Blacktown could score $2b town centre facelift to rival Parra Square

In 2022, Parramatta scored a state-of-the-art community hub— less than a year on, the dotted line has been signed on another Western Sydney revamp project to rival it. See the pictures here.

Blacktown residents will get their own version of the highly-touted Parramatta Square, with a $2 billion deal struck to redevelop a tired old business strip in the heart of the city’s town centre.

The ink is drying on the deal between mega-developer Walker Corporation and Blacktown City Council to revitalise a stretch of buildings south of the city’s train station, with huge plans for a facelift including state-of-the-art office and retail space and new health facilities.

Walker Corporation will pump $2 billion into the massive project, which will stretch from south of Civic Lane towards Blacktown Workers’ Club on a block including the council’s Bowman Hall and a stretch of car parks.

Exclusive images of the project which can be revealed by The Daily Telegraph show a vision including a stretch of green open space, adjoined by towering modern office space.

The developer says the project would create more than 1,000 construction jobs over five years, while the new precinct would permanently add more than 4,500 jobs.

An artist’s impression of how the revitalised Blacktown CBD could look.

Lang Walker, the executive chairman of Walker Corporation, said in the coming months “finessing” of further details of the development would take place, but the master plan’s vision included space for health facilities like the Blacktown Brain and Spinal Institute, as well as a hub including room for new commercial offices, retail and education.

“This is an exciting opportunity to deliver an urban transformation which will change the way people think about Blacktown and bring thousands of new jobs closer to where people live,” Mr Walker said.

Walker Corporation Founder and executive chairman Lang Walker. Picture: Russell Millard

“Blacktown is growing fast and it needs the modern amenities and infrastructure to match, accompanied by wide open public squares and better-designed access, in and around the city for pedestrians, cars, buses and those using public transport.”

Blacktown Mayor Tony Bleasdale said the deal was “the beginning of a major boom period for Blacktown”.

“The Walker project will play a central role in council’s long-term plan to ensure Blacktown residents have access to world class infrastructure, education, health and open space in the heart of our city, for our community to flourish,” he said.

The major development comes less than a year after the completion of Parramatta Square, the $3 billion Walker Corporation project which includes four new towers containing 240,000 square metres of new office and retail space, as well as a new 10,000 square metre public square.

The revitalised Blacktown CBD could feature a 10,000 sqm public square.

Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said a development on the scale of Parramatta Square was big for Blacktown.

“Walker’s vision for Parramatta Square has transformed what was a run-down section of the CBD into a vibrant city centre that is now providing tens of thousands of new jobs in premium offices, fantastic restaurants and wide-open public plazas,” Mr Borger said.

Bryan Levy, who has managed his local family business Bryan Levy and Associates Dental Surgery for more than two decades in the Blacktown CBD, said the delivery of a project on the scale of what Walker Corporation had proposed would be a boon for an area which was crying out for more investment.

“Something like Parramatta Square, with a whole new uniform development for the area … would really bring it up to what it could be,” he said.

“Being a family business supporting the community, we’re there for a long time and excited to be in the middle of it.”

Blacktown City Council faces growing by almost 200,000 residents in the coming two decades, with the population forecast to hit more than 630,000 by 2041.

Rahul and Prabha Soni are long-time locals who want to see more open spaces for their nine and four-year-old daughters.

“Some of the stuff when compared to the other councils is lacking. Not particularly around the station but when you move a couple of kilometres away from the stations you notice the differences,” he said.

“Some of the basic amenities like kids parks and cycling tracks, all of those are missing.”

Raul Soni, Prabha Soni and their kids Anshita and Anaya Soni provide their perspective regarding what they wish to see change in the local Blacktown area. Picture: Gaye Gerard

David Park, 65, also wants to see more investment but only if it “stacks up commercially”.

“Blacktown is OK but it could be improved, it needs to be improved for the future,” he said.

“We need an outdoor food area similar to the big square just off Chinatown in the city. Something like that where people can sit around outdoors eating.”

Engineer Laurence Gendron, 25, wants Blacktown to follow in Parramatta’s footsteps.

“It‘s starting to feel, compared to Parramatta, a bit outdated. Especially when you go to the train station, that was built before the 2000 Olympics. The area still needs a bit more upgrading,” he said.

Parramatta Square aerial showing Walker Corporation's premium office towers. Picture: Supplied

“If you compare it to Parramatta in terms of entertainment, it‘s different altogether so if Blacktown Council were to invest in that kind of stuff, we could beat Parramatta altogether.”

Raphael Joseph wants more open spaces woven into commercial development.

“We need more of that especially in the busier areas of Blacktown,” he said.

“We need more open space … for people to enjoy, to be able to sit down.”

BUSINESSES BACK BLACKTOWN’S $2B FACELIFT

FOR businesses in Blacktown’s diverse dining scene -- more public open spaces will be the perfect drawcard to bring in more customers. Pameer Afghan Restaurant on Main Street opened eight years ago and falls on the quieter side of the CBD.

Employee Naznin Muhseni said the precinct proposed by Walker Corp would liven up the area.

Naznin Muhseni pictured at Pameer an Afghan restaurant in Blacktown. Picture: Damian Shaw

“It’s going to be really good and it will help our business as well. We are missing a lot of business, we have quite a lot of schools around here and a bit of sport opportunities, but we need more public spaces,” she said.

“We need parks to sit at night time or throughout the day. I would like to see Blacktown as the other booming areas. Parramatta has a lot of investment and lots of areas to explore, I would love to see Blacktown as that.”

The hospitality worker lives locally and can see herself staying in Blacktown but wants more opportunities for young people.

Ms Muhseni said the space near the local library, which has been eyed by Walker Corp, can be better utilised to engage younger people.

“It will be really good if we have shows and opportunities for young people. We could have shows in front of the library -- it will be a lot of fun,” she said.

“If there is more investment around here it will benefit us. I see myself living here long term.”