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Developed in consultation with the community and following detailed traffic investigations, the draft plan achieves:
- The maximum number of new street trees working around underground services
- Minimal impact on car parking
- Creating a feature of the School of Arts front facade through decorative lighting, uplit trees and a differing palette for paving and street furniture to create a sense of place
- Decorative lighting along Oxford Street (five laser cut totems with internal lighting) and LED lighting for a proposed laser cut seating rotunda in the laneway between Oxford and Cambridge Streets
- Irrigated ground cover planting in tree pits along Oxford Street. This replaces planter boxes in the original proposal to aid ongoing maintenance in the precinct.
- Steps and ramp access at the end of the lane at Cambridge Street
The draft Concept Plan can be downloaded from Resources with examples of lighting treatments and the proposed rotunda.
Epping is a Strategic Centre as identified in the A Metropolis of Three Cities Greater Sydney Regional Plan. Located 10 kilometres northeast of Parramatta and about four kilometres west of Macquarie University and Macquarie Park, Epping has experienced 4% urban density growth in recent years (compared with 1% across Greater Sydney). It also contains several public and private primary and secondary schools that are within walking distance from the town centre.
The project site covers the eastern part of Epping Town Centre. Specifically:
- Oxford Street
- Langston Place
- Pembroke Street
- Cambridge Street
These four streets form the main retail and commercial centre on the eastern side of Epping and radiate out from Epping transit hub.
This side of the Epping transit hub has a large number of bus stops, existing medium density residential development and a school to the east.
Key objectives of the ‘Epping Town Centre Streetscape Upgrade’ design included enhancing pedestrian safety and accessibility. This is achieved by upgrading lighting and improving pedestrian accessways and pavement gradients whilst having minimal impact on parking and vehicular functionality.
New furniture, materials, and finishes will foster visual harmony throughout the streetscape, ensuring it is both attractive, connected and provides a sense of place unique to the area.
Additionally, planting of new mature trees in expanded underground tree pits will promote optimal tree growth and canopy coverage, offering essential shade for visitors and businesses alike.
The current exhibition follows consultation and investigations in late 2022 and expands the scope of the original proposal described below.
In August 2022, Council consulted the community on what types of upgrades they wished to see in the Epping Town Centre.
In October 2022, Council presented a draft concept plan based on the consultation results. Overall, 76% of submissions supported the concept plan with some recommendations about how to improve it. This feedback led to two major revisions:
- To retain the RMS pedestrian fence and existing paving.
- To conduct further investigations into the parking vacancy rates at the part-time 1/2P restriction area.
In December 2022, the refined concept plan was exhibited and included increased tree plantings with tree grates, entrance plantings, upgraded bins, and bus shelters to Council standard.
Below is the revised concept plan exhibited in December 2022.
Since December 2022, this project recieved additional funding through the NSW Government's Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program and the Accelerated Infrastructure Program. This additional funding has allowed the whole eastern side of the town centre to be updated. It also represents an expanded scope of work.
The $2 billion Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program (formerly known as WestInvest) is funding transformational infrastructure projects across Western Sydney. Funded projects will improve the liveability of communities and support economic recovery, making a real difference to the quality of life in 15 Local Government Areas in the region.
For more information see https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/western-sydney-infrastructure-grants-program
The funding provides for upgrades to public places and spaces, and does not focus on improving premises.
Following review of submissions, Council will finalise the concept plan and seek tenders. Work is anticipated to commence in early 2026.
There will be no loss of parking on Oxford, Pembroke and Cambridge Street. There will be minimal parking impact on Langston Place.
