Approved by the Whitehorse City Council last week, the project will regenerate the former brickworks site and include a diverse range of 700 new homes, as well as a 12,700sqm retail centre and 2.5 hectares of open green space. As part of this commitment, two large public spaces will connect the surrounding area with the shopping centre’s civic plaza.

Melbourne-based Hacer Group have been appointed to build the community’s new shopping centre, which will be anchored by Woolworths and a proposed Dan Murphy’s.

Artist’s impression of the sustainable shopping centre
Artist’s impression of the sustainable shopping centre (Image: Frasers Property Australia)

General Manager of Residential Victoria at Frasers Property Australia, Sarah Bloom, suggested that approval for the project had taken so long because “of the complexity of what we want to achieve at Burwood Brickworks.”

“This project exemplifies everything we stand for: building sustainable, liveable communities that promote the long-term health and wellbeing of our residents and, especially in the case of Burwood Brickworks, for visitors too.”

The green shopping centre is expected to be a major drawcard for catchment of 100,000 people, propped up by a cinema, child care centre, medical centre, health and fitness operators proposed in the tenant mix.

The project will become the first development in the world to achieve Living Building Challenge certification by generating more energy than it consumes, in addition to achieving a 6 Star Green Star rating.

“We will demonstrate that developing a net positive sustainable shopping centre – one that gives more than it takes from its environment – is not only commercially viable, but preferable,” says Mr Peri Macdonald, Executive General Manager of Retail at Frasers Property Australia.

Artist’s impression of the rooftop urban farm and co-located restaurant/café/event space
Artist’s impression of the rooftop urban farm and co-located restaurant/café/event space (Image: Frasers Property Australia)

Frasers Property have stated that they are taking an open-minded approach to the retail mix, and want to hear from “new and innovative” specialty retailers which “fit the dining, entertainment and leisure focus for the centre.”

“The visitor experience is a key consideration and this means an engaging mix of retailers and a vibrant dining precinct in the most comfortable environment imaginable,” Mr Macdonald says.

Food and beverage operators are offered tenancies between 25sqm and 300sqm, whilst over 50 responses have been received for the operation of the centre’s rooftop urban farm alone. In total, the project will create 3000 jobs, including 700 on-going jobs in the shopping centre itself.

Burwood Brickworks’ first residential lots are expected to be completed in late 2020, with the retail centre expected to be completed by late 2019.

Frasers Property Australia will regenerate the brickworks site with 2.5 hectares of parkland
Frasers Property Australia will regenerate the brickworks site with 2.5 hectares of parkland (Image: Frasers Property Australia)

Cover Image: Frasers Property Australia