Penrith Paceway: MP Stuart Ayres says new stadium to be built on site
As tensions build around the future of the Penrith Paceway site, Penrith Liberal MP Stuart Ayres has stated unequivocally the new stadium will be built on the historic location.
Penrith
Don't miss out on the headlines from Penrith. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The contentious plan for Penrith Paceway to be demolished to make way for a $309 stadium, to become the future home of the Penrith Panthers, has been supported on each side of the political divide.
The NSW Government announced in July the Paceway had been earmarked as the site of a new stadium for Penrith, with Infrastructure NSW writing a letter to the site’s operators indicating there would be a “genuine attempt” to acquire the property by a private agreement for at least six months.
Paceway CEO Tash Greentree recently said the not-for-profit organisation had been left in the dark with minimal communication since, and called for clarity on the future of the site so the Paceway’s 20,000-plus stakeholders weren’t left in limbo.
However, Penrith Liberal MP Stuart Ayres said the future of the Paceway site wasn’t in question.
“The new Penrith Stadium will be built on the Paceway site,” he said. “The Paceway can either support a commercial agreement or have the site compulsory acquired. Our preference has always been a commercial agreement.
“I’m optimistic the Paceway won’t turn their back on an offer to secure their future on a new site. I simply will not allow the Paceway to carpet bomb the site with thousands of apartments.”
Penrith Labor candidate and former mayor Karen McKeown also made clear the Paceway and current Penrith Stadium site would not become home to residential development, calling it a non-negotiable.
The Penrith councillor said the future stadium would bring more events to the city, but called on the state government to provide a firm timeline.
“The community deserves a firm commitment from the NSW Government on the timeline and details of the Penrith Stadium proposal, particularly given the current government has cancelled other promised stadium upgrades across Sydney,” she said.
“The current NSW Government has still not announced if the stadium proposal will go ahead, or where it will be located.”
Ms Greentree said, as of Monday, there had been no update about the site’s future despite a recent meeting with Infrastructure NSW.
The CEO also criticised Mr Ayres for not helping the Paceway in finding a solution to its problems.
“He’s provided statements to the public but he’s not coming to assist us in getting a solution or an update,” she said. “It feels like an empty promise that our future will be assured but we can’t see how he’s working towards achieving this.”
More than 60 per cent of Penrith Press readers who voted in a Facebook poll supported keeping Penrith Paceway where it is.
Household budgets drowning in insurance price hikes amid floods
Homeowners are being forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars for flood insurance they may never need – with premiums increasing by 900 per cent in ten years. See the reasons here.
Latest major player changes at every NSW Premier Cricket club
On the doorstep of the NSW Premier Cricket season, we take a look at the major player transfers across all 20 Sydney clubs. From interstate stars to seasoned veterans, full list.