Castle Towers reveal plans for shopping village, performing arts centre
A booming shopping centre in Sydney’s north west has revealed more plans linked to its monstrous expansion. See what these include.
Hills Shire
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Developers behind the multimillion-dollar expansion of Castle Towers in Sydney’s northwest may be opening a new international food marketplace this week — but that hasn’t stopped them from forecasting future plans.
QIC has revealed a revitalised vision for the $1 billion redevelopment of the bustling retail centre in Castle Hill.
The revised development application, submitted to The Hills Council this week, features new plans to create a 300-seat performing arts centre neighbouring the Towers’ owned heritage precinct at Main St, Castle Hill, and modified plans for an outdoor village shopping precinct opposite the new Sydney Metro northwest station.
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QIC portfolio general manager, Ian Coltman, said a new development application for future stages of Castle Towers’ growth was submitted to council.
“A series of proposed, staged developments over a multi-year horizon will create a destination that embraces community gathering spaces and embodies the aspirations of The Hills community,” he said.
A Castle Towers planner said the new proposal includes a “major reconfiguration” of the southeast portion of Castle Towers Shopping Centre at the corner of Showground and Old Northern roads.
“The key feature of the reconfiguration is the creation of revitalised town square,” the planner said. “The town square is centred around a large open space — which provides a programmable space for the community capable of accommodating a variety of social and cultural activities.”
The expansion of the centre is earmarked to include a retail and dining precinct as well as commercial office space.
However the crowning jewel of the new plan is a 300-seat performing arts and civic centre at the heart of the space — earmarked to “hover” over the top of the town square and neighbour the heritage listed Castle Hill Public School building.
Developers also revised plans for the Village Square that will be developed across from the Sydney Metro northwest station and bus interchange.
“The ‘Village Square’ intertwines the core commercial, community and transportation activities of Castle Hill with Castle Towers, and serves to provide a memorable civic place,” the planner said.
“The ‘Village Square’ that defines the street edge will provide a range of dining, lifestyle and entertainment uses to activate and enliven the village.”
The proposal has also included the construction of a platform to house a series of six high rise residential, commercial and hotel towers proposed for the site — which the Hills Shire Times revealed in 2018 — to transform the Castle Towers Village Square into a 24-hour hub.