Penrith Westfield: New entertainment centre planned

Target is out and a new entertainment and amusement hub is in with bold plans to transform a popular western Sydney shopping centre.

The ever-changing facade of Penrith’s major shopping centre could soon get another upgrade, with plans to build a new indoor “entertainment and amusement centre”.

Westfield Penrith, located in the heart of the suburb’s CBD, lodged the application last week to build the new centre on the corner of Riley and Jane Streets.

The new centre would be built out of the rear portion of the existing retail space of Target and Scentre Group would reconfigure the shopfront in the Riley St dining precinct.

An artist's impression of what Westfield Penrith could look like on the corner of Riley and Jane Streets if a proposal to build an entertainment centre is approved. Picture: Scentre Group

The works, expected to cost more than $9 million, would also include some landscaping to the northeast corner of the site and the installation of three new travelators to improve access within the existing multi-level carpark.

A total of 24 carparks would be lost to the works, but Westfield plans to include six carparks in the works for a net loss of 18 spaces.

Although the planned tenant for the new space is unknown, it is believed the centre would be similar to TimeZone, a popular arcade entertainment centre across the country, which was in the centre (where Rebel is now) in the 1990s and 2000s.

Westfield Penrith Plaza continues to evolve. Picture: David Swift

A planner from Urbis, on behalf of Scentre Group, said the project would allow for “more efficient use of existing retail floorspace”.

“The proposed alterations to the external facade seek to improve the pedestrian experience and activation along Riley St and Jane St,” they said.

“A new awning, travelator and landscaping are also proposed to … improve access within the existing shopping centre car park.

An artist's impression of what Westfield Penrith could look like on the corner of Riley and Jane Streets if a proposal to build an entertainment centre is approved. Picture: Scentre Group

“This is in the public interest for the social and economic impacts it will provide to the existing centre and locality – (it will) improve the existing condition of the centre.”

The proposed entertainment centre would be open from 9am to midnight to match with the rest of the Riley St precinct.

A Scentre Group spokesperson told the Penrith Press the “planning process remains underway, and we have no further details to share at this stage”.