This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
MULPHA Australia has been given the go ahead to redevelop the Marketown Shopping Centre site in Norwest, delivering homes for more than 850 families, workspace for more than 3,000 workers and a new shopping, dining, recreation, and entertainment precinct.
Mulpha, the developer of Norwest Business Park, gained unanimous approval from The Hills Shite Council for the redevelopment of the 46,455sqm site at 4-6 Century Circuit, which is set to be transformed over the next 15 years.
“We want to make Norwest Marketown Shopping Centre not only the centre of Norwest, but also the beating heart of the community, a place residents, workers and visitors want to visit daily,” said Tim Spencer, head of development at Mulpha.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a welcoming, vibrant, connected centre for Norwest – to go places, connect with people, eat and drink, shop, do business and enjoy life. Community, connectivity, creativity and sustainability are at the heart of our vision for Norwest.”
The land, which sits adjacent to Norwest Boulevarde and the Norwest Metro Station, currently comprises the 2015-acquired Norwest Marketown Shopping Centre and adjoining lands including the Carlile Swimming Centre.
The precinct will eventually see a rich mix of retail, commercial, residential, hotel accommodation and community spaces, that are activated by pedestrian walkways, green spaces and civic public places. With more than 50% of the overall site to be dedicated to publicly accessible space.
“We are excited about delivering 6000sqm of waterfront parkland with direct frontage to Norwest Lake. The park connects to, and enhances, the foreshore walk around the lake, and, with an ideal northern orientation and fall towards the lake, will be an attractive place to gather all year round,” added Spencer.
“We have introduced the potential for a diversity of apartment types with sizes that are suitable for individuals as well as families, while ensuring density is concentrated in taller towers close to Norwest Metro Station. This ensures generous public spaces, connections and pathways, to make it a great community meeting place and transit hub.”
As well as enhancing employment of Norwest with the commercial space, the precinct will focus on education with a Community Facility and Library, Education and Innovation Hub.
With the plan supporting The Hills Shire Council’s Norwest Strategic Centre Precinct Plan, which forecasts significant growth for the Norwest Strategic Centre with 22,800 dwellings and 64,200 jobs by 2041.
“We look forward to collaborating with Council to ensure we achieve a great urban planning outcome for Norwest that will make it a highly sought after place to live, work and play,” said Spencer.
In June last year, Mulpha obtained the backing of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) with an $80 million green loan for its Norwest Quarter development in the Hills that will help cut energy costs by as much as 50 percent. The CEFC position is being matched by an $80 million green loan from ANZ.
