Blacktown City Council has signed a multi-billion-dollar agreement with Walker Corporation to revitalise the largest and fastest growing city in NSW.
Walker Corporation will invest over $2 billion in the revitalisation project, enabling the existing CBD to prosper while bringing high-tech jobs of the future to Blacktown.
The development will deliver over 1,000 construction jobs over 5 years, and permanently add over 4,500 jobs and $920m value every year to the City’s economy.
“This is an exciting opportunity to deliver an urban transformation which will change the way people think about Blacktown and bring thousands of new jobs closer to where people live,” Walker Executive Chairman Lang Walker AO said.
“Blacktown is growing fast and it needs the modern amenities and infrastructure to match, accompanied by wide open public squares and better-designed access, in and around the city for pedestrians, cars, buses and those using public transport.”
The future masterplan delivers the council’s vision for the Blacktown Brain and Spinal Institute.
It will also bring the best in education, retail and commercial offices to the heart of Blacktown CBD to benefit the local economy.
“Over the coming months we will be finessing the details of our masterplan to create vibrant, energised, people-friendly spaces through great architecture, careful placemaking and state-of-the-art facilities,” Mr Walker said.
Blacktown is the most populous city in NSW and continues to grow quickly, and is expected to reach 615,000 residents by 2041.
Walker is a leader in Western Sydney’s growth having helped transform Parramatta by delivering the new $3 billion Parramatta Square development in just over just five years.
Blacktown City Council Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said the opportunity to work closely with Walker on a transformation the same size as Parramatta Square is a game changer.
Mr Bleasdale said: “This is the beginning of a major boom period for Blacktown.
“The Walker project will play a central role in Council’s long-term plan to ensure Blacktown residents have access to world class infrastructure, education, health and open space in the heart of our city, for our community to flourish.
“We look forward to bringing our shared vision to reality with Walker to make Blacktown the best in the west.”
Business Western Sydney Executive Director David Borger said Walker coming to Blacktown is a major win for its hard-working community.
“Walker’s vision for Parramatta Square has transformed what was a run-down section of the CBD into a vibrant city centre that is now providing tens of thousands of new jobs in premium offices, fantastic restaurants and wide-open public plazas,” Mr Borger said.
“Lang Walker and his team will no doubt bring that same visionary nous to Blacktown to help the city modernise in line with its rapid population growth.”
