Castlecrag shop owner speaks out over $71m plan to redevelop shopping village

A well-known shop owner fears her decades-old business will be forced to close after multimillion-dollar plans were released to redevelop a north shore shopping village. See the vision here.

A concept image of the development, viewed from the corner of Edinburgh Rd and Eastern Valley Way.

A Castlecrag shop owner fears her 40 year old business will be forced to close after multimillion dollar plans were released to redevelop a north shore shopping village.

New plans have been released to demolish the Quadrangle Shopping Village in Castlecrag to make way for a new supermarket, shops and 38 apartments.

The $70.6 million development would stand five-storeys tall and include 159 carparks. One of the 38 apartments would be offered as “affordable housing” as part of the development.

The proposal, which was lodged to Willoughby Council last week, is the latest attempt at redeveloping the 100 Edinburgh Rd site after previous plans were met with opposition from some local residents due to concerns over height and heritage impacts.

In the last 12 months, there has also been concern over the closure of several businesses at the shopping village including IGA and Australia Post which relocated from the site earlier this year.

Development plans show the existing shopping village would be demolished as part of the proposal.

Mary Bognar, who has run Castlecrag Pharmacy at the shopping village for 40 years, is a remaining tenant but fears she will soon be forced to close the shop’s doors for good.

Ms Bognar said had “no idea” the development application had been lodged for the site.

“I’ve been here 40 years and I don’t know what I’ll do once my lease expires at the end of August – there’s no surety we’ll be able to have it renewed,” she said.

Mary Bognar has been working at the pharmacy in Castlecrag for 40 years.

“It’s a terrible situation to be in because I know everybody in the community, I know the names of all my customers, the names of their children and their dogs. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

The plans by developer Luxcon Pty Ltd recognised the site is an “important part of Castlecrag” but stated the proposed redevelopment would revive the ageing shopping centre and meet demand for new housing in the local area.

The current shopping village would be demolished as part of the redevelopment.

Luxcon Pty Ltd was contacted for further comment about the develpment plan but did not respond to questions at the time of publication.

The proposal comes after Willoughby Council developed changes to local planning controls for the site which supports adding residential units to the current site.

Local resident groups have previously argued the redevelopment could cause impacts on the heritage value of the town centre which was designed in the early 1900s by prominent architect Walter Burley Griffin.

The development includes 38 apartments.

Development plans stated the “the design intent of the proposal draws on the history of the area and in particular the Walter Burley Griffin” layout of the suburb.

“The introduction of residential units diversifies housing choices, allowing a broader range of people to enjoy Castlecrag,” a planner for the project said.

Other features of the proposal include new landscaping works and pedestrian links.

The plans have been lodged to Willoughby Council and will be assessed by the Sydney North Planning Panel.