Parramatta Council has called on the State Government to provide greater support for Wentworth Point, a bustling growth area within the local area.
At the most recent meeting of Parramatta City Council, Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter shared a Lord Mayoral Minute outlining a plan that Council write to the NSW Minister for Transport John Graham to advocate for a commitment for a clear timeframe and funding to enable construction and delivery of Stage 2b of the Parramatta Light Rail in time with the opening of the Sydney Olympic Park Metro Station.
Stage 2 of the Parramatta Light Rail was given the green light by the State Government in January, but the announcement also outlined its delivery will be split across stages.
Stage 2a will deliver 4.5km of track between Sandown Boulevard in Camellia and Footbridge Boulevard in Wentworth Point as well as a new bridge linking Camellia and Rydalmere.
Construction for Stage 2a will commence in early 2027.
Stage 2b will include the section from Footbridge Boulevard to Carter Street in Sydney Olympic Park.
The separation of Stage 2 into multiple parts has caused Parramatta Lord Mayor Zaiter to call for clarification regarding the funding and construction timeline of the project.
“The job of timely infrastructure provision for growing communities is never done and require constant attention to ensure that public infrastructure is delivered in alignment with the community needs, particularly in population growth corridors,” Zaiter said.
“The City of Parramatta Council acknowledges the continued delivery by the NSW Government of high value public infrastructure including the Parramatta Light Rail and Sydney Metro West. In particular, the Council thanks the NSW Government for the funding and construction announcement for Stage 2a of the PLR from Camelia to Wentworth Point.
“I call on the Honourable John Graham, Minister for Transport to commit to a clear timeframe and full funding to enable construction and delivery of Stage 2b of the Parramatta Light Rail in time for the opening of the Sydney Olympic Park Metro Station in 2032.
“There are several thousand residents who have clear expectations of the delivery of this long plan and promised public transport service.”
Councillor Kellie Darley agreed with Mayor Zaiter saying there are thousands of people in the Wentworth Point community who are expecting the light rail.
“I don’t often use the word angry, but I was rather angry with the announcement of Stage 2a or the splitting of Stage 2 into two parts with the Light Rail,” Darley said.
“That’s because there are thousands and thousands of people living in Wentworth Point that bought there on the promise of having transport connection, of having a light rail.”
Also included in the Mayoral Minute was that the Mayor write to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car to advocate for a shared use agreement so the Wentworth Park School Oval can be accessible to the wider community.
“On the subject of timely infrastructure, Wentworth Point one of the densest residential environments in Sydney has a significant lag in infrastructure provision aligned growth. The suburb has very limited recreation areas including playing fields and local public parks,” Zaiter said.
“Council urges, I urge, the State Government to take a more holistic approach to allow an open space provision with the existing demand and continued growth of Wentworth Point. This can be achieved by the State Government by ensuring its commitment to deliver the Peninsula Park by mid-26 holds and by ensuring the recently constructed high school oval is available for shared use by the local community after school commitments.
“The people of Wentworth Point deserve provision of adequate open space and public transport, the provision of which has lagged for far too long.”
With the motion endorsed by Councillors, the Lord Mayor will write to the Ministers as well as the CEO of Developer Landcom to seek an update on the delivery of Peninsula Park.
