Council awarded for planning initiatives

Penrith City Council’s innovative Places of Penrith framework has been recognised with a new award.

The 2022 National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) Awards were held last month, highlighting excellence in projects that support the development of Australia’s growth areas, of which Penrith is one.

Council secured the Research and Practice award for the Places of Penrith framework.

Places of Penrith is a strategic framework that establishes a vision for our City and provides directions for change to create better places for our community to connect, play, learn, work and live. Once completed, the framework will incorporate a suite of Council’s city-shaping strategies that explore Penrith’s challenges as well as its vast growth opportunities.

Strategies developed thus far include the Employment Lands Strategy which sets a 20-year vision for Penrith’s economic growth, and the Green Grid Strategy which outlines a plan to support the creation of cool and green neighbourhoods across Penrith. The draft Rural Lands Strategy and draft Local Housing Strategy, both currently on public exhibition, are recent additions to the Places of Penrith framework.

Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen attended the event and was thrilled to hear Council named as a winner.

“Penrith is future-focused and aims to be on the front foot so to have our innovative, evidence-based approach to planning acknowledged is an outstanding achievement - and I congratulate the team for their continued efforts in this space,” Cr Hitchen said.

Council’s work promoting Penrith’s health and education credentials were also recognised at the NGAA Awards, receiving a commendation for The Quarter Prospectus in the Research and Practice category.

The Quarter Prospectus details the vision for a world-class centre of excellence in Penrith known as The Quarter, a 400-hectare health and education precinct at Kingswood. The Quarter Prospectus connects residents, students, investors, health practitioners and researchers to the vision and opportunities for the precinct.

To read more about Places of Penrith and Council’s work in strategic planning, visit penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/building-development/planning-zoning/vision-strategies-plans

To find out more about The Quarter and request a copy of The Quarter Prospectus, go to thequarter.org.au

Image: Penrith City Council’s General Manager, Warwick Winn, Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen, and Director - City Futures, Kylie Powell, at the NGAA Awards event for 2022.