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A new chapter for Wesley RJ Williams

Wesley Mission has been part of the fabric of the Glebe community since 1974, when the Wesley RJ Williams property at 274 Glebe Point Road was purchased and adapted for use as an aged care facility. The facility operated for 35 years until its closure in 2010.

Wesley Mission has been working closely with the City of Sydney and the community to transform the Wesley RJ Williams site into a new affordable housing community that will suit and serve the needs of the people of Glebe.

Background

In 2019, Wesley Mission lodged a development application (DA) to completely refurbish the Wesley RJ Williams property to provide 74 self-contained single and double-bed studios plus four-bedroom units that can accommodate a group or family.

As part of the refurbishment works and community engagement program, Wesley Mission met with Council, industry stakeholders and interested local businesses and residents. During the consultation process, concerns discussed included overshadowing and noise, the size of the studios, and the operating hours of the counselling rooms and parking.

Taking on board the community feedback, Wesley Mission submitted the development application for the project, which was approved in July 2020.

Proposed design

Since securing our approval, we have all been impacted by a two-year COVID pandemic.

This experience has changed the way we work and live and emphasised the need for more personal space. Additionally, the need for housing, including affordable housing, continues to grow.

In the Inner City, the expected waiting time for a social housing studio/1-bedroom property on the NSW Housing Register is 5 to 10 years, and a 2-bedroom property is 10+ years. 626 people are on the waiting list, and 267 of those are priority applications.

Wesley Mission has continued to review plans for this property with the goal of future-proofing the design as expectations and needs evolve.

During the community consultation on the project, we sought feedback from our existing housing tenants and the Glebe community, and incorporated the required consent conditions for the approved DA.

As a result, we believe the updated plan enhances the existing approved scheme to better suit and serve the Glebe community.

Key Changes

The new design includes 39 dwellings with 56 bedrooms across one-; two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations that can accommodate singles, couples and family groups.

All dwellings will have at least one balcony and an internal laundry. The new design presents more inviting internal and external communal spaces for the tenants to socialise and participate in planned community activities.

We have also included a greater mix of use of private, semi-private and community spaces. This arrangement caters to a more diverse tenant mix, reflecting the changing face of housing needs in our communities.

We anticipate this new housing mix will help to foster a strong community within the building, creating a space where tenants will have a true sense of home; and neighbours feel encouraged to build positive relationships with each other.

The new design was approved in August 2023.

Wesley Mission will make it a priority to continue working with the community to minimise impacts wherever possible.

Proposed timeline:

Minor change submission: September 2022

Council assessment and approval: October 2022 – August 2023

Detailed design October 2023 – February 2024

Construction: July 2024 to July 2025

For more information, please contact:

rjwilliamsproject@wesleymission.org.au

Info-line 1800 960 755

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