The two largest malls in Sydney are being renovated at an alarming rate and in a bid to keep up with the demand, the city has decided to phase out all existing stores and close all existing retail spaces.
The City of Sydney has also announced plans to build a large new shopping mall in the area, but it is unclear whether the project will be built by the end of the year.
The redevelopment of Katy Mills Mall, which has been open since 1997, has been plagued by a number of issues including a lack of parking, lack of street parking and a lacklustre public space.
The city is also keen to get rid of the old shopping centre at Eastridge mall in Sydney’s west, which is slated to be demolished in 2021.
The project will include the demolition of the former Town Hall and a new retail space.
Ahead of the planned redevelopment, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the city’s planning department is currently in the final stages of preparing a draft environmental impact statement for the project.
A number of factors including the amount of land that the redevelopment would use, how much traffic it would create and how many retail outlets it would require have been discussed, the report added.
The move will see the city move away from a traditional suburban-style approach, which saw the former Mall of Australia close in 2011.
Katy Mills Mall is located in the northern suburb of Eastridge and was opened in 1997.