Organising an event in Penrith

Council owned sporting grounds and reserves may be booked for special events, carnivals and various community activities. 

Prices and permits vary depending on the nature of the booking and the park/ reserve requested.

Application forms must be completed and returned with all required supporting documentation at least 6 weeks prior to the event date. Please note, some activities may incur additional processing times including but not limited to:

• Signage such as display boards or banners
• Selling or consumption of alcohol
• Use of portable structures, tents, sunshades, marquees and stalls
• Selling of food
• Traffic Management and road closures
• Amusement rides, jumping castles, animal farms or petting zoos
• Fireworks

For further information including terms and conditions, fees and charges, application to Use a Council Facility for Special Events and contact details click here.

If you are holding an event on Council land (not a park, sports field or reserve) you may need the owner’s consent.

Please contact:

Council’s Property Development Team

Councils Customer Experience Centre

02 4732 7777

All temporary food businesses, including not-for profit organisations and charities, are required to sell safe food at events. Any person selling food at temporary food stalls or mobile vans for human consumption are deemed a ‘food business’ under the Food Act 2003 and is required to comply with the Food Standards Code.

Council’s Food Vendor webpage provides information for event organisers responsibilities if food vendors are trading at their event. For further information visit the Food Vendors page.

The Event Organiser page outlines the responsibilities of event organisers, including the requirement to notify Council of any food vendors trading at an event. To notify Council of any food vendors trading at your event, please complete the online notification form.

Please note that submitting the online event notification form does not replace the requirement for individual food vendors to obtain their own annual Temporary Food Permit from Penrith City Council. Event organisers are responsible to ensure that all food vendors participating in their event are aware of and comply with, this requirement before trading.

A special event in traffic management terms is any planned activity that is wholly or partly conducted on a public road, requires traffic control arrangements, requires involvement from multiple agencies, and usually involves a large number of participants and or spectators.

Events that are conducted on private land and/or in a private venue may also come under this definition if normal traffic flow is disrupted.

Depending on the nature of the event and the classification of the road(s), a person may also require approval from Transport for NSW and/or NSW Police. Council's Traffic Engineers will advise if this is necessary.

Planning an event that will impact upon traffic and the local road network requires the co-operation and approval of a number of organisations. Any event that will have a broad impact upon traffic and the local road network must be referred to Council's Local Traffic Committee for assessment and determination by Council so that disruption to the road network as a result of the event is minimized. Appropriate and adequate planning minimises the risk to event organisers, participants and the general public.

If your event is going to cause any alteration to normal traffic movement or require any section of road or street to be closed, then you will require a Traffic Management Plan and a copy of Public Liability Insurance of minimum $20 million. Penrith City Council requires that the Traffic Management Plan for an event is produced by a suitably qualified and accredited professional to develop and administer all traffic management plans for the event.

A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) should identify the roads/streets to be closed, time of closure and alternate routes. A clearly drawn map of the area where traffic will be impacted around the proposed event and traffic control plans must accompany applications for road closures, processions and street activities. Additional information for matters to be included in a TMP can be found in Transport for NSW’s Guide to Traffic and Transport Management for Special Events.

To assist Council in assessing and determining Traffic Management Plans for special events, Council requests that all relevant information is submitted to Council a minimum five months prior to the proposed event date. This will ensure sufficient time for reviewing your event application, facilitating approvals through set reporting timeframes, as well as appropriate periods for advertising of the event required of the applicant.

Both Transport for NSW and NSW Police require lodgment of applications for events that require separate approval a minimum 60 days prior to the event. If bus routes and/or bus stops are required to be altered for the event, bus companies require at least 6 weeks' notice prior to the approved event in order to provide appropriate notice to patrons and change the Opal Card mapping arrangements with Transport for NSW.

Additional information

Transport for NSW are required to assess and determine certain applications depending on the type, scale and location.

Transport for NSW classifies events into 4 classes:

• Class 1: Major event that impacts on major traffic and transport systems (event on a main highway) and requires Council, Police and Transport for NSW approval.
• Class 2: Major event that impacts only on local traffic and transport systems (event on a main street) and requires Council, Police and Transport for NSW approval.
• Class 3: Minor event with minimal impact on local roads.
• Class 4: Minor event conducted entirely under Police control.

The NSW Police provide advice to Council on events and will consider applications subject to the Summary Offences Act.

It is the event organiser’s responsibility to engage a licensed pyrotechnics technician to perform the fireworks display. If you want to hold a fireworks display the company engaged will need to follow the guidelines set by SafeWork NSW. A Fireworks permit can be obtained click here.

You may need to submit a Development Application (DA) before you proceed with planning your event to ensure your event meets suitable community standards for the location and type of development you propose. Whether you need to submit a DA or not will depend on a number of factors such as location, nature of event, scale and frequency.

A DA relates to more than just structures and signage, it also includes the use of land for a particular purpose, such as a temporary event. Some applications will require public notification. Landowners consent is required when lodging a DA.

Each event and location is different, and each site has a specific purpose. Council’s Development Advisory Officer can help you determine if you need to submit a DA for your event. Contact the Development Advisory Officer to discuss:

• If you will need to submit a Development Application for your event
• The DA process including lodgement via the NSW Planning Portal
• Fees and charges

Should your event require a DA it must be submitted well in advance to your event and via the NSW Planning Portal. Once your DA is formally lodged it will be assessed having regard to statutory considerations outlined within Section 4.15 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979.  This includes consideration of Council’s local provisions contained within Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010 and Penrith Development Control Plan 2014.

Development Services - Development Advisory Officer

Councils Customer Experience Centre

02 4732 7777

Visit the Development Tracker here