History may repeat itself in the street where murdered publisher Juanita Nielsen fought for affordable housing

History is repeating itself in the inner-Sydney street where murdered publisher Juanita Nielsen fought for the protection of affordable housing in the 1970s.

During this decade, developers purchased terraces, which had been converted into bedsit-style affordable apartments, in Victoria St at Potts Point. The developers’ ultimate aim was to demolish the terraces for new apartment buildings.

The terraces were extremely valuable because, although they contained affordable housing, they sat on land with stunning views to Sydney Harbour and the city skyline.

Nielsen’s passionate fight to try to retain affordable housing in the street ultimately led to her coming into conflict with developers.

There is a strong, but unproven, circumstantial case that her campaign is likely to have led to her disappearance and presumed murder in July 1975.

Nielsen was also concerned about the suburb’s de-population, as a result of tenants being evicted from low-cost housing for private housing or public infrastructure projects, and development sites being left vacant.

“We want it (Victoria St) to stay as it has been for more than a century – an interesting community of workers, students, eccentrics, the wealthy, the middle class, and the pensioners, and because of this, a magnet for tourists,” Nielsen wrote in 1975.

Now moves are underway to demolish a 45-unit block containing one of the last pockets of more affordable housing in Victoria St, and replace it with a new block with less, but no doubt more expensive, apartments. 

A development application has been lodged for 117 Victoria St, located around 200m from where Nielsen lived until 1975 at 202 Victoria St.

It’s also next door to the development which Nielsen reserved for her most vehement campaigning – Frank Theeman’s Victoria Point project.

The 1960s-style block at 117 Victoria St contains 44 one-bedroom and studio apartments, and a single two-bedroom apartment, all currently leased for less than the suburb median rent. While the apartments may be relatively inexpensive, many enjoy million dollar views to the city – just like the threatened terraces of the 1970s.

The unit block is proposed to be replaced with 25 apartments, of which five will be affordable for a period of 15 years.

Somewhat ironically, these affordable apartments are being offered under a NSW Government incentive scheme introduced last December which allows developers to breach floor space and height controls by up to 30% if they supply up to 15% of the building’s future gross floor area as temporary affordable housing.

However, in this instance, the developer is proposing to deliver an overall reduction in housing, and most likely a reduction in affordable housing, and still claim the bonus.

It should also be noted that, under long-standing NSW planning controls, the developer is likely to be required to pay a $1.6m levy for the reduction in affordable housing, which will goes towards the creation of new low-cost housing.  

The application may however fall foul of new City of Sydney planning rules, which are currently on exhibition, seeking to outlaw developers who impact housing supply by reducing dwellings on their land.

The Kings Cross, Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay area has been a flashpoint in recent times for concerns that existing affordable housing was being demolished for luxury housing.

This replicates the urban policy wars in Victoria St in the 1970s.

NOTE: The author has prepared a book, Views To Die For, on the history of the planning battles in Victoria St in the 1970s. Find out more here