Scentre Group seeks community feedback on plans to transform Westfield Belconnen

Scentre Group, the company behind Westfield, is seeking community feedback for a revamped shopping mall and town centre.

An artist's impression of the potential public space shows increased greenery, leisure areas and street facing retail.

Possible changes include plant-filled pedestrian pathways linking Margaret Timpson Park and Lathlain Street Precinct.

Scentre Group director of development Stewart White said the company was exploring opportunities to develop the space.

"We want to see Westfield Belconnen become a thriving destination that meets the future needs of our community - where people will gather to shop, dine, relax, live, learn and work in the years to come," he said.

"Understanding the needs and interests of our community is important to us and a fundamental first step in creating a vision of what this centre could look like and offer in the future.

"We've developed artist impressions to really demonstrate what's possible - including more green space, leisure areas, street-facing shops and dining, better transport and pedestrian connections, sustainability initiatives as well as higher buildings - consistent with what is allowed to be built on neighbouring blocks of land."

The company plans to lodge an application to the ACT government to allow the development to exceed its current four-storey height limit.

Belconnen Community Council chair Lachlan Butler said continuous consultation with residents would be vital in making sure the development was a success.

"The population is growing and that will increase the infrastructure that's required. It will increase the demand on some of the facilities and infrastructure that we have in Belconnen, especially at the town centre," he said.

"I think the important part is that the consultation is done right. Proposals that they have to match the community's expectations. Any attempts to improve access to public transport, access to green spaces that we have, is good."

However, he was concerned about new development impacting nature areas in the town centre.

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"Once once we lose our green spaces, you don't get them back. There is concern that with more and more development, the green space will slowly get eroded, or the quality of the green space will get eroded," he said.

The site covers 11.7 hectares and is the largest parcel of commercial-zoned land in the Belconnen town centre.

Scentre will be collecting feedback until November 30.

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