Western Sydney

TSA Riley provided project management services for the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta’s Santa Sophia Catholic College project, from initial business case development to final handover and commissioning.

The AUD 150 million school opened in November 2021 at The Gables in Western Sydney. It can accommodate up to 1,860 students and 130 staff across five buildings, each between 4 and 6 storeys. These buildings are filled with interactive areas suitable for different age groups. The facilities include classrooms, sports areas, creative spaces, and an early learning centre for 60 children. The school also offers out-of-hours care, facilities, and sports fields for community use.

The college was constructed in a tight 16-month timeframe. To meet this ambitious schedule, TSA Riley implemented an expedited design process with early contractor involvement and leveraged innovative off-site fabrication techniques. Through meticulous planning and execution, we ensured that construction progressed smoothly while maintaining quality and efficiency.

Our team developed a robust community consultation plan, facilitated process improvements for our client, and carried out contract administration services, including assessing and overseeing variations against the design and construction contract. Throughout the project lifecycle, we provided transparent procurement reporting and actionable insights for continuous improvement.

Navigating the project through the State Significant Development process required proactive engagement with regulatory bodies, consultants, and stakeholders. The project received approval from the Independent Planning Commission, setting the stage for its timely completion in alignment with the school’s operational target of October 2021.

Upon completion, TSA Riley conducted a comprehensive post-occupancy evaluation to glean insights and share valuable learnings with the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta and other educational institutions.

The Parramatta Light Rail (PLR) will boost growth and rejuvenation in Greater Parramatta, drawing residents, workers, and visitors alike. By connecting key destinations and precincts, the light rail network is transforming Greater Parramatta into a vibrant, accessible, and dynamic CBD.

As design manager, TSA Riley developed the engineering design for the project. This design was suitable for the close-out of the strategic business case, the procurement of the lead technical advisor, and the development of the definition design phase for Stage 1. The definition design phase fine-tuned the preferred scheme to eliminate uncertainty and risk, ensuring the project could confidently proceed to procurement and delivery with clear cost, program, and benefit outcomes.

TSA Riley also provided project and interface management services for the 12 kilometres of track connecting Westmead to Parramatta and Carlingford via Camellia. This included managing the development and procurement of utility and third-party agreements and overseeing procurement during the project’s development phase (including incorporating third-party requirements into procurement documents).

Our team brought extensive senior-level expertise to the project, blending skills in large-project planning, property and negotiation. We ensured all third-party requirements were integrated into the delivery contracts. This included negotiating and documenting detailed agreements with key stakeholders, including the City of Parramatta Council, NSW Health, Urban Growth NSW, Land and Housing Corporation, RMS, Sydney Trains, Australian Turf Club, and all affected utility providers.

The Australian Government is developing Sydney’s second international airport at Badgerys Creek in Western Sydney. The Western Sydney (Nancy-Bird Walton) International Airport (WSIA) is planned to open in 2026. Numerous critical infrastructure projects are planned or underway in Western Sydney to facilitate the airport’s development and operation, including road, rail, and utility projects.

These projects needed to be planned, designed, developed, procured, and constructed in relatively tight timeframes. Several of these projects converge around the main entrance to the airport (the Entrance Precinct), located on the northern boundary along the existing Elizabeth Drive. Due to the complexity and number of projects surrounding the Entrance Precinct, TSA Riley was engaged as Joint Project Integrator (JPI) to coordinate the projects.

Our team supported the interface of the activities in the Entrance Precinct, enabling projects to be delivered on schedule with maximum efficiency. The role was jointly funded by Transport for NSW and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts. It enabled interfacing agencies to come together to address conflicting and competing requirements and deliver the airport and infrastructure on time.

The Parramatta Light Rail (PLR) supports growth and renewal in Western Sydney by bringing destinations and precincts in Greater Parramatta closer together.

