New life for old Council chambers

Redeveloping the former Council Chambers as modern, commercial office accommodation is a step closer with Council giving the greenlight to progress plans to develop the site.

The 2,533sqm site, on the corner of Henry and Station Streets is in a prime location opposite the future City Park adjacent to existing quality office accommodation tenanted by government and private entities including the Australian Taxation Office, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, KPMG, Coleman Greig and NSW Health. It is also close to the Penrith Station and transport interchange as well as significant retail and service offerings.

Penrith General Manager Warwick Winn said redeveloping the former Chambers was a high priority for Council and the realisation of this key site is "top of mind."

The historic building has played an important role in Penrith’s civic history and is currently used by local community organisations. However, in this key location, the site is underutilised due to its restrictive floor plates, no available on-site parking and general condition.

Enabling a high-quality and commercially viable development while preserving the heritage significance of the site will be a key consideration in the planning and design process. The next steps of the project include undertaking a design excellence process and technical studies to refine the proposal, before securing development consent.

Image: The former Council Chambers were built in the late 1950s