The project site is situated in the Panania Town Centre along Anderson Avenue, between Tower and Peffer Streets. The site is currently occupied by the Panania Library and Knowledge Centre and Panania Senior Citizen’s Centre.

A concept design is an early plan that shows the character and vision for a project. It helps everyone understand the overall look, feel and purpose before the detailed planning begins. The concept design for the Panania Library and Knowledge Centre is a starting point to gather feedback and refine the design based on community needs.

Council’s existing community and library and knowledge facilities will be combined in the Panania Library and Knowledge Centre to support the needs of existing and future residents. The Panania Library and Knowledge Centre will include a new library, a hireable community space for 70 people and kitchen, meeting rooms, staff offices, public toilets, an open public plaza and enhanced green space. The existing car park is being maintained.

The creation of the Panania Library and Knowledge Centre on Council’s existing library site is part of the Community Infrastructure Strategic Plan 2050. The Community Infrastructure Strategic Plan was adopted at the 28 May 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting.

The project will include consolidation of the existing ageing buildings into a state-of-the-art multi-purpose community facility for the growing community in Panania. Refurbishing or working with existing buildings would have significant financial costs and would not be able to meet the current and future needs of the community, making redevelopment the best option.

Where possible, building materials will be recycled or repurposed and mature trees that contribute to the area’s environment will be kept.

The Panania Library and Knowledge Centre is being delivered by CBCity. The project is proudly funded by the NSW Government's Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program in association with the City of Canterbury Bankstown.

The new Panania Library and Knowledge Centre will include a multipurpose hireable space which can be booked by community groups such as senior citizen clubs for their activities. The new community space with kitchen will accommodate groups of 70 people seated and is of the same capacity as the current Panania Senior Citizen’s Centre. In addition, there will be three smaller meeting rooms for groups of 4-12 people available in the library.

The new Panania Library and Knowledge Centre will include multipurpose hireable spaces which can be booked by the community groups and individuals. Council has been having discussions with SW Local Area Health (who currently use this building) and they will keep the early childhood health service offerings in the local area.

Previous community engagement in August and September 2024 helped inform the concept design. View a summary of the feedback.

Council will prepare a Community Engagement Outcomes Report that summarises community feedback. The report will be used to inform the detailed design of the Panania Library and Knowledge Centre.

The next step for the project is to finalise the concept design, taking into consideration community feedback, advice from technical studies and requirements of the NSW Government grants. Following completion of the concept design a development application will be lodged for the proposal.

The development application will include detailed plans of the new Panania Library and Knowledge Centre for public viewing and approval by the regional planning panel. Community members and stakeholders involved with this round of consultation or located adjacent to the site will be notified once the development application is on public exhibition.

Once the development application is approved, the Panania Library and Knowledge Centre project will progress into the next stage of works including detailed contract documentation, tendering for construction services and construction of the new building and public spaces.

Currently it is expected to be completed in early 2028.

The existing facilities will remain operational until the construction begins on the site. We expect to begin construction within 2 years. During the construction period, you can book community facilities at Padstow and Revesby Community Centres, or visit Padstow Library and Knowledge Centre for library services.