Welcome to Western Sydney Business Access

 fb tw yt in 

Westfield Parramatta. Westfield Parramatta. Featured

Westfield expansion approved despite CBD concerns

By Red Dwyer

WESTFIELD has obtained approval for the concept plan for multi-million dollar retail and commercial additions to its shopping centre in Parramatta and approval for stage one, the construction of a retail extension.

Stage one is a single retail extension of 31,495 square metres (GFA) and three additional above ground parking levels accommodating an additional 562 car spaces.

Stage two is a 20-storey office tower extension providing up to 35,000 square metres of commercial floor space (GFA).

Stage one has a capital investment value of $200 million and $205 million for stage two.

“The investment will generate approximately 861 jobs during construction and 824 jobs post construction, at stage one, and 880 jobs during construction and 2,060 jobs post development at stage two,” the Department of Planning and Infrastructure’s environmental assessment report said.

Parramatta City Council’s submission on the application was that the expansion of Westfield would have a number of adverse impacts including the further isolation of the shopping centre from the rest of the CBD, the risk of more vacancies in the CBD, potential reduce the scale of retail in council’s Parramatta Square project and making it increasingly difficult for the CBD to retain and capture mid-range to high-range retailers.

The department commissioned an independent review of the economic impacts which concluded that “the retail expansion would not threaten the role, function, vitality or viability of any existing or planned centres as the result of the redirection of trade”.

“It is considered that the proposal is unlikely to have an unreasonable impact on other retail elements in the Parramatta CBD,” the department said.

“Overall, the department considers the site provides an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the growth of the Parramatta CBD.”

Construction times have not been announced.

Westfield, with approximately 115,000 square metres of retail space (GLA) has.28.3 million customer visits annually and an annual retail turnover of $707 million; the centre comprises approximately 70 per cent of retail space in the CBD.



editor

Publisher
Michael Walls
michael@accessnews.com.au
0407 783 413

Access News is a print and digital media publisher established over 15 years and based in Western Sydney, Australia. Our newspaper titles include the flagship publication, Western Sydney Express, which is a trusted source of information and for hundreds of thousands of decision makers, businesspeople and residents looking for insights into the people, projects, opportunities and networks that shape Australia's fastest growing region - Greater Western Sydney.