Woolworths has begun work on a new $30 million shopping centre development in Chatswood East. The new neighbourhood shopping centre promises to bring significant employment opportunities to the local community with 150 jobs during construction and approximately 100 ongoing jobs when the centre opens in 2022.
Located at 17 Smith Street, Chatswood, the new development will be home to more than 4,000m2 of retail space including a full-line modern Woolworths Supermarket and online Drive Thru, Pick Up facility, BWS, specialty tenancies and parking for more than 200 cars.
A ceremonial sod turning marked the official start of construction, attended by Mayor of Willoughby, Gail Giles-Gidney, Federal Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher MP and Woolworths General Manager Property Development, Andrew Loveday.
Andrew Loveday said: “The Chatswood East development is an important part of our ongoing commitment to investing in the Lower North Shore of Sydney – and across New South Wales – to support jobs growth and increasing demand for more localised, neighbourhood retail close to where residents live and work.
Woolworths Chatswood East Sod-Turning Ceremony. Photo shows (l-r) Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney, Mayor of Willoughby Council, Woolworths General Manager Property Development, Andrew Loveday and Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield (19th May 2021). Photograph: Dallas Kilponen/Woolworths
“We understand the key role our shopping centres can play in the day-to-day lives of local residents and the location of this centre within an important employment precinct means workers will be able to grab a bite to eat at lunch or pick up groceries on their way home without having too far to travel,” said Loveday.
“On completion, Woolworths Chatswood East Neighbourhood Shopping Centre will become a high quality and convenient shopping destination – particularly for residents in the Castle Cove, Roseville and Willoughby catchments whom currently have to drive to Chatswood CBD and Northbridge to meet their shopping needs.”
Federal Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher said: “I welcome this significant investment at a time when our economy is recovering from a COVID recession, and it is pleasing to see that there will be improvements to local transport infrastructure as part of this project.
“This new shopping centre will become a valued community resource for my constituents and others living on the North Shore.”
Woolworths Chatswood East Sod-Turning Ceremony. Photograph: Dallas Kilponen/Woolworths
To support the project, Woolworths will undertake significant road and public transport upgrades at the intersection of Smith Street and Eastern Valley Way, including a new bus bay on Eastern Valley Way to improve traffic flows and access into the shopping centre. The works will also include a new shared pedestrian and cycleway that forms part of Willoughby City Council’s Castle Cove to Chatswood Bicycle Route Improvement Plan.
Loveday concluded: “We’re confident we can deliver local residents a modern convenient shopping centre and supermarket that will meet their needs well into the future. We look forward to welcoming customers into our store mid-2022.”
