GOAL

St Marys Town Centre is undergoing an exciting transformation over the next 20 years. In 2023, Penrith City Council commissioned JOC Consulting to prepare a Place Plan that ensures the Town Centre continues to transform into a vibrant and welcoming space. The Place Plan complements the St Marys Town Centre Structure Plan (adopted by Council in 2022) and supports the St Marys Master Plan (underway), identifying community and businesses priorities for next 5-10 years.

A crucial goal of the Place Plan is to help maintain community cohesiveness while the town centre undergoes significant redevelopment over the next 10 years, as the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis and Metro West line are finalised.

SOLUTION

In collaboration with Council, JOC designed the St Marys Town Centre Place Plan to be community-led – capturing the values, vision, desires, ideas and actions shared by the community that make St Marys the special place it is. From May to June 2023, JOC facilitated a comprehensive program of community and stakeholder consultation including pop-ups, intercept surveys, online surveys, door knocks, interviews, and workshops. Engagement leveraged the cultural diversity of St Marys and designed activities accordingly to ensure the Place Plan captures the true essence of the place.

OUTCOME

The St Marys Place Plan is currently in draft form and was publicly exhibited in mid-2023. Importantly, the Place Plan is an evolving document and outlines opportunities for community action and encouraging locals to get involved in its implementation.

The Place Plan is an evolving document and outlines opportunities for community action and encouraging locals to get involved in its implementation. This co-operative delivery method is crucial in helping build community cohesion as the town centre redevelops.

Click here to read the Draft St Marys Town Centre Place Plan.