Scentre Group’s 47-storey tower at Westfield Parramatta wins approval

A 47-storey, 165m office tower development located next to the railway station in Parramatta will soon become the suburb’s third tallest building.

The bronze medal in the race for the tallest building in Parramatta will soon go to a 47-storey mega development next to the train station.

Despite lockdown and shifts towards working from home, Westfield Parramatta will press ahead with a 165m office tower on the corner of Argyle and Marsden Sts.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the concept plan by developer Scentre Group has been given approval by Planning Minister Rob Stokes.

Mr Stokes has also approved an increase of 22 storeys on the original proposal, adding an extra 105,000 sqm of commercial floor space to the booming precinct.

“Parramatta’s status as Sydney’s second CBD will be further enhanced by this development,” Mr Stokes said.

Scentre Group is developing a 47-storey office tower above Westfield Parramatta, which will add thousands of square metres of new commercial space.

“It will bring jobs to Sydney’s west and capitalise on city-shaping projects like Parramatta Light Rail and Sydney Metro West.

“As Minister for Planning, it is my goal to ensure we have the right development in the right

place at the right time, and this proposal does that.”

Together with Lang Walker’s Parramatta Square precinct on the other side of the station, the new tower will bring thousands of white collar jobs into Western Sydney.

The building – which will now have to go through a design excellence competition – will be the third highest in Parramatta behind Mr Walker’s Parramatta Square and 2 O’Connell St, which is approved but not yet built.

Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes.

Future plans for Westfield Parramatta.

“This $670m project is a major boost to the Parramatta economy and will provide close

to 3000 jobs at a time when NSW is moving to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Parramatta State Liberal MP Geoff Lee said.

Business Western Sydney chief David Borger said the concept plan approval also represents a much-needed morale boost for the city.

“Parramatta used to produce one 20,000 sqm commercial building every 3-4 years, whereas now it is producing five times that,” Mr Borger said.

“This area will have all the qualities of super dense precincts with improved retail options from people working closer together.”

Detailed public domain street designs will be finalised after a development application is lodged.

Scentre Group director of development, Stewart White said “Westfield Parramatta is a community hub, located next to key transport nodes and provides essential retail services for a large part of the population in Sydney’s second CBD”.

“Our vision is to introduce a commercial office tower that attracts new businesses and a stronger inflow of visitors to the precinct from beyond the local trade area, benefiting the broader local economy,” he said.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]