Plans for $17m Emerton shops upgrade moving ahead
Residents have long feared plans had stalled, but the ball is once again rolling on the revamp of Emerton shops.
Blacktown
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Plans to revamp the rundown Emerton Village Shopping Centre are moving again.
A pitch from the supermarket giant to upgrade the centre was approved by Blacktown Council in March, with modified plans submitted last month now awaiting the final tick.
If approved, the 45-year-old centre on Jersey Rd would be partially demolished to make way for the redevelopment. Two brick buildings on the site, which were formerly a fast-food outlet and a community building, would be knocked down.
The plans will revamp the existing Woolworths supermarket, surrounding retail space, carpark and mezzanine level with fresh signage and exteriors.
Residents feared the plans had stalled while Woolworths amended the original plans.
The modified plans look to reconfigure the carpark layout and to modify exterior finishes and the shopping centre layout.
The long-awaited upgrades are expected to delight shoppers who have been calling for a revamp to the rundown centre for years.
However, some shopkeepers say they have been left in the dark.
One shopkeeper, who did not wish to be named, said the plans would force them out of business.
“We have the option to lease another shop and come back, but it’s not worth doing as it is going to cost us $150-180,000,” they said.
“I have to walk away. If it wasn’t so expensive, I would come back.
“It’s my livelihood, it’s the community shopping centre. It could’ve been handled another way.”
Tenants who are not on a lease are expected to be located to another part of the shopping centre while the works take place. Meanwhile, tenants not on a lease have been asked to renegotiate a new lease once the upgrades are complete.
A Woolworths spokesman said the tenants had been kept informed about the proposed upgrades.
“Over the past 12 months we’ve been refining our plans for the centre and recently lodged a modification to our development application as a result of some minor changes to our original plans,” the spokesman said.
“During this time we have been working closely with tenants to provide regular updates and timelines so they can make the appropriate arrangements during the proposed works.”
The spokesman said the plans sought to “better meet the needs” of the Emerton community.
“Our redevelopment plan for Emerton Village Shopping Centre aims to create a safe, vibrant and convenient location that will better meet the needs of the Emerton community now and into the future,” he said.
“If approved, our plans will bring significant employment opportunities and economic growth to the suburb, injecting more than $20 million investment in the area.”
Mayor and Ward 5 councillor Tony Bleasdale welcomed the development but said it needed to be in the best interests of the existing tenants and the wider community.
“We would hope that the shopping centre can be refurbished and regenerated,” Cr Bleasdale said.
“Certainly the community in Emerton and other surrounding areas would welcome it.
“It was at one point a thriving shopping centre and I’m confident that with the right investment it can be the same again.”