Sunbury is set for a major retail overhaul, with a large development in the south of the town hitting the market.
The development is planned for a parcel of land between Sunbury and Redstone Hill roads – at the gateway to Villawood’s Redstone Estate.
Star Weekly understands that the site is approximately four kilometres from the Sunbury CBD, will contain approximately 25,000 square metres of retail space, and will service the southern and eastern parts of the Sunbury township.
On real estate firm Stonebridge Property Group’s website the announcement of the development hitting the market originally referred to it as the Sunbury Town Centre – but the headline of the article and wording in the attached image was changed to Sunbury South Town Centre.
Redstone Sunbury resident Johnrey Baraceros said that he was excited at the prospect of having a retail centre within walking distance of his home.
“I guess also having something matching the energy of the estate as well, so having a lot of new houses in the area, a revitalised town centre is something we’re excited about,” Mr Baraceros said.
“We feel like the town centre will bring a lot of people, especially from the new developments, together and, hopefully, the people who [have lived] in Sunbury for years and years start to see the plus sides of having these amenities as well.”
Not all Sunbury residents are excited about the plan, however – including resident Lillian Sam, who finds the development “concerning.”
“It doesn’t fit with the character of the town, the character of the surrounds. The more people you accumulate in the one area, the more problems you have,” Ms Sam said.
Speaking to Star Weekly before the wording on Stonebridge’s website was updated, Ms Sam said the original Sunbury Town Centre name was “confusing,” and was worried it would be especially so for new Sunbury residents.
In response to the original name, Hume Mayor Jarrod Bell said that Sunbury “is a very proud town, with the heart of the town centre being O’Shannassy, Evans and Brooks streets.”
“Council agrees that marketing a commercial centre as the ‘Sunbury Town Centre’ is confusing and understands that this site is not intended to replace the existing town centre in Sunbury,” Cr Bell said.
He said that as a growth council, Hume welcomed “new developments, shopping centres and essential services for our expanding communities including the proposed commercial opportunity within the Redstone Estate in Sunbury South.”
Stonebridge Property Group was contacted for comment.
