North West Rail Place Design Framework

Sydney NSW

The transformation of Sydney’s North West Corridor is Australia’s largest transit project. Valued at $8 billion, the project includes eight new railway stations as part of a 23 kilometre link between Epping and Cudgegong.

Why an understanding of place is paramount

As lead masterplanner, RobertsDay delivered Place Design Frameworks for each of the new stations to guide future decision-making.

This involved preparing Place Audits for each station to establish their unique identity, and to identify the unifying elements that connect them into a system of dynamic, connected, urban centres.

This deep level of understanding of each place creates a basis to leverage the State Government’s infrastructure commitment, not just to improve rail access and mobility, but to stimulate investment in better housing, local jobs and greater amenity.

The starting point of a more strategic conversation

The best results in urban renewal are achieved with a collaborative approach. The Frameworks are a starting point for a much bigger conversation about how to transform each precinct and capitalise on this once-in-a-lifetime infrastructure investment.

The project promises to create an intergenerational legacy that will see North-Western Sydney transform into a highly sustainable and liveable urban corridor.

Integrating place, planning and design puts people first
Evidence based place research enabled us to clearly understand what people need from each place and ensure this guides design and decision-making.

Creating places for people
The project will create places that put people first rather than cars. Each Place Design Framework includes bespoke strategies to rationalise car parking around the stations to create new civic spaces and friendly streets that attract people and raise land values.

Understanding place underpins investment
Use of the Place Audits provided a clear vision for each place to support increases in density that capitalise on the Government’s significant infrastructure investment.


Client: UrbanGrowth NSW Site area: 8 rail station precincts


Urban Design and place making: Robertsday Transit oriented Development, sustainability and land use economics: ARUP