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Garden City to double floor space

Garden City to double floor space

Garden City shopping centre at Booragoon will become the retail heart of a restaurant, entertainment, commercial and higher-density residential precinct under plans endorsed by the WA Planning Commission.

An expansion to make the shopping centre WA's biggest is just one plank in a broader city centre overhaul that includes the development of a new high street and piazza, a revamped cinema complex and the introduction of small bars and restaurants intended to draw people to the area outside shopping hours.

The redevelopment would ultimately include high-density residential development, pedestrian links to Wireless Hill reserve and take retail floor space at Garden City from 60,000sqm to 120,000sqm.

A plan that includes recommendations on future zoning, development opportunities and land use has been approved by the City of Melville and the WAPC. However, it has been coolly received by the nearby City of Fremantle, which is concerned it could undermine other retail precincts, including in the port city.

AMP Capital, which owns Garden City and is driving the redevelopment, will need to submit a development application for the Garden City expansion, which it is expected to do this year. Work is expected to start in 2016.

A separate scheme amendment would also be required to change the underlying zoning of the land to implement some parts of the structure plan.

Melville mayor Russell Aubrey said the plan offered a blueprint for the city centre to transition from retail to mixed use.

"We have worked with the community, the owners of Garden City shopping centre, key landowners in the area and local residents to inspire a plan for a renewed centre that will become a great place to live, work, socialise and shop," he said.

AMP head of shopping centres Bryan Hynes said the approval was another step forward for the redevelopment of the centre.