Development

Wenty rises with a new jewel

Residential towers and new mall for town centre

 LAWRENCE MACHADO

WENTWORTHVILLE’S main drag had been left behind in the high rise stakes springing up around the suburb, with tired store fronts and small buildings the rule, rather than the exception.

Not anymore. The mall has been razed and in its place, there will be four residential towers - maximum height of 21 storeys - with more than 523 apartments and retail and commercial spaces, an outdoor dining area and public domain plazas.

The new mall is a part of ambitious plans to transform Wentworthville town centre and bring in more businesses and visitors. The new mall could generate more than 200 jobs during construction and 260 ongoing positions within the commercial and retail part of the development, according to Cumberland Council.

Developers Poly Global are building 97 one-bedroom, 354 two-bedroom and 72 three-bedroom apartments with a four-storey basement car park for nearly 800 spaces.

There will be a 4000 sq m full line supermarket at street level. The previous mall was anchored by an IGA supermarket and had a variety of local stores.

The council said updated planning controls and a Public Domain Plan will support an additional 1800 dwellings and support the revitalisation of the town centre.

Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou calls the new Wentworthville Mall, “the jewel in the crown of the area”.

He said they fi nalised detail planning on revitalising the Wentworthville town centre in 2019, with the Department of Planning and Environment signing them off in 2020.

Artist impression of the new development. Workers prepare the site.

Springboard to more progress

“The state government fast tracked the completion of the strategic planning process for Wentworthville, and we’re now well poised to take advantage of those new planning controls in the town centre,” Mayor Christou said.

“One of the fi rst major development applications approved under those new controls is the Wentworthville Mall site, which will be the jewel in the crown of the area.

“I see that as being a springboard that will attract more residents and commercial activity to the area, “There’s also opportunities identifi ed for land acquisition to facilitate a road bypass around the town centre so that transport and traffi c will run smoothly.

“It also has wider benefi ts for Cumberland and Sydney with economic development and prosperity.”

The Development Application for the mall, approved by Sydney Central City Planning Panel in December 2020, includes a new leafy pedestrian link and cycleways to connect Pritchard Street East to Dunmore Street.

The plaza along the southern side of Dunmore Street will include outdoor dining, shaded seating, children’s playground and water play area and areas with public art.

The complex, designed by PTW archi-

tects, will have a village feel and sustainability systems.

The developers said revitalising the mall, “will be a catalyst for urban renewal and growth in the local area and Poly Global are excited to be involved in this proposal”.

Mayor Christou invited businesses to take a closer look at the opportunities in Wentworthville, saying it is perfectly placed geographically, being close to Parramatta and Westmead.

Regarding the time frame for the completion of the mall and town centre redevelopments, he said it’s long term and will be progressively implemented by the council and property owners.

NB: Poly Australia were contacted for their comments and had not responded despite many attempts.

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