2 The Greater Sydney Commission’s Region Plan for Sydney identifies three cities with Parramatta as the Central River City. This has added significant energy to Parramatta’s development with a boom in new apartments and office buildings underway. The NSW Government has also announced that the Powerhouse Museum will move to Parramatta as well as a number of government departments. A new Civic Square is being constructed with new commercial buildings, a new library and a significant building for the University of Western Sydney is completed and occupied. Significant new residential buildings are underway in the Parramatta City Centre along with a new high rise school. Public transport is proposed to be upgraded with an approved route for the light rail and a government commitment to a new Metro West turn-up-and-go new rail system. Clearly Patrramatta’s time has come to be lifted into the status of a mature city. PROJECTS IN PARRAMATTA CITY BY URBAN TASKFORCE MEMBERS Parramatta’s CBD core is developing fast with significant buildings by a number of Urban Taskforce members. Walker Corporation is developing Parramatta Square adjacent to the Parramatta Railway Station with some tall commercial buildings and a large town square. Meriton has developed a tall residential building adjacent to the river. Dyldam who are based in Parramatta are building Gateway south, a mixed use development with residential, commercial and retail uses and a 60 story residential tower on the old News Ltd site. PROJECTS IN SUBURBS SURROUNDING PARRAMATTA The energy from the developments in Parramatta are having an impact on surrounding areas particularly those that are on the proposed light rail route on the heavy rail line. To the west the hospital precinct at Westmead is booming with significant numbers of jobs and a light rail station and Deicorp are developing a new residential precinct adjacent to the hospital. Further east at Granville SHOKAI AUSBAO and Develotek are developing a significant site into residential accommodation and at Auburn LFD are developing the Gardens of Auburn. Across the Parramatta River at Melrose Park, PAYCE is developing a mixed use precinct with Stage 2 of the Parramatta Light Rail due to have a station next to the development. LARGE SITES GIVE GOOD OPPORTUNITES FOR GREATER AMENITY The four projects presented in this issue of Urban Ideas demonstrate the value of developing large sites. Each of the projects incorporate significant parkland areas as well as shops and retail. The larger sites also enable a better massing of building forms to avoid overshadowing and to better relate to surrounding development. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF PARRAMATTA IS GENERATING A SERIES OF LARGE URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS IN SURROUNDING AREAS Urban Taskforce is keen to have responses to the proposals illustrated in this issue of URBAN IDEAS and we welcome comments to: admin@urbantaskforce.com.au Chris Johnson AM Chief Executive Officer Urban Taskforce Australia High rise plans for Parramatta