Westfield Whitford City
| Location | Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°47′50″S 115°45′00″E / 31.79722°S 115.75000°ECoordinates: 31°47′50″S 115°45′00″E / 31.79722°S 115.75000°E |
| Opening date | 21 March 1978 |
| Management | Scentre Group |
| Owner | Scentre Group |
| No. of stores and services | 299 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 |
| Total retail floor area | 76,463 m2 |
| No. of floors | 1 |
| Parking | 4165 |
| Website | westfield.com.au/whitfordcity |
Westfield Whitford City is a major shopping centre, owned by the Westfield Group and located in Hillarys, a suburb of Perth. It is bordered to the West by St. Mark's Anglican Community School, built on the former Red Cattle Ridge site. It is located approximately 18 kilometres north west of the Perth CBD on Marmion Avenue. In 2006, it had an annual turnover of A$395.4 million and approximately 7.2 million customer visits. The trade area population is about 224,410 and the total retail spending in trade area A$2.3 billion.
History and development
Whitford City opened on 21 March 1978, and is currently the largest single level shopping centre in Perth's northern suburbs. Whitford City is Perth's largest shopping centre without a flagship department store, such as a Myer, David Jones, or Harris Scarfe store. However former department store chain Aherns did have an outlet there until 1985. Currently Whitford City is home to over 240 specialty stores. Whitford City has been officially part of the Westfield Group since 2004. As of July 2014, the Westfield Group became two companies Scentre Group and Westfield Corporation. The centre is now owned and managed by Scentre Group.[1]
Redevelopments
While Westfield Whitford City has been gradually upgraded over the years, the most extensive development occurred between 2002 and 2004, with the area being expanded to about twice of its original size. Over 100 new stores have been added to the centre, including the relocation of Woolworths to the far west of the centre, a new fresh food mall, a new Best & Less store and a new restaurant precinct called The Piazza, which is located on top of the Dampier Avenue entrance. Upon completion, the centre was re-branded as part of the Westfield Shopping Centre Group. Prior to this a Greater Union, currently a Grand Cinema complex and the now closed Intencity video arcade were developed in 1996.
Future
David Jones announced on 25 November 2008 that they would be opening a 13,500 m2 (145,000 sq ft) two-level store within the centre complex in early 2012 as part of a $200 million redevelopment of Westfield where the store will be the only department store. According to initial development plans presented by the company, the store will be located in a reconfigured space where Progressive IGA currently exists and the area surrounding the existing Big W would be reconfigured. When David Jones opened, it would have had the second highest growth of any store in the portfolio with department store-type merchandise growing at around 6.1% per annum. The centre Moving Annual Turnover has been increasing at 12.5% per annum and as a result now has the third-highest MAT in Western Australia after Garden City, Booragoon and Westfield Carousel.[2]
As part of new state government requirements, an Activity Centre Structure Plan was prepared for the centre by planning and design firm Hames Sharley. The plan will facilitate approval of the expansion; however, was refused by the City of Joondalup. Westfield is appealing this refusal. In 2016 it was seen that Westfield Whitford City has photos of an revamped al fresco. David Jones Limited will be opening again and construction will start in November or December 2016. Since David Jones Limited did not open in 2012, people were given a new Coles Supermarket replacing the Progressive Supa IGA in mid 2013. It is possible of it opening sometime early 2018 or late 2017.
Transport
The centre is bounded by the major roads of Marmion Avenue and Whitfords Avenue in Hillarys. Bus routes 460, 461 and 462 also service the centre from the Whitfords railway station and Joondalup railway station.
Images
The sign of Westfield Whitford City.
The entrance of Westfield Whitford City.
The interior of Westfield Whitford City, where the Target department store is at the end.
Action supermarket in Westfield Whitford City.
The food court in Westfield Whitford City.
The Piazza in Westfield Whitford City.
References
- ↑ Condon, Turi (20 June 2014). "Westfield restructure a success: Lowy". The Australian Business Review. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
- ↑ http://www.davidjones.com.au/images/corp/pdf/New_&_Refurbished_Stores_Slides.pdf