Our strategy to build a safer, more diverse and thriving 24-hour economy is open for feedback.

At Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 28 April 2025, Council endorsed OPEN: Penrith and St Marys 24-hour Economy Strategy 2025-2029 (Strategy), to progress to Public Exhibition. We invite you to share your feedback on the Strategy by completing the survey below between 5 May to 13 June 2025. You can read a copy of the Strategy here or in the documents section.

By completing the survey, you can go into the draw for a chance to win one of 10 vouchers to a Penrith or St Marys restaurant valued at $50 each. Terms and conditions apply.

About the Strategy

Penrith and St Marys are undergoing rapid and significant change, influenced by major projects including the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line. This change will propel visitation to the city centres of Penrith and St Marys by day and by night, generating a significant demand for an improved 24-hour economy.

To prepare for this change Penrith City Council have created OPEN: Penrith and St Marys 24-hour Economy Strategy 2025-2029.

It details a number of strategies and actions to build a safer, more diverse and thriving 24-hour economy in our City’s two key strategic centres, Penrith and St Marys.

OPEN symbolises our approach to developing our city at night – open to opportunities, open to new ideas and open in our engagement with our business and community.

A 24-hour economy will be important to our City’s future by generating more jobs close to home, more revenue for businesses and a more captivating after dark experience for residents and visitors.

Key drivers for developing the strategy

About the strategy

The 6 strategic priorities

Strategic Priority

Goal

Focus

Facilitating vibrant precincts

Penrith and St Marys are attractive, activated night-time centres of diverse activity

Physical Infrastructure and Placemaking

Coordinated planning for future 24-hour precincts

Penrith and St Marys are forward planned to accommodate active night-time economies now and into the future

Planning and Regulation

  • Precinct identification
  • Development controls
  • Sound management

Fostering strong collaboration

Our local businesses are engaged with Council and our City Centre Corporations to drive positive growth in our 24-hour economy

Stakeholder Relationships

  • Business engagement
  • City Centre Corporations
  • Strategic industry engagement
  • Community engagement

Enhancing Penrith and St Marys’ reputation as late night destinations

Penrith and St Marys are sought after 24-hour economy destinations for investment and visitation

Marketing and Promotion

  • Place branding and marketing
  • Investment attraction

Developing Penrith’s Neon Grid

Our 24-hour economy precincts are easy to get to and easy to get home from

Transport and Infrastructure

  • Public transport
  • Parking, taxis and rideshare
  • Precinct connectivity

A leading 24-hour economy

Council is a trusted voice and advocate for developing the 24-hour economy

Advocacy and Partnerships

Strategy FAQs

FAQs

A 24-hour economy refers to economic activity in a city that occurs 24 hours a day.

When we talk about a 24-hour economy, the focus is on how we make our economy just as vibrant, productive and diverse in the night-time as it is throughout the day.

There are four distinct time periods in a 24-hour economy including:

  • Daytime Economy: 6am to 6pm
  • Evening Economy: 6pm to 9pm
  • Night-Time Economy: 9pm to 2am
  • Late Night Economy: 2am to 6am


    • The night-time economy consists of all the activities that take place as the traditional ‘business day’ ends and consists of a broad range of industries. These include ‘core businesses’ such as restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars, theatres, festivals, markets and live music and non-core businesses including transport, retail, service industries, educational establishments and gyms.

    Penrith City Centre and St Marys Town Centre will be safe, vibrant and diverse 24-hour precincts that meet the current and emerging needs of our local communities and visitors.

    Penrith City Centre will be well placed to grow its existing late-night economy and position itself as the night-time destination of choice in Western Sydney.

    St Marys Town Centre will begin to develop from an early evening to late night economy with an evolving hospitality and service offering.

    Penrith City Council consulted with our community, our City Centre Corporations, local businesses, industry, Government agencies and key stakeholders to prepare the 24-hour Economy Strategy and Action Plan to unlock potential opportunities and respond to future challenges.

    Over 30 organisations and 1,100 community members shared their insights, knowledge and aspirations for Penrith through consultation, conversation, workshops, interviews and business visits. You can read more about the consultation in the 24-hour Economy Strategy, available for download in the documents section.

    The community can share their feedback on the Strategy by completing the above survey between 5 May to 13 June 2025.

    You can download a copy of the Strategy in the documents section or read a hard copy at the Penrith Civic Centre at 601 High Street, Penrith.

    The Public Exhibition of the Penrith and St Marys 24-hour Economy Strategy will close on 13 June 2025. Following this, Council will review the feedback and finalise the Strategy. The final Strategy will be shared with the community and Council will then commence the Strategy’s action plan.

    Precincts of the 24-hour economy

    Fill in the survey below

    Chance to win 1 of 10 vouchers to a Penrith or St Marys restaurant valued at $50 each