Blacktown Council to move forward with Mt Druitt CBD masterplan
Blacktown Council is set to move ahead with a $1.5 million plan to renew Mt Druitt CBD as part of a long-mooted masterplan, as the suburb welcomes several multimillion-dollar developments.
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A new park, public arcade and outdoor eating space could soon come to the heart of Mt Druitt as part of a $1.5 million bid to breathe life into its CBD.
Blacktown councillors are set to this month approve a concept plan for the long-mooted CBD masterplan, which will focus on renewing Dawson Mall and the town square.
Initial plans would include a playground on Cleeve Cl, a reinvigorated Dawson Mall between the station and town square, a stage or event space and the expansion of Mt Druitt Hub to create an outdoor cafe.
Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali said the masterplan would provide a “long-term vision” for the suburb.
“It’s about making it a better place for people to walk around and feel safe,” he said.
It comes as the changing Mt Druitt CBD is set to welcome a wave of new development, including a $25 million police station, a $68 million apartment block on Zoe Pl and a nine-storey mixed-use hub on Luxford Rd.
Cr Bali said the council would consult with the owners of Westfield Mt Druitt over its potential participation in the project.
Those plans could just be the start, with future projects being considered including a neighbourhood park in Mt Druitt town square, an upgrade of the Mt Druitt Swimming Centre, and a major expansion of Kevin Betts Stadium.
“We’re looking at starting at the railway station and working our way up,” Cr Bali said.
“The community was crying out for securing that park near the railway station and putting play equipment in it, to make it a place to play and meet.”
The population of the greater Mt Druitt area — including the suburbs of Rooty Hill, Whalan, Plumpton, Tregear, Blackett and others — grew by almost 9000 people between 2011 and 2016, Census data shows.
That growth has drawn several multimillion-dollar developments to the area, including Mt Druitt Central at 1 Zoe Pl, which would comprise three 10-storey towers and 268 units.
Nearby on 7 Luxford Rd, Tony Owen Partners have proposed to turn an abandoned, graffiti-covered building into a futuristic nine-storey glass shop-top residential development to hold 156 units and 11 commercial tenancies.
Cr Bali said that renewing Mt Druitt, one of three main CBDs in the Blacktown city, was critical in accommodating population growth in the region.
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