Westmead Catholic campus at Darcy Rd faces opposition from Parramatta Council
An $80 million Catholic super campus planned opposite NSW’s largest hospital has been met with opposition over fears it will compound traffic problems and detract from “key medical functions”.
Parramatta
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Parramatta Council has formally objected to the $80 million Westmead Catholic Community Education Campus at Darcy Rd, saying traffic congestion and loss of recreation space for 6000 students would create “undesirable consequences”.
The Parramatta Catholic Education Diocese project proposes an early learning centre for 200 children and a 1680-student primary school, which includes expanding existing facilities at Mother Teresa Primary and merging it with Sacred Heart Primary, which will relocate from Ralph St. There will also be a 400-seat parish church.
The site is already home to two high schools — Catherine McAuley and Parramatta Marist — and Mother Teresa Primary School with a total of 2767 students.
If approved, the redevelopment would have 6000 students on the campus, opposite Westmead Hospital which is undertaking a $1 billion redevelopment.
The Parramatta Light Rail and Metro stations will be built nearby at Hawkesbury Rd.
The influx of students, workers and residents from the multi-storey Highline Westmead apartments have also sparked concerns over traffic gridlock, with access for the schools only available at Darcy Rd.
Outdoor ecreation space would also be wiped out.
The redevelopment is deemed a state significant development and the State Government will have the final say on the proposal.
The council has expressed its concerns in a submission it lodged with the Planning Department.
Parramatta Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer said the council supported the diocese’s plans to meet increasing demands for more education facilities.
“However, the concentration of activities on this site – with its limited accessibility – has undesirable consequences that council is unable to support,’’ he said.
“The planned development will negatively impact traffic in the area and reduce the amount of open space and recreational facilities that our community needs.”
“Westmead has the largest concentration of health services in Australia and, with the addition of a major university campus, is becoming a world-class innovation precinct,’’ Cr Dwyer said.
“It’s important that any supporting development does not detract from the area’s key medical and health functions.”
Plans have also been submitted to the council for a 260-space, three-level carpark on the northeast corner of Darcy Rd for the school community.
The application will most likely be determined under the Local Planning Panel but the council has also called for the plans to be incorporated into the state significant project.
Cr Dwyer said the council was working with the Parramatta Catholic Education Diocese to address its concerns and present options such as cutting student numbers, expanding students numbers at other sites to help meet demand and extra roads and shareways.
Catholic Education Office head of communications Mark Rix said there were also plans to create two separate pick-up and collection areas for primary and secondary school students by providing a multi-deck carpark.
“This will considerably improve the current traffic conditions and reduce the need for secondary students to walk across driveways, improving safety and pedestrian movement to and from school,’’ he said.
“At present, 75 per cent of Parramatta Marist and Catherine McAuley students walk or take public transport to school. Over the next few years, we see this figure rising with the introduction of light rail, Metro, T2 bus lanes in addition to existing train and bus services.”
Mr Rix said the recreation space would “be fully integrated into the campus design”.
“This is a new way of thinking about schools for the 21st century. The proposed designs include provision of significant open space as well as recreational spaces which will be usable all-year round, in all weather.”
The diocese said it continued to consult the community.
“Consultation with school and surrounding communities, the City of Parramatta and NSW Government agencies also continues.
“CEDP is confident that this is the right proposal to enable students to access the learning opportunities that come with co-location to western Sydney’s premier health and education precinct.’’
Mr Rix said the Catholic schools in Westmead were forced to turn away more than 500 enrolment applicants a year and more than 3400 extra homes were forecast in the area over the next 20 years.
“Enrolment growth will be staged over a 10-year period to ensure that supporting infrastructure, including new internal roads on the campus, can meet demand,’’ he said.
Submissions from the public feedback period, which closed last week, are being assessed and finalised before July 7.