Cumberland Council approves upgrades to Pendle Hill

Residents have called for a better mix of shops, a first-rate library and more green space so the western Sydney ‘ghetto’ can turn into the thriving village it once was. See what’s being delivered.

The centre of Pendle Hill will get an upgrade to footpaths, lighting, seating and trees.

A better mix of businesses, a well-stocked library, more green space and better mix of restaurants and shops.

That’s the main consensus for upgrading the centre of Pendle Hill, which has been given the green light so it can “finally get the attention it deserves”, but not all items on the public’s wish list will be ticked off.

Cumberland Council has adopted the $15m Pendle Hill Public Domain Plan which includes

state government funding to upgrade Civic Park – a key project on course to be completed in April.

More trees and upgrades to footpaths, pedestrian crossings and the provision of seating are planned in the heart of the suburb, where work will be focused on Pendle Way, Civic Ave, and Joyce and Stapleton streets.

“To support active street frontages, the public domain will provide attractive seating areas, planting and lighting hat promote both daytime and night-time activation,’’ the council papers said.

The upgrade of Civic Park is a key part of Pendle Hill’s changes.

But during the feedback period in May and June last year, residents expressed more to improve Pendle Hill.

They included improvements to public toilets, an upgrade for Yulunga Reserve, a roundabout at the intersection of Joyce St and Purdie Lane to avoid U-turns on Joyce St and the construction of a well-stocked library.

“Pendle Hill deserves a first-rate library to satisfy its residents’ need for knowledge,’’ one submission stated.

All-day commuter parking near the station, removing writing on footpaths and making parking at Purdie Lane one way to avoid a collision were other ideas.

There are 58 car spaces for commuters at Joyce St and 14 will open at Civic Park next to the tennis courts.

Many locals want to clean the suburb.

Pendle Way is the main retail centre of Pendle Hill. Picture: Cumberland Council

“I think it’s great that you want to clean up the centre, as well as improve Civic Park as the town centre is now disgusting and dirty, there is writing on the walkways which means it looks like a ghetto,’’ one submission read.

One resident said: “The place is very sad now and I know a lot of people that won’t go there

anymore. Unless ur (sic) Indian there is nothing there now for anyone else.’’

Another submission stated: “We need a better composition of the shops which are all takeaway food stores. Appreciating that you probably have no control over this but it would be nice to create a nice village feel in Pendle Hill which is what it used to be like once.’’

Blueprints for the town centre’s makeover were released in May and drew 24 responses.

Seventy eight of the respondents submitted feedback because they live in the suburb, and 14 out of 24 supported the public domain plan.

Labor councillor Suman Saha welcomed the facelift.

“Now is the time for Pendle Hill to receive the attention and care it deserves,’’ he said during Wednesday’s first council meeting of the year.

However, Our Local Community councillor Paul Garrard slammed the plans.

“Sadly I don’t think the Pendle Hill town centre domain study is futuristic enough for my liking,’’ he said.

“There’s no comment about retail, there’s no comment about dining opportunities, there’s no comment about leisure issues (or) the opportunities to promote development of offices in that area or maybe hospitality. I don’t think this hits the mark.’’

Originally published as Cumberland Council approves upgrades to Pendle Hill