Stage 1 connects Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia, with a two-way track spanning 12km. The route is expected to open in 2024 and will link Parramatta’s CBD and train station to:

• Westmead Health Precinct
• Parramatta North Urban Transformation Program
• the new Western Sydney Stadium
• the Camellia Precinct
• the relocated Powerhouse Museum
• Telopea private and social housing redevelopment
• Rosehill Racecourse
• 3 Western Sydney University campuses.

TSA Riley was engaged by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to provide commercial advisory services including:

• interface management services for the procurement of utility and third-party agreements
• procurement assistance during the development phase, incorporating third-party requirements into procurement documents.

We brought a mix of senior-level experience to this vital role for PLR, combining large project planning, property understanding and negotiation skills.

The TSA Riley team worked to capture all third-party requirements into the various delivery contracts. This involved negotiating and documenting detailed agreements with key stakeholders, including the City of Parramatta Council, NSW Health, Urban Growth NSW, Land and Housing Corporation, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), Sydney Trains, Australian Turf Club and affected utility providers.

Negotiating third-party agreements for complex linear projects such as a light rail requires significant agility and adaptability. Rather than bring a ‘boilerplate’ solution to this role, our team worked closely with TfNSW and stakeholders to distil project issues into manageable agreement structures. A continuous feedback and approval loop was developed to expedite agreements while ensuring the team worked within approved parameters.

A major achievement for the project was securing design approvals from the City of Parramatta Council. The TSA Riley team developed a staged approval structure that secured the necessary agreements with the council while providing latitude for ongoing innovation and improvements.

TSA Riley provided project management services for the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta’s Santa Sophia Catholic College project, from initial business case development to final handover and commissioning.

The AUD 150 million school opened in November 2021 at The Gables in Western Sydney. It can accommodate up to 1,860 students and 130 staff across five buildings, each between 4 and 6 storeys. These buildings are filled with interactive areas suitable for different age groups. The facilities include classrooms, sports areas, creative spaces, and an early learning centre for 60 children. The school also offers out-of-hours care, facilities, and sports fields for community use.

The college was constructed in a tight 16-month timeframe. To meet this ambitious schedule, TSA Riley implemented an expedited design process with early contractor involvement and leveraged innovative off-site fabrication techniques. Through meticulous planning and execution, we ensured that construction progressed smoothly while maintaining quality and efficiency.

Our team developed a robust community consultation plan, facilitated process improvements for our client, and carried out contract administration services, including assessing and overseeing variations against the design and construction contract. Throughout the project lifecycle, we provided transparent procurement reporting and actionable insights for continuous improvement.

Navigating the project through the State Significant Development process required proactive engagement with regulatory bodies, consultants, and stakeholders. The project received approval from the Independent Planning Commission, setting the stage for its timely completion in alignment with the school’s operational target of October 2021.

Upon completion, TSA Riley conducted a comprehensive post-occupancy evaluation to glean insights and share valuable learnings with the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta and other educational institutions.

The Parramatta Light Rail (PLR) will boost growth and rejuvenation in Greater Parramatta, drawing residents, workers, and visitors alike. By connecting key destinations and precincts, the light rail network is transforming Greater Parramatta into a vibrant, accessible, and dynamic CBD.

As design manager, TSA Riley developed the engineering design for the project. This design was suitable for the close-out of the strategic business case, the procurement of the lead technical advisor, and the development of the definition design phase for Stage 1. The definition design phase fine-tuned the preferred scheme to eliminate uncertainty and risk, ensuring the project could confidently proceed to procurement and delivery with clear cost, program, and benefit outcomes.

TSA Riley also provided project and interface management services for the 12 kilometres of track connecting Westmead to Parramatta and Carlingford via Camellia. This included managing the development and procurement of utility and third-party agreements and overseeing procurement during the project’s development phase (including incorporating third-party requirements into procurement documents).

Our team brought extensive senior-level expertise to the project, blending skills in large-project planning, property and negotiation. We ensured all third-party requirements were integrated into the delivery contracts. This included negotiating and documenting detailed agreements with key stakeholders, including the City of Parramatta Council, NSW Health, Urban Growth NSW, Land and Housing Corporation, RMS, Sydney Trains, Australian Turf Club, and all affected utility providers.