Civic Link

Phillip Street CBD closed Thursday 17 to Monday 21 September 2026

To ensure safety, and reduce the duration of construction for the Civic Link Block 3 project, Phillip Street will be closed between Wilde Avenue and Dirrabarri Lane from 6am Thursday 17 September to 6am Monday, 21 September 2026*.

Detours will be in place. Please allow additional travel time and use alternative routes as directed by traffic controllers.

Signage will be in place to guide motorists and pedestrians.

Over the closure period, works will take place during the day and overnight.

Traffic arrangements and detours

From 6am Thursday 17 to 6am Monday 21 September 2026*, Phillip Street will be closed to through traffic between Wilde Avenue and Dirrabarri Lane.

Traffic controllers and detour signage will be in place to divert motorists around the construction site.

• Motorists must follow all signage and directions from traffic controllers
• Pedestrian routes may be temporarily adjusted during the works.

Please note, the road closure will remain in place continuously throughout this period, including overnight.

*Work schedule may change due to weather or unforeseen site conditions. Council will provide further information if the planned program changes.

Please follow directions from traffic controllers and signage. Motorists will be directed around the closure.

Detours

To get to Dirrabarri Lane and to Phillip Street west of Dirrabarri Lane, if travelling north along Smith Street:

• Traffic will be directed to continue north on Wilde Avenue, turn left on to Victoria Road, left at Marist Place/Marsden Street, then left on to Phillip Street.

To get to Dirrabarri Lane and to Phillip Street west of Dirrabarri Lane, if travelling south along Wilde Avenue;

• Traffic will be directed to turn left (east) onto Phillip Street, continue to the end of Phillip Street and turn right on to Charles Street. Motorists will then turn on to George Street, continue to Marsden Street, turning right, and then turn right into Phillip Street.

To head north or east from Dirrabarri Lane and Phillip Street west of Dirrabarri Lane;

• Traffic will be directed to turn right (west) onto Phillip Street, left on to Marsden Street, left on to George Street.  From here, motorists will be able to continue east or turn left on to Smith Street to head north.

Access and deliveries

If you or your business have essential access or delivery requirements during the closure period, please contact the project team.

Works

The works form part of the Civic Link Block 3 project which will see a wide boulevard connect the Parramatta CBD to the Parramatta River and the creation of green social spaces for the community to enjoy. This temporary closure of Phillip Street allows for:

• Reconstruction of the pedestrian threshold
• Asphalt works
• Stormwater drainage works
• Kerb and gutter construction.

Over the closure period, works will take place during the day and overnight.

Council’s contractor Statewide Civil will take reasonable steps to minimise disruption. We appreciate your patience and cooperation while these works are completed.

Stage 1 work on Civic Link Block 3 is progressing well, taking construction of one of Council’s major projects for 2026–27 another step closer to completion.

The Stage 1 program, which extends from outside No. 79 Phillip Street to Dirrabarri Lane, will deliver:

• Replacement of the Sydney Water water-main under the footpath on the south side of Phillip Street
• Replacement of the stormwater pipe under the footpath on the north side of Phillip Street near Dirrabarri Lane.

During this work, a shallow sandstone drain was discovered on both sides of Phillip Street. Thought to be late colonial in origin by our archaeological specialist, the find triggered a heritage investigation, monitoring of construction to prevent damage, and reporting to Heritage NSW (HNSW). According to HNSW protocols, the drain has been photographed, protected and preserved in-place. Its location recorded on the HNSW Registry.

Stage 1 work began in early-June 2026 and is expected to be complete by October.

Stage 2, centred around Horwood Place and the interface with George Street, focuses on pavement and landscaping, including planting 38 mature native trees and more than 3,000 shrubs to provide character and shade. Work is anticipated to begin in November 2026. The construction program is subject to weather and site conditions. 

Designed for walking and cycling, Civic Link Block 3 will provide a social space for residents and visitors to enjoy. It will become the cool green heart of our City, connect the CBD to the Parramatta River, and improve access to Parramatta Square’s railway and light rail, the future Sydney MetroWest, and Powerhouse Parramatta.

A civic reception – Civic Link Block-3 underway

Council, in partnership with the Australian Government and NSW Government, is working to transform the heart of Parramatta.

On 17 June 2026, Lord Mayor, Martin Zaiter; Local Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis MP; and Federal Member for Parramatta, The Hon. Andrew Charlton MP, joined together in the Parramatta CBD to celebrate the official start of major construction on the Civic Link Block 3 project. 

Civic Link Block 3 is one of Council’s major projects for 2026–27.

Connecting the CBD to the Parramatta River, Civic Link Block-3 is set to transform part of Horwood Place into a more people-friendly space by permanently closing the street to traffic and creating a new green boulevard designed for walking and cycling. 

Construction will take place in two (2) stages: 

• Stage 1 (Phillip Street early works) began in early June 2026 and is expected to be complete by September 2026*.  All footpaths and businesses in Horwood Place, including, including café’s offering outdoor dining, will remain open and accessible during Stage 1.

• Stage 2 (Horwood Place main works) is planned to begin once Stage 1 is finished and continue until late-2027. Outdoor dining licenses will be suspended in Stage 2. 

*The work program is subject to weather and site conditions. 

Civic Link Block-3 will provide a social space for residents and visitors to enjoy.

It’s designed to become the cool green heart of our CBD with a canopy of 38 mature native trees and more than 3,000 shrubs and groundcover providing character and shade.  

Civic Link will connect Parramatta Square’s railway and light rail, the future Sydney MetroWest, and Powerhouse Parramatta.

