Western Sydney town centre site rezoning officially made

Written by

Charbel Abousleiman

Urban Planning Lawyer & Buyers Agent

18/12/2023

Land at 61 – 79 Henry Street in Penrith has been rezoned to permit high density housing within the B3 Commercial Core (now E2 Commercial Centre).

The purpose of this rezoning proposal is that ‘residential accommodation’ is not permissible in that zone. The amendment will facilitate the redevelopment of the site as a mixed-use project with a range of commercial, community and residential uses.

In particular, the fresh rezoning includes ‘residential accommodation’ as an additional permitted use on the site if a minimum FSR of 2:1 is provided for non-residential purposes. A sunset clause is also proposed where the LEP provision will cease to exist five years after the date of the LEP amendment.

Residential accommodation as a use is preferred compared to say ‘residential flat buildings’ or ‘shop-top housing’, as it permits a broad range of residential uses, such as boarding houses, seniors housing, group homes and hostels. This is particularly important as the site is owned by AFFORD and the organisation intends on providing a portion of dwellings specifically for its clients.

Photomontage of AFFORD’s concept masterplan

A draft VPA has been provided to ensure:

At least 15% of the dwellings will either provide housing for seniors or disabled persons,
at least 5% of the dwellings will be dedicated as affordable housing,
0.3 hectares of open space is provided, and
delivery of roadworks required for the development, including roundabout works at the intersection of Lawson Street and Soper Place and mitigation measures at the intersection of Lawson Street and Henry Street.

The site is an irregular shaped allotment with an area of circa 16,000 square metres. It is improved by a commercial development consisting of 3 x buildings arranged around a central at-grade parking area. The commercial centre consists of around 8600 square metres of lettable retail space.

Penrith’s Local Strategic Planning Statement estimates there will be demand for 6000 homes between 2021 – 2026 and 11,000 homes between 2026 – 2036. New housing for the next 15 – 20 years will be delivered as mixed-use and residential development in Penrith City Centre, St Marys Town Centre and around stations on the Main Western railway.

Subscribe to

Macquarie Park: Lachlan’s Line Grows 24 Storeys Taller

As part of the broader vision for Lachlan’s Line, a 24-storey residential development project has been approved at 3 Halifax Street in Macquarie Park….

Centuria’s Wetherill Park Gem: Redefining Industrial Standards

In the bustling heart of Wetherill Park’s established industrial precinct, a remarkable transformation is taking place….

Breaking Bureaucratic Gridlock to Build Rydalmere’s Future

The NSW Government has launched an ambitious plan to transform the long-vacant 19.4-hectare Rydalmere site into a vibrant mixed-use precinct, aiming to deliver about 2,300…

Talk to us

[email protected]

+61 416 618 244

Find us

Australia Square

Level 44, 264 George Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Mon-Fri: 9am – 5pm | Sat-Sun: Closed