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Westfield Doncaster (sometimes referred to as 'Shoppo' or simply 'Doncaster') is a shopping centre 50% owned by the Westfield Group and 50% owned by LaSalle Investment Management (as of August 2007) located in Doncaster, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located on the corner of Williamsons Road and Doncaster Road in the Doncaster Hill precinct, an ongoing planning initiative by the local Manningham council.

Located 20 minutes east from the central business district of Melbourne, plans were approved in 2004 for a long-delayed major redevelopment that was seen as a major boost to the Doncaster Hill strategy.

History

Westfield Doncaster officially opened on September 30, 1969. The original $12-million centre consisted of the four storey Myer building at the north end, two levels of shops running along the west side to the then white eight-storey office tower. On the east side the two layers of shops turned into one layer. Coles New World was where the food court later opened.

In the early 1980s the centre was extended south with two single-storey rows of shops, Kmart, Coles and Village Cinemas. A major redevelopment completed in 1992 saw the centre expand further. A second level of shops was added to the south end including Franklins and a fresh food court above Coles and Kmart. Outside, the colours were a jarring Californian design and local protests saw Westfield alter the image in line with local tastes.

Revitalisation

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Preliminary works at the centre from September to December, 2006 provided a platform for the main construction works that commenced on January 15, 2007. By October 2008 the centre will be double the previous size, costing approximately $600 million. It will feature more than 200 new retailers (for a total around 400), a Village Cinemas complex and dining areas that take advantage of the site’s elevated views towards the city skyline. The works required the closure of around 100 stores during 2007 and early 2008, with Myer the only major store remaining open throughout the project.

Due to the project, Kmart closed and will be replaced in the Centre by Target. Coles and Safeway closed in January 2007 and both re-opened on 10 April 2008. Target and Big W are expected to open in July 2008. The Village Twin Cinemas on Williamsons Road were demolished in September 2006 to make way for a multi-level car park, with new cinemas to be built above.

Arrivals include a new David Jones department store, a Big W discount department store and the new Target store - all in the second half of 2008. Other features include new electrical stores, Dick Smith Electronics and JB Hi-Fi, which are both now open, expanded dining areas including rooftop restaurants and gourmet fresh food shops. The Village Cinemas complex on the rooftop level will include Gold Class cinemas. The centre will also have improved access, mostly undercover parking and new landscaping.

On April 10 2008 the first stage opening saw a much-larger Coles supermarket (latest format) and Safeway supermarket return to their old locations at the south (Doncaster Rd) end, alongside 70-plus other new and returning retailers. Some retailers are opening their first stores, including Jones The Grocer, which will open its first Melbourne store, OxFam opening its first food store and That Store. Many other stores have relocated to the new precinct or to other positions in the centre and stores that were gone throughout the revitalisation have returned.

Westfield doncaster also introduced a new service called Westfield Butler. This service is for people who don't have the time to do shopping themselves. A group of six butlers will do different tasks, from grocery shopping, to planning weddings or functions. And you can get delivery. Unfortunately, the service does not come cheap, you will be charged 20 percent of the total cost or 10 dollars a delivery.

Big W will open in July 2008 on the second floor at the east side of the centre near where David Jones will be opening in October, to the east of Myer. Underneath the Big W location, the new Target will open (July 2008) on the 1st level. Most previous food court operators closed in late January 2007. The new dining area with around 900-seat capacity will open in July 2008 in a new location overlooking the corner of Doncaster and Williamsons Rds.

In February 2008 a temporary bus interchange opened closer to Willamsons Road. This was to make way for changes to the centre entrance and an upgraded bus interchange. Within the existing centre, new marble flooring is being laid as part of an overhaul that will include new lighting, furniture and amenities. Myer is also set to commence a refurbishment in April. Glazing on the exterior of the centre facing Doncaster and Williamsons Roads is near-complete.

Retailers and layout

The shopping centre is a single rectangular-shaped building with two individual levels that span most of the length of the complex. Major retailers were previosly located on either end of the centre, but now are located in various locations.These retailers include:

• Myer department store will close for refurbishment in April 2008
• David Jones department store Opening October 2008
• Safeway supermarket
• Coles supermarket
• Target department store opening in July 2008
• Big W department store Opening July 2008
• Village Cinemas 9 cinemas including Gold Class Opening October 2008
• JB Hi-Fi electrical
• Dick Smith Electronics

Pre late 2006, the shopping complex featured a public library (now permanently relocated to the Manningham Council precinct), bus interchange, office tower and a 600-seat food court (temporarily closed and to relocate as part of the current expansion project to a bigger and better area).

Approximately 200 retailers shared 55,777m² of lettable area, with an annual turnover of $335.8 million (2004 figure). Roughly nine million customers visited the shopping complex pre-2006. The trade area population in surrounding suburbs is 343,330, with combined retail spending of around $3.8 billion.

Transport

There were 3,500 car parking spaces, with the majority surface car park variety. The site also had multi-storey and rooftop parking. Due to the current (2007-08) renovations, on-site parking has been heavily restricted.

The bus interchange off Williamsons Road acts as a major hub for transport activity in the Doncaster district. Situated between two rail lines, the only public transport to Westfield Doncaster is bus services. Westfield Doncaster is served by school routes (155 & 159), services linking it to the Melbourne CBD (200 201 205 203 207 305 & 307) Route 291 which is part of the Red Orbital SmartBus, as well as to local City of Manningham areas (279 283 284 285 289 293 295 364 and 365).

Throughout the 1970s the Doncaster line was mooted to run down the middle of the Eastern Freeway, with a station at Westfield Doncaster. By 1984 land for the line once it left the freeway had been sold, and by 1991 an independent report investigating construction of the line recommended against it due to the high cost of underground construction. Various plans have also been made for extension of the Balwyn North route 48 tram north to Doncaster.

See also

• List of shopping centres in Australia

References

1. ^ "Westfield Doncaster: About The Project". westfield.com. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
2. "Westfield Doncaster: Regeneration". westfield.com. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
3. according to Manningham Leader, Wednesday 9 April, 2008
4. New breed of servants in suburbs Herald Sun
5. Westfield - Doncaster
6. Stephen Cauchi (1998). "Whatever Happened to the Proposed Railway to Doncaster East". Newsrail. 26 (2). Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): page 40-44. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
7. Russell, E.W. (July 1991). On the Right Track... Freeways or Better Public Transport for Melbourne's East. pp. page 64. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
8. "The Age - 'Rail line would replace 10,000 cars' - [[October 18]], [[2006]]". Retrieved 2007-07-30. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)

External links

• Official Website
• Official Website of the New Precinct
• Doncaster Hill 20 year strategy

• Shopping centres in Australia
• Shopping centres in Melbourne