‘Not about knocking things down’: City of Sydney prepares for Victoria Barracks sale

The City of Sydney is preparing to stare down local opposition to redevelopment of one of the nation’s most historic military sites as it unveils a plan to transform Paddington’s Victoria Barracks into affordable housing, public parks and cultural facilities.

With the Albanese government poised to release its long-awaited response to an audit of the sprawling defence estate portfolio, the council has gone on the front foot by releasing guiding principles for development of the barracks if they are divested by the Commonwealth.

The council blueprint includes part of the 15-hectare site being converted into housing despite this proving the most contentious topic during a public consultation process.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has said the government has an opportunity to raise billions of dollars by consolidating the defence estate and reinvesting the money in new military equipment and upgrades to essential facilities.

A sweeping audit handed to the government in December 2023 made recommendations for significant asset sales, but the sites recommended for divestment have not been revealed.

“The opportunity to reimagine Victoria Barracks is more than the potential to repurpose a military site,” the city’s guiding principles state.

“It offers the possibility of creating a new chapter in the precinct’s long history – one that honours its past while addressing contemporary urban challenges including housing affordability, access to green space and community connection.”

The council plan envisages the heritage-listed precinct, located between Oxford Street and Moore Park Road, being thrown open to the public for weekly farmers’ markets, outdoor concerts and community recreation.

“The perimeter walls, once built for defence, act as a barrier between this significant heritage site and the surrounding neighbourhood,” the document states.

“With limited public access, the precinct remains largely unknown.”

It notes that the barracks facility, built between 1841 and 1848, “contains the finest complex of colonial barracks in Australia, with an important collection of late Georgian sandstone buildings”.

The barracks are a prized possession of the Australian Defence Force and used as the army’s Headquarters Forces Command.

During a public consultation process, some residents argued that establishing housing on the site would “destroy one of Sydney’s most important colonial-era landmarks” and expressed alarm that high-rise buildings could “spoil the visual appeal” of the area.

The Paddington Society, representing residents, said in a submission that the precinct should be retained in its current form and that any housing should be strictly limited to three storeys.

Despite this resistance, the council plan incorporates housing as a key principle for reimagining the site.

“Victoria Barracks offers a unique opportunity to address Sydney’s housing challenges through thoughtfully designed residential development that respects heritage character,” the document states.

It sets a goal of establishing “a mix of housing types to meet diverse housing demands, including respecting the site’s history through sensitive design”, with affordable housing and dwellings for key workers made a priority.

An area at the rear of the barracks, sloping down towards Moore Park Road, is seen within the council as the most likely area for housing development.

Councillor Zann Maxwell, who has spearheaded the push for the transformation of the precinct, said: “I think people were more divided on housing here because they’re imagining it being done insensitively.

“It’s not about knocking things down or building units across the parade ground.

“It’s about finding ways to incorporate housing that are sensitive and respectful that enhance the site’s heritage and character, while also contributing to the fight against Sydney’s crippling affordability crisis.”

He continued: “If defence decides Victoria Barracks is no longer required for Australia’s contemporary strategic posture, we must be ready to transform it into something extraordinary that meets the needs of today while preserving the legacy of the past.”

Heritage advocate Linda Bergin accused the council of rushing the consultation process.

“City of Sydney jumped the gun asking for public comment on potential new uses for the historic barracks because Defence [Department] has not made a decision to vacate,” she said.

“I am confident most Sydneysiders would hope Defence stays put, as they are the best protector of this historic site for future generations.”

The consultation process found strong support for increasing public access to the site, with many respondents suggesting the parade ground should become public parkland.

“Ideas ranged from community gardens and urban farms to recreation areas, outdoor performance spaces and weekly markets,” the guiding principle states.

A separate engagement report said the council received more than 1000 pieces of feedback, including 86 email submissions, on the barracks’ future after calling for public input in August.

“Community feedback on housing at Victoria Barracks highlighted differing views, with some seeing potential for the site to contribute to Sydney’s housing needs, while others preferred it not be used for residential development,” the report notes.

“There is a preference for a diversified site with a mix of uses, rather than a residential-only development – which is seen as potentially damaging to the surrounding Paddington area.”

The most popular online comments said that “I strongly urge that the area be preserved without adding new buildings or dense development” and that “there should be no new development” at the site.

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