Hornsby Town Centre is set to come alive as a vibrant evening destination for families, having successfully secured a grant under the NSW Government's Special Entertainment Precinct Kickstart Grant Program.
Hornsby Shire Mayor Warren Waddell said the area has been provided $200,000 to start the process of creating a Special Entertainment Precinct to enliven the space for the whole community.
"I'm passionate about transforming Hornsby Town Centre into a vibrant, active and connected destination that the whole community may enjoy both day and night.
"We are pleased that Council's vision, as outlined in our Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan, is now on the horizon thanks to the NSW Government's designation of Hornsby as a Transport Orientated Development (TOD) Accelerated Precinct.
"This grant for our Special Entertainment Precinct will bring us one step closer to a vibrant town centre in Hornsby," Mayor Waddell said.
The funding will be used to support the process of amending planning controls to create a Special Entertainment Precinct to elevate the night-time social, cultural and economic activity in the precinct through:
- Developing a vibrant night-time entertainment precinct that attracts visitors and supports local businesses by extending trading hours into the early evening hours
- Supporting arts and cultural expression and consumption within the precinct
- Maximising the value of foreshadowed investment in new community infrastructure associated with the TOD Accelerated Precinct
- Establishing Hornsby Town Centre as a viable and attractive night-time recreational destination in the Upper North Shore
- Managing current and forthcoming residential amenity within the precinct in a proactive manner.
"When delivered, this Special Entertainment Precinct will make Hornsby a place for families to gather and enjoy themselves in the evenings after work and on weekends," continued Mayor Waddell.
"I'm confident that the Hornsby of tomorrow will be a recreational destination of choice offering a family friendly mix of dining, entertainment and cultural experiences.
"We thank the NSW Government for its contribution to the future of Hornsby Shire. And we look forward to more such investment in delivering the Hornsby Transport Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct."
Minister for Transport, Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:
"This will put vibrancy into the DNA of Hornsby's town centre, which is so important as we build more housing close to the station.
"It will give entertainment and hospitality operators the conditions they need to thrive, and future proof the night-time economy so the housing uplift doesn't push down the vibrancy of the local area.
"When you combine our housing and vibrancy agenda, it means that along with more affordable housing, greater density brings more exciting entertainment options in our local communities.
"After a decade of overregulation we're re-building Sydney's nightlife by cutting red tape and backing local operators to build precincts that locals love."
The process of scoping and applying for a planning proposal to support a Special Entertainment Precinct, fully funded by the grant, will commence this month. If successful it is expected that the Special Entertainment Precinct will be established in 2026.
