Brandon Park Shopping Centre: Hotel, apartments planned for site

The owners of Brandon Park Shopping Centre have big plans for the rundown complex. See what’s being proposed.

Brandon Park centre management has assured shoppers the complex is staying open.

The owners of Brandon Park Shopping Centre want to build a hotel and apartments at the Mulgrave complex.

Monash Council Mayor Brian Little said the council had received three planning applications associated with the centre.

One of which provides for improvements to the existing shopping centre and loading docks in anticipation of a potential new tenant in the old Kmart tenancy and two which propose a hotel and apartments incorporated into the existing shopping centre, rebuilding the decked carpark near the corner of Ferntree Gully Rd and Brandon Park Drive.

“Council has no information there is any proposal to demolish the shopping centre,” he said.

“We are currently still awaiting further information from the applicant, but once this is received, we will undergo the usual process for planning applications.

“This will involve us publicly advertising the proposals and seeking community feedback, before the applications go to council for consideration.

It comes after a Brandon Park Shopping Centre “institution” shut its doors, as management moves to assure shoppers the centre is here to stay.

A shopper shared the news on Facebook that Muffin Break had closed at the Mulgrave centre’s food court, saying she would miss owner Derek and the opportunity to sit down and have a coffee in a quiet environment.

She said the store had been “an institution” and the place to go after an appointment or adventure out.

When Leader visited the centre, the store was boarded up, and is listed as permanently closed on Google.

There was also another vacant shop in the food court.

Muffin Break has been boarded up at Brandon Park.

Kmart is also set to close at the centre early next year, after 37 years at the site, leading to speculation about Brandon Park’s future.

But in a post online, centre management said: “Please be assured, Brandon Park Shopping Centre will remain open.

“We can confirm that Kmart will be closing its store in early January 2022 and appreciate many customers will be disappointed. We have, however, been actively working on repurposing the store to introduce a mix of new retailers.

“Over the past 12 months, we have successfully renewed leases with major tenants, including Coles and Aldi, which demonstrates their ongoing commitment to the centre.

“We have also secured a mix of new leases and lease renewals with key specialty tenants.

“In the coming months, we will welcome new tenants to the centre, each of which is aimed at fulfilling the current and future needs of Brandon Park’s loyal customers.”

Advertising signs at the centre indicated Sens Body and Mind Chinese massage is opening soon, with Chemist Warehouse also set to move in.

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