Penrith Council knocked back a developer’s proposal to build a car park under City Park, the Weekender can reveal.
The unsolicited proposal, which up until now has only been discussed behind closed doors, came to light during a recent debate on City Park.
Council confirmed it received an unsolicited bid in late 2020 from private developer Astina Group.
The proposal sought to purchase a “considerable portion” of the Allen Place car park as a potential development site in exchange for creating an underground car park at City Park.
The matter was then voted on by Councillors in Committee of the Whole.
“Council considered the bid and at its Ordinary Meeting on December 14, 2020, resolved to decline the request due to it not offering value for money, not being unique, nor in the community’s interest to progress,” a Council spokesman said.
“At the same meeting, Council resolved to proceed with its City Park project design that had been developed through extensive community consultation.
“The DA was lodged in January 2021.”
The revelation surfaced after Councillor Marcus Cornish criticised Council for scrapping 54 spaces from the Allen Place car park before alternative parking was provided.
“I support the park, but I’ve said all along that parking must be replaced first,” he said during the September Ordinary Meeting.
“By taking away the car parking, you’re reducing business opportunity.”
Council is in the process of formalising the informal car park on Woodriff Street near the Bowling Club to provide 159 temporary spaces for use during construction of City Park, which will be built on the corner of Henry and Station streets, Penrith.
Councillor Ross Fowler acknowledged there was a chance to build an underground car park, but said the opportunity “came at a huge cost in terms of land and lost opportunities”.
Council’s long-awaited Soper Place redevelopment, which will now deliver a five-storey mutli-deck car park along with a four-storey commercial building above, will provide 600 additional car spaces for the City Centre once complete.
Council anticipated the project would begin in late 2021, more than a year after the original vision for the Soper Place car park was slated to be finished.
In June 2019, Council unveiled its North Street car park comprising 243 new car spaces.
Alena Higgins is the Weekender’s Senior News Reporter, primarily covering courts and Council issues.
