Castle Towers: Expansion plans of shopping centre withdrawn, due to coronavirus

A $1 billion dollar redevelopment of Castle Towers in Sydney’s northwest has been shelved. While indications have been given as to why this is the case, there is also reason to believe expansion plans aren’t forever scrapped.

A bird's eye view of the $1 billion redevelopment of Castle Towers, which will now feature a 300-seat performing arts centre and dozens of new retailers. Picture: Supplied

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A massive billion dollar expansion plan for Castle Towers has been withdrawn by developer QIC.

The $1 billion dollar redevelopment submitted to Hills Shire Council in November 2019 featured plans to create a 300-seat performing arts centre neighbouring the Towers’ owned heritage precinct at Main St, Castle Hill and an outdoor village shopping precinct opposite the new Metro northwest station.

An artist impression of the state-of-the-art performing arts centre earmarked for Castle Towers. Picture: Supplied

According to planning documents a key feature of the development was the creation of a town square at the corner of Old Northern Road and Showground Road described at as “hub for the community where a variety of social and cultural activities can take place”.

The crowning jewel of the plans was the performing arts centre at the southern end of the town square which would be “iconic” and hover over the town square and neighbour the heritage listed Castle Hill Public School building.

An artist impression of the Town Square in the $1billion dollar redevelopment of Castle Towers. Picture: Supplied

Developers also revised “The Village” square opposite the northwest Sydney metro train station which would offer a range of “dining, lifestyle and entertainment uses to activate and enliven the village”.

But the plans were withdrawn this week with QIC advising council it “wishes to reduce the size of the proposed development and possibly amend the staging works”.

Cameron McKenzie, group manager for compliance at Hills Shire Council in a letter to councillors wrote “their reconsideration arises as least in part from COVID 19 and its future impact on the retail environment”.

Hills councillor Tony Hay described the withdrawal as “disappointing”.

“For over a decade discussions and planning for the Castle Hill town centre have been ongoing with Council and State Government largely predicated upon the upgrade, extension and refurbishment of the shopping centre as proposed by QIC,” he said.

But in a statement to the Hills Shire Times Castle Towers Centre Manager Eddie Paynter confirmed that QIC planned to “resubmit” a DA plan for Castle Towers down the track.

“We remain committed to transforming Castle Towers, over a multi-year horizon, into a Town Centre, that integrates everyday experiences and fulfils our community’s whole life-needs, and this refined DA reflects our plan to deliver this in a responsible manner which minimises impacts for the centre and local community,” he said.