Westfield Southland

Westfield Southland is a large shopping centre in Cheltenham, in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs of Victoria, Australia. It opened in September 1968 as Southland Centre and later became known as Westfield Southland. The centre occupies approximately 129,180 square metres and has capacity for roughly 400 retailers, making it one of Australia's largest shopping complexes by floor area. Its tenant mix combines department stores, supermarkets, discount department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues and services. The original centre was developed on land with an earlier history as a farm, an ornamental English garden associated with artist Henrietta Maria Gulliver, and later part of a Methodist home for boys. Melbourne architects Tomkins, Shaw & Evans designed the shopping centre, drawing on their earlier experience with Westfield Miranda. At opening, Southland was a comparatively compact retail complex anchored by Myer and Safeway, with smaller shops, banks and cafés. Its early design included a rooftