan Street.

Consultation and feedback process

The SSP Study and draft planning controls, along with an Explanation of Intended Effect (EIE) and a draft Development Control Plan (DCP) were on public exhibition between 22 November 2018 and 30 January 2019.

In accordance with the SSP process, the Department, with support from the City of Sydney Council, considered the proposal. All documentation submitted including the SSP Study (and technical studies), can be found on our draft plans and policies planning portal.

More information

For more detailed information about the project you can:

• Visit the Waterloo Metro Quarter Over Station Development project page for information on development over and adjacent to the new Waterloo Metro Station.
• Visit the draft plans and policies planning portal for all technical documentation about the project, including the Response to Submissions lodged by INSW and the Summary of Submissions Report.
• Call our Information Centre on 1300 305 695. If English isn’t your first language and you require an interpreter, please call 131 450. You can request an interpreter in your language and to be connected to our Information Centre on 1300 305 695.

Map of Waterloo Metro Quarter State Significant Precinct

Click to enlarge.