all i can say is about time.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2714359861_6c657e79b1_o.jpg

I've just had a flick through the 2025 plan - they don't actually have maps, just an objective to investigate options on to how to maximise Council land with partnerships from the private sector... I imagine this is where this comes into play.

It's definitely a step in the right direction - it will re-vitalise Main Street, and better use the land wedged between there and the railway, which at the moment is predominantly car parking, for the railway and CBD.

Where's our 30 storey towers that we have been hearing about for the past 7 years???

Having been to Blacktown a few times over the years I've all ways felt that it lacks a civic space like a square or a government precinct with a large public space attached, and no that horrid mall dose not count.

The place gets a bad name but only through neglect at all levels of government. This is a growing and strategic area and should be treated as such, and you know what has one of the best little fishing tackle stores going! ~ or did.

Having been to Blacktown a few times over the years I've all ways felt that it lacks a civic space like a square or a government precinct with a large public space attached, and no that horrid mall dose not count.


There is a square next to the library.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=blacktown+nsw&ie=UTF8&layer=x&ll=-33.771068,150.908107&spn=0.0007,0.000915&t=h&z=20

They should be leaving the commercial space to Penrith and Parramatta instead of sprawling it across the western spine and spending this money on Western Fastrail http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_FastRailso that people from Blacktown can get to Parramatta in 5 mins and Penrith in 10. :ohno:

Metropolitan strategy?!

http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/penrith/ (http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/penrith/)

They should be leaving the commercial space to Penrith and Parramatta instead of sprawling it across the western spine and spending this money on Western Fastrail http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_FastRailso that people from Blacktown can get to Parramatta in 5 mins and Penrith in 10. :ohno:

Metropolitan strategy?!

http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/penrith/ (http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/penrith/)

Why? Blacktown has been noted as a "potential future regional centre"

and blacktown is far better placed to be a regional centre than Penrith.

The only reason (and i mean the only reason) why Penrith beat Blacktown, was that Blacktown is not on a river... The urban taskforce was also very against blacktown recieving that designation - and when they were given it, the Director of strategic planning said "we'll start building that canal for you now if you like"...

If you look at the metropolitan strategy maps, they show all the public transport infrastructure entering Blacktown, then the single line out to Penrith...

In a way thats what happens when asthetic choices override practicality.
(i am NOT saying that Penrith is anly less suited - but overall, both should be used) - the North West Growth sector could easily support 2 or 3 regional centres (Rouse Hill, Blacktown, Penrith)

Future regional centre... along with the likes of Mt Druitt and Westmead?

3? If you want a sea of 5 story buildings... we want scrapers.

And the fact that Parramatta (Sydney's "second CBD") is a mere 10km away from Blacktown would defeat the purpose of a "regional" city (which was the point of my previous post).

And at the end of the day, Penrith got the cookie buddy...
(see below)

no...

possible future regional city, not Major Centre... its a designation only given to two centres at the moment - Campbelltown and Blacktown. I believe that they are still looking at getting Rouse Hill into that definition, though it has been a while since i worked at DoP.

Campbelltown didnt get the regional centre designation over Liverpool, supposedly because it doesnt have a major courthouse - if you look at the three regional centres, they all have several things in common.

As i said before, i have no problems with Penrith getting it -i was just pointing out some of the problems with it.

Penrith has some massive potential, and a better "feel" about it - there is still a lot of negative connontations about Blacktown. Though it also has the major problem of the army lands to the northside of the station - i worked on that part, and we were screwed to think of a way that could easily develop that without screwing over the regional centre on the other side of the line - in line with what DoD wanted... DoP's stance on that land was "it'd make a great car park for the next 15 years, then apartments) - supposedly if it developed prior to that, then there would be real problems.

As for distance between them... that isn't too much of a problem - Parramattas primary feeders are from the mid west, and part west - whilst Blacktown (in the future) will be primarily the Growth Centre. Penrith gets the Blue Mountains (which is a bit of an impediment actually) and the Growth Centres. Parramatta and Liverpool are also quite close together.

And at the end of the day, Penrith got the cookie buddy...
(see below)

omg you win at life!

fully sick

The only reason (and i mean the only reason) why Penrith beat Blacktown, was that Blacktown is not on a river... The urban taskforce was also very against blacktown recieving that designation - and when they were given it, the Director of strategic planning said "we'll start building that canal for you now if you like"...


what, for all cargo barges and paddle steamers that will be required to traverse the waters in regional centres?

the nepean belle -
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/10/15/NepeanRiver_wideweb__470x276,0.jpg

It had to happen - a Penrith vs Blacktown rivalry. Mount Druitt can be the spear-tipped fence no-one wants to sit on.

It was a bit stupid that the "criteria" to be considered a major city under the Metropolitan Strategy was that it had to have a river running through or near its CBD.

Penrith and Blacktown are both regional cities in all aspects, the only difference is that the Department of Planning is going to focus more attention on Penrith in terms of plans, strategies, etc. Both cities have large catchment areas to which it draws from.

A turf war between Penrith and Blacktown would be a sight to see - the battle to see who gets control of the Bidwill Hotel will go a long way towards who is winning the war.

^ i'd say ropes crossing is the new battle front! it's a battle of hearts and minds.

Where's our 30 storey towers that we have been hearing about for the past 7 years???

Yeah! That all looks to have fallen by the wayside. IIRC, these towers were more for residential development rather than for commercial purposes.

Either way, this proposal for additional office space/mixed use development is an encouraging sign for Blacktown. As James mentioned before, Blacktown is ideally situated where the Western and Richmond Lines converge, and commercial development in Blacktown shouldn't detract from Penrith's growth which is underpinned by it's role as a key regional city (as defined by DoP). I agree with roofromoz in that both Penrith & Blacktown have large enough catchments to sustain growth in all sectors without detracting from one another.

^ i'd say ropes crossing is the new battle front! it's a battle of hearts and minds.

And also on the border of the Blacktown and Penrith LGA's - good thinking!

And also on the border of the Blacktown and Penrith LGA's - good thinking!

Will Penrith get the cookie, or will Blacktown take the donut? All the while, Parramatta holds on to a big carrot...

I'm due for lunch.