Chirnside Park shopping centre: Renovations going ahead, Target to stay

For those wondering what’s been happening with reno plans at this outer east mall and its major retailer Target, here’s the latest.

Chirnside Park shopping centre is still in line for a redevelopment. Picture: James Ross

Chirnside Park shopping centre renovations are still awhile away after management put a temporary hold on plans during Covid.

Centre owner GPT deferred the start of redevelopments across some of its Melbourne holdings during the pandemic including Chirnside Park.

Leader previously revealed a multimillion-dollar expansion of the Yarra Valley centre had been given the green light from Yarra Ranges Council in January 2018.

This comes as popular retailer Target confirmed its commitment to stay at the centre, despite other branch closures around the country.

A Target spokeswoman said there were no plans to close its Chirnside Park shop.

“We’ve been part of the community for 23 years and we’re committed to being a part of its bright future,” she said.

GPT has assured shoppers the two-storey redevelopment, which included 30 new shops, a second food court, childcare, office space and a medical centre, had not been dropped.

“A key focus for our retail team over the past year has been on creating the safest possible environments for customers who visit our centres and our retailers who continue to trade,” a spokesman said.

“We are continuing to finalise the plans for the redevelopment, and as market conditions continue to become more favourable we look forward to providing an update in due course.”

The centre is popular because of its variety of big names under one roof including Target and Kmart, as well as major supermarkets – Aldi, Coles and Woolworths.

Other retailers readers told Leader they wanted to see when renovations were finished at the centre include a range of fashion, homewares and food shops.

Names listed by shoppers were Sephora, Mecca, Big W, Priceline, Country Road, Seed, Witchery, Best & Less, Millers, Rockmans, Ferguson Plarre, Daniels Donuts, Lindt Cafe, Savers, Timezone, Riot, Cotton On Kids, Provincial, Adair’s, Pottery Barn,

Sean Bethell said he wanted to see the centre expand – “not just a face lift or renovations”.

“Make it bigger with more verity,” Mr Bethell said.

While Indayon Duron Colley said she wanted the centre to have all shops of Knox and Eastland so she didn’t have to go elsewhere.

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