Mega makeover approved for major Sydney shopping centre

Written by

Charbel Abousleiman

Urban Planning Lawyer & Buyers Agent

29/01/2024

Plans for an $18 million renovation to Westfield Penrith has been given the tick of approval by council with the High Street centre set for a luxury cinema and triple-decker dining precinct.

The proposed works are to be concentrated to the northeast quadrant of the shopping centre on the corner of Jane Street and Riley Street where the existing Hoyts cinema is located. In particular, the upgrades approved late last year include the creation of a new 3 level dining precinct including:

refurbishment works to the existing Hoyts cinema, including alterations and additions to create 2 new LUX auditoriums and LUX lounge,
internal amendments to carparking spaces across the basement level and level 2, resulting in a net decrease of 42 spaces,
reconfiguration and enhancement of the Riley Street entrance with vertical circulation via the basement and levels 1 – 3 to provide an improved arrival experience and circulation,
modifications to the Riley Street façade,
reconfiguration of the restaurants along the ground floor of Riley Street to provide 3 new restaurant offerings,
new storage in the basement and level 1, and
3 business identification signs.

Riley Street façade

The proposal responds to the evolution of Westfield Penrith to respond to the changing needs of the community it serves. Particular attention has been paid to creating a visually interesting and modern façade. The modularity of the proposal is broken up through the use of curved surfaces, landscaping and breaks in glazing to avoid large expenses of glass.

Situated on over 90,000 square metres, Westfield Penrith is one of the largest regional shopping centres in Western Sydney, servicing a large catchment including the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and the Western Sydney Airport Growth Area. The centre caters to a trade area population in excess of 477,000 residents and has been operational since 1971.

The upgrades will establish Westfield as Penrith’s leading entertainment and leisure precinct, while boosting the night-time economy through diverse offerings. The decision to upgrade follows the most recent round of works completed in November 2022 with an estimated cost of $33 million, which saw ‘leisure-tainment’ venues Holey Moley and Archie Bros open on Riley Street.

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