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Westfield West Lakes could undergo one of the biggest transformations in its history, with plans progressing to unlock up to 2,000 new homes around the existing shopping centre.
The South Australian Government has commenced the rezoning process for a major mixed-use redevelopment of the site, which could see large areas of underutilised land and ground-level car parking replaced by medium and high-density apartments.
The existing Westfield West Lakes shopping centre would continue to trade and could also expand as part of the longer-term vision.
The West Lakes Strategic Infill Code Amendment will investigate changes to planning rules across the site, including potential building heights of around 20 storeys.
Importantly, the announcement marks the beginning of the rezoning process rather than approval for the redevelopment itself, with investigations, community engagement and formal public consultation still to come.
The government says the location is particularly suited to higher-density housing because of its existing transport links and infrastructure.
Westfield West Lakes sits alongside the West Lakes Bus Interchange, with regular services into the Adelaide CBD, connections to the rail network and links to Adelaide’s cycling network and Coast Park.
The shopping centre currently spans more than 71,000 square metres and has 3,909 car parks, with road access from Brebner Drive and Turner Drive.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said increasing housing density in established locations was an important part of Adelaide’s future growth.
“This is what sensible, strategic development in exactly the right place looks like,” the Premier said.
“We have been clear that Adelaide must grow up in the right locations as well as out in the right locations.”
The proposal also comes as significant employment growth is expected on the nearby LeFevre Peninsula through the AUKUS submarine program, increasing demand for housing across Adelaide’s western suburbs.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Nick Champion said the shopping centre site already had much of the infrastructure required to support a larger residential population.
“Homes above the shops, on a site that already has the roads, the buses, the car parking, amenity and the community services to support them. This plan makes sense,” he said.
Westfield owner and operator Scentre Group is pursuing similar mixed-use developments across several of its Australian shopping centre sites.
Scentre Group CEO Elliott Rusanow said its long-term vision was to introduce new housing while improving the public spaces, connections and amenities surrounding Westfield West Lakes.
The Code Amendment would retain the site within its existing Urban Activity Centre Zone while investigating increased maximum building heights and potentially creating a new subzone allowing standalone residential development in parts of the precinct.
Investigations and stakeholder engagement will now take place before a draft Code Amendment is released for formal public consultation.
