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The Better Neighbourhood Program (BNP) is a long-running and successful Council program that focuses on the capital upgrades of local centres outside of the Parramatta CBD. The BNP commenced in 1999 and delivers improvements to centres with the goal of enhancing safety, vitality and economic prosperity.
Between 2011 and 2019, Council invested $11,761,333 in BNP projects, which consist primarily of:
- Capital upgrades to local, town and neighbourhood centres. Examples of projects delivered include streetscape upgrades at Ermington, Toongabbie, Carlingford, Mobbs Lane and Tintern Avenue shops.
- Connecting Centres projects to improve access to local centres and neighbourhoods; and
- Complementary public domain improvements.
A total of $3,200,000 has been allocated to the BNP over the next two financial years. This includes $620,000 in FY 2019/20 and $2,580,000 in FY 2020/21. The funding allocation is larger in the second year to allow for detailed design and construction processes to be completed in FY 2020/21.
Areas are prioritised for upgrade based on a number of factors, including the condition of the centre, its vibrancy, and its connectivity. The community voice also plays an important role and nearly 400 local residents provided feedback to prioritise projects in 2018/19 and 2019/20.
A list of the proposed Better Neighbourhood Projects due for completion by June 2021 is provided below:
|
Centre
|
Project
|
19/20
|
20/21
|
| Telopea Station Centre | Design only; in anticipation of Light Rail works | $35,000 | |
| Carlingford Station Centre | Provide improvements to Edwin Ross Reserve, including a new playground, fencing and landscaping. | $50,000 | $150,000 |
| Waratah Shopping Centre, Telopea | Small-scale upgrades and activation to combat anti-social behaviour in partnership with winner of CoP's "Pitch for Good" | $25,000 | |
| Toongabbie Shops | Minor capital upgrades, landscaping and economic activation to improve vacancy rates | $65,000 | $250,000 |
| Yates Ave shops, Dundas | Undertake Stage 2 improvement works following the construction of Dundas Park Pavilion | $50,000 | $250,000 |
| Woodstock Road shops, Carlingford | Accessibility, street furniture and minor upgrades | $50,000 | $350,000 |
| Epping | Improve the vibrancy of Epping town centre through small scale activation such as markets, pop-up retail, shop frontage improvement | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Dundas Station Centre | Minor capital upgrades and landscaping, including within Winjoy Reserve | $150,000 | |
| Brodie Street shops, Rydalmere | Major capital upgrade to tie in with light rail works and improve connectivity | $50,000 | $600,000 |
| Bartlett Street shops, Ermington | Centre upgrade including pavement, landscaping and upgrades to adjacent playground and park frontage | $50,000 | $350,000 |
| Bungaree Road shops, Toongabbie | Upgrade to streetscape and public domain | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Picasso shops, Toongabbie | Gallery gardens tennis court, playground and picnic area upgrade | $50,000 | $350,000 |
| Lomond Cres shops, Winston Hills | Activation and minor upgrade | $130,000 | |
| Oatlands Village, Belmore Street East | Tree planting, minor landscaping | $100,000 | |
| Ermington Shopping Town | Explore connectivity improvements through traffic studies and/or Master Plan to support current and future surrounding development | $50,000 | |
| Mobbs Lane shops, Carlingford | Investigate the opportunity for improved connectivity between the shops and Mobbs Lane Reserve, such as via additional tree planting | $50,000 |