Plans to build affordable homes on land adjacent to the old Camden Nurses’ Quarters building on Menangle Road, Camden, opposite Camden Hospital have been welcomed by Camden Wollondilly Wingecarribee Network (CWWN).
Some of the units will be set aside for people escaping domestic violence.
CWWN say they have been advocating for a socially responsible use of this property for more than two years.
In light of the shortage of emergency accommodation in Camden, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee, CWWN originally proposed a refurbishment of the unused Nurses’ Quarters building (pictured above) for use as emergency accommodation for people at risk of homelessness.
CWWN had been advocating at State level for access to the site by Housing All Australians, who after a positive site assessment, would have refurbished the building using pro-bono services provided by businesses.
A lease on the property would have allowed a local community housing provider to manage the building as emergency accommodation on a ‘meanwhile use’ basis, (3 to 5 years) recognising that NSW Health may have plans for longer term use of the property.
While the original proposal has not come to fruition, CWWN co-chairs Catherine Stuart and Heather Loomes said they were pleased with the outcome and feel that their lobbying brought the underutilisation of the site to the attention of State Government.
In recent correspondence, Ryan Park, State Minister for Health, advised CWWN that the site opposite Camden Hospital would be considered under the NSW Government Property and Land Audit to assess health sites for social and affordable housing.
“The building known as the old Camden Nurses’ Quarters has been of great concern to many Camden residents over its decades of disuse and the subject of previous community actions,’’ Ms Stuart said.
“It would be important to the local community to see the Nurses Quarters building itself redeveloped into a centre for wrap- around services to support those who are housed here.”
CWWN say this is a small step towards meeting the need for more social and affordable housing in Camden, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee, and its members will continue to advocate for this at all levels of government.
Is there any update on this? The building has been sitting empty for years could definitely be put to better use. We pass there every day, but no works have commenced.
Scandalous to see such a useful building stand empty whilst people sleep rough and women cannot find a way out of home violence without proper alternative accommodation.
CWWN will continue to monitor this. We have been advised:
“Homes NSW continues to undertake due diligence activities (ie. site constraints, planning pathway and valuations) …. (and this) will likely be completed in the first quarter of 2025.”
Makes zero sense to use that building for social housing.. there is no facilities no train stations no shopping centre .. it’s a rural community … this style of housing needs proper support services not just dumped on vacant land..
What a ridiculous notion, this would best be put to use for the palliative care needs. The instructors surrounding these nurses quarters would not sustain a surge in population. Menangle road is also unsafe as it is. When is this on display or seeking resident input! I would like more information and an opportunity to have my concerns heard!
Hi,
Whilst I agree that social housing is required across the state, the original proposal for this site of 10 homes (29th October 2024) has now been put forward as 95 (30 June 2025). That’s correct, 95 homes in two buildings both 5 storeys and 6 storeys high. On the hill there, they will tower above hundreds of homes in the Camden and Elderslie area (It will be seen for kilometers, a huge visual impact to the area). I will be putting forward my protest against such inappropriate scale that basically represents a significant change to historic Camden and the local resident’s way of life. This is crazy stuff by the NSW Government.
Two tower blocks of units this size in such a small area will be nothing but an eyesore, not only for Camden but the whole surrounding area.
The current infrastructure in the area is already under significant strain, and this proposal does not appear to adequately address those limitations. Parking is a major issue, particularly around local healthcare facilities, where staff are already forced to park in surrounding residential streets due to insufficient on-site provision. This creates ongoing congestion and safety concerns, and additional development will only worsen the situation.
There is also a clear lack of essential amenities to support an increased population. Local medical services are already at capacity, with many doctors not accepting new patients. This raises serious concerns about access to healthcare for future residents.
Public transport options in the area are inconsistent and do not provide a reliable alternative to private vehicle use. Without significant improvements to transport infrastructure, increased density will place further pressure on already congested roads and limited parking.
Overall, the proposal does not demonstrate how the existing infrastructure, services, and amenities will be upgraded to meet the needs of additional residents. Approving this development without addressing these issues risks reducing the quality of life for both current and future residents.
I strongly urge the council to reconsider this proposal or require substantial improvements to infrastructure and service provision before proceeding.
Wild life will be a major issue, we’ve got koalas, possums and other reptile species on these roads.
The road is not wide enough to take more traffic, parking a big issue, and 3 years of building hell.