A new Civic Square in the heart of Merrylands
January 2023 update
Stage 1 (located between McFarlane Street and Main Lane)
Stage 1 works commenced late October 2022 and works have begun in the areas outside of the zone of influence of Sydney Water's culvert.
Sydney Water approval is required for works within the zone of influence of Sydney Water's culvert, and is anticipated to be received shortly.
The pavers and street furniture for Stage 1 have been delivered.
Photograph of Stage 1, taken on 20 December 2022.
Stage 2 (between Main Lane and Merrylands Road)
The Construction Certificate for Stage 2 has been issued and civil works for Stage 2 commenced mid-January 2023.
Excavation for the tree vaults now completed.
Photograph of Stage 2, taken on 19 January 2023.
October 2022 update
A Partial Construction Certificate for Stage 1 of the MCS was recently issued. Stage 1 of the Merrylands Civic Square is located between McFarlane Street and Main Lane.
Council’s Head Contractor CA&I will commence construction activities from Monday 24 October 2022.
The remaining section of the shopfront along Merrylands Road will be demolished late October 2022.
August 2022 update:
Landscape and technical design drawings for Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the MCS will be finalised early September 2022.
Preliminary site works will commence early September 2022.
May 2022 update:
The Merrylands Civic Square development application was approved by the Sydney Central City Planning Panel on 7 April 2022.
Demolition works of the arcade are in progress and construction of the civic square will commence shortly.
January 2022 update: Updated Concept Plan
The updated concept plans are now available in the document library. See video and images below:
Merrylands Civic Square – Fly Through Animation from Turf Design Studio on Vimeo.
Merrylands Civic Square: Stage 1 & Stage 2 development
Artist Impression of Merrylands Civic Square: Stage 1, looking south
Artist Impression of Merrylands Civic Square: Stage 2, looking north toward Main Lane
January 2022 update: Public Exhibition of DA
Council invites you to have your say on public exhibition currently underway for DA2021/0693 at 203-211 Merrylands Road, Merrylands for the construction of a new Civic Square for the Merrylands Town Centre inclusive of staging of construction, subdivision, landscaping, lighting and public art. This project is proudly funded by the NSW Government through its NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program and in association with Cumberland City Council.
Stage 1 and Stage 2 plans are below and in the project library:
You can view the DA submission in DA tracker.
December 2021 update: Merrylands Arcade Demolition
Following a recent open tender process, Council engaged TCE Contracting to demolish the Merrylands Arcade and the small adjoining shop. The buildings to be demolished are located at 203 to 213 Merrylands Road Merrylands
The demolition works will commence Monday 10 January 2022 and are anticipated to be completed by mid-March 2022, weather permitting.
Due to the nature of the demolition works, and to ensure the safety of pedestrians and motorists, Main Lane will be temporarily closed in the vicinity of the demolition site at the rear of the buildings located at 203 to 213 Merrylands Road.
Alternate access to the properties, west of the Main Lane closure will be provided to pedestrians and vehicular traffic (including garbage compactors) via McFarlane Street
The demolition works are required in preparation of the Merrylands Civic Square (MCS) project which is anticipated to commence mid-2022.
Council and TCE Contracting appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work towards making the Merrylands CBD a modern and vibrant area.
October 2021 update:
Consultation has concluded on Merrylands Civic Square. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.
September 2021 consultation:
NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program
The NSW Government is investing up to $250 million through the NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program to support councils to deliver more and better public spaces across the state. This is the biggest injection of funding for public spaces in a generation.
The NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program will create fantastic outcomes for communities now and into the future, it will also keep people in jobs and the economy moving as we respond to the impacts of the pandemic.
To access the funding, councils needed to demonstrate accelerated development assessment processes – helping to reduce red tape and keep the broader economy moving. This incentive helps to drive the determination of local DAs and bolster the construction pipeline through to 2024. Cumberland City Council successfully accelerated its development assessment processes to receive the funding.
Merrylands Civic Square - we want your feedback
Merrylands Civic Square has been a planned project for Cumberland for some time, and is identified in Council’s plans as a new major public open space for the town centre. Now, Council has been successful in securing a Public Space Legacy Grant to fund the detailed design and construction of Merrylands Civic Square.
The initial concepts for Merrylands Civic Square are drawn from the community's feedback in two rounds of consultation, which has helped to shape and inform the design. You told us that it should be:
- a public space for civic events and celebration
- an active space with cafes and restaurants
- a meeting place for the whole community
- a place that can be flexible for small groups and families as well as for large gatherings and events
- a space that is safe, day and night
- a place for locals that means ‘Cumberland’
- a unique landmark in the city centre with colour and shelter
We have also drawn inspiration from other designs. You can see some of them here:
Council is now reviewing the preliminary concept plan to ensure it is still relevant and captures the spirit of the Cumberland Community. You can view the inspiration elements in the document library, and view the concept plan below.
Now we want your input! As we finalise the design, we want your feedback in the survey below. Submissions are open until 11pm on Monday 11 October 2021.
Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Cumberland City Council
Concept plan
The concept plan captures elements that the community asked for in previous consultation. Click on the image for a larger view.
The new Merrylands Civic Square is located between McFarlane Street and Merrylands Road utilising part of the former Council carpark and the former Merrylands Arcade site as shown below.
The work will be completed in two stages. The first stage constructed after completion of the current road and drainage works on the former carpark site. The second stage of construction will commence following the demolition of the Arcade.