Civic Link Block-3 is set to become one of the community’s favourite places to relax, meet friends and enjoy local cafes.  

Designed for walking and cycling, Civic Link Block 3 will connect our CBD to the Parramatta River. It will be a place to relax, meet friends and enjoy local cafes.

Review of Environmental Factors (REF) 

A REF is part of the planning process known as Part 5 under the Environmental Protection & Assessments Act. It identifies a range of environmental safeguards and mitigations to protect archaeology, preserve water quality, ensure flood resilience, maintain local habitat and respond to other potential environmental risks.

City of Parramatta is required to fully assess the potential environmental impacts of Civic Link Block 3 during construction and after completion.

 An independent planner was commissioned to prepare the REF for Civic Link Block 3.

The REF has concluded that there will be no significant impacts on matters of national environmental significance. No referral to the Australian Minister for the Environment under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act is required.

Civic Link Block 3 has been deemed as unlikely to cause a significant impact on the environment.

Visual and noise impacts during construction will be temporary, with measures to minimise disruption. Air pollution impacts are anticipated to be minimal.

The REF is now available for review. Please see our Civic Link Block 3 project page

Civic Link Block 3, Horwood Place, Parramatta

Night works 9pm to 5am

8 to 19 September 2025

From Monday 8 September, City of Parramatta will begin early survey works on the city-shaping Civic Link Block 3 project - the work will be undertaken at night.

The works

Council has appointed SureSearch Underground Services to locate underground utilities such as NBN, gas, and water.

The nightworks program will focus on removing pavement and the road surface in areas in Phillip Street, near the entry to Horwood Place, and within Horwood Place between Phillip Street and George Street.

Work hours and impacts

Night work will begin Monday 8 September and will be completed by Friday 19 September 2025 (site conditions and weather permitting). Work will take place between 9pm and 5am each weekday - over (5) nights.

It is expected that there will be some truck movements and noise from machinery including concrete saws and jackhammers throughout the construction period.

The scheduling of works, sound blankets and other sound dampening techniques, will be used to minimise disruption where possible. 

The most intrusive works will be completed before midnight.

The footpath / roadway will be reinstated before 5am each day to ensure normal use of the footpaths and roads.

We thank you and ask for your patience during this time and will endeavour to complete this work as quickly as possible.  

Access

Traffic controllers will provide access to residents who need to use driveways to enter/exit their properties from 9pm to 5am, Monday to Friday.

Contact us and more information

Please contact Council’s Civic Link project team on 1300 617 058 or email civiclink@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au.

For urgent construction issues and out of business hours, please contact John Huynh, Project Manager SureSearch Underground Services on 0428 235 724 or email quotes@suresearch.com.au

Civic Link Block 3, Horwood Place, Parramatta

Heritage Archaeological Test Excavations

6 January to 7 February 2025

To progress the transformation of the Parramatta CBD, the City of Parramatta is starting excavation works along Horwood Place and in front of 32a Phillip Street, Parramatta. These early works for the Civic Link Block 3 Project are the first stage in creating a green spine, a boulevard that connects the CBD to the Parramatta River.

The work includes excavation of test pits and trenches. The aim of these archaeological investigations is to assess the historical and cultural significance of the area. The work will help ensure the rich history of Parramatta is understood and preserved.

What's Happening?

Work is scheduled to begin early-January 2025 and will continue until the beginning of February 2025, subject to weather and site conditions. The proposed works may take longer depending on the findings.

Excavation pits are contained predominantly within the parking lanes. There will be five (5) large pits, approximately 2m wide x 5-10m long, and eight (8) small pits approximately 1m x 1m.

Minor disruptions to local traffic and parking are expected during the works. Traffic control will be in place to direct vehicles and pedestrians when required.

Works will generally take place Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm.  

Access to the footpath and business premises will remain open to the public.

Archaeology, an important part of project approval

Why do we excavate for archaeological purposes?

Excavations and extensive reports which document the quantity, condition, and significance of any recovered items are a key stage in project approval and permits to begin construction.

NSW Heritage oversees a very thorough process which governs how excavations are managed and how any heritage item is assessed, recorded, catalogued, and analysed.

Excavations and heritage assessments are completed by specialist consultants who work in partnership with Registered Aboriginal Parties who have declared an interest in the site.

Found items are assessed for integrity and significance through cataloguing, analysing, sampling and discarding in accordance with NSW Heritage requirements. The research potential of the item is also considered and the extent to which it may provide answers around the importance of the site, change of use over time, and how it should be managed now.

Artefacts could impact on the proposed design of the project

In some instances, NSW Heritage may direct found items are incorporated into interpretative displays on site or that they are catalogued and reburied within the site. Another option is that heritage items are relocated to form part of a collection and displayed.

In most instances, any significant Colonial Heritage items are handed over to the City of Parramatta’s Research and Collections team, who then oversee its management or storage. Sometimes NSW Heritage stipulates that a public display of the items is required.

For Aboriginal objects, after analysis, the long-term management of the finds will be discussed with the Registered Aboriginal Parties attached to the project. Options often include reburial of artefacts, or items being held in a Keeping Place or other suitable location through a Care and Control Agreement. The Keeping Place at PHIVE maybe a suitable location for this project.

It is recommendations in the archaeological report, along with NSW Heritage assessments, that form part of the final approval for a project. Permits to begin construction may include conditions imposed by NSW Heritage.

Who do I contact for more information?

For more information, please see the plan of proposed excavation sites.

For urgent enquiries, please contact Project Manager, Ju Li on 9806 8347 or call Council’s Customer Contact Centre on 1300 617 058 and ask to speak with the Civic Link team.

Email: civiclink@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au

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