Seven towers up to 40-storeys high and another 12 towers climbing to 32 storeys would be concentrated within a small area in Sydney’s inner south, under the government’s preferred plans for the redevelopment of the Waterloo public housing estates.

Social Housing Minister Pru Goward released the latest plans this week, to the immediate consternation of lord mayor Clover Moore and criticism from public housing advocates who argue the development will not include enough affordable housing.

An artist's impression for one of the options of the redevelopment. Credit:NSW Government

Under the proposal, which would create one of the densest conglomerations of development in the country, about 6800 homes would be built in an area to the east of a new metro station at Waterloo.

That figure does not include another 700-odd apartments to be built almost directly above the adjacent Waterloo metro site.