Westmead Health & Innovation Precinct

Strategy

The Westmead Place Strategy was adopted in August 2022, recognising the strategic importance of redeveloping the area to guide future development to drive new jobs in health, education and innovation. The Place Strategy sets out a plan for the precinct to become the nation’s premier health and innovation district with leading researchers, entrepreneurs, health workers and students.

Work to uplift the Westmead Health Precinct is required to consider the objectives of this Place Strategy to ensure the vision is realised.  

Employment

Health care sector

The Westmead Health Precinct is a partnership between the key health employers: Western Sydney Local Health District, the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Children’s Medical Research Institute, the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Health Infrastructure, NSW Health Pathology and the Office of Health and Medical Research.  

The Precinct is leading the growth of the health care sector in the Parramatta LGA. In 2022/23, there were 23,896 full time staff working in health care and social assistance in Parramatta, with Westmead seeing the highest concentration of these workers.  

Significant investment has been made to continue to grow the Precinct, with:

• 400,000m2 of high-end health related developments including four major hospitals, four world-leading medical research institutes, two university campuses and the largest research-intensive pathology service in NSW
• $3.4 billion committed by government, universities and the private sector to upgrade and expand health services, education and medical research facilities in the coming years
• 50,000 full time staff expected to be working across the Precinct by 2036.  

Other industries

The Westmead Health and Innovation District is well served by complementary industries within Westmead, including retail and hospitality, as well as by professional services in nearby Parramatta North which forms part of the expanded Innovation District.

The Western Sydney Startup Hub is the anchor institution of the Parramatta North Urban Transformation precinct just east of the Westmead Health Precinct. The Western Sydney Startup hub is an innovation hub providing 1,500m2 of affordable co-working spaces, programming and events to support technology startups, scaleups and small businesses on their growth journey.  

Education

More than 3400 students are studying at the University of Sydney and Western Sydney University campuses in Westmead. Both universities are planning to expand in Westmead. Total investment for these plans is worth almost $1 billion. Student numbers in Westmead are forecasted to grow to 8500 over the next 10 years.  

 
Image credit: Storyboard Media

Transport

In late 2024, Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 opened, transporting commuters along a 12km journey from Westmead to Carlingford via Parramatta CBD. The Westmead Health Precinct has three stops— Westmead Station, Westmead Hospital and Gurung (outside the Children’s Hospital). There is also stop in Parramatta North (Ngara) providing easy access to the expanded Westmead Health and Innovation District.  

Stage 2 of the Parramatta Light Rail is currently in the planning phase.  

Construction for the new Metro West is also underway. Westmead will be the first stop on the 24 km line that will stop at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and Hunter Street in the Sydney CBD.  

Two potential station locations are being investigated west of Sydney Olympic Park, including one at Rosehill Gardens which could support a significant increase in housing. Sydney Metro West will target an opening date of 2032. 

Image credit: Transport for NSW

Housing and redevelopment  

With the number of people working in Westmead set to grow, so too will the number of people living and socialising in the area. More than 3000 new dwellings will be built.  

To work alongside the new health and education facilities, developers plan to build a 14-storey retail and residential complex at West Grove. It will include a 100-room Travelodge hotel.

Westmead Redevelopment Stage 1 delivered a 14-storey Central Acute Services Building for the Westmead Public Hospitals (adults and children) as well as refurbishment of several units across both hospitals. Stage 2 and Stage 3 will deliver further upgrades to units in the adults hospital, retail units and a new multi-storey carpark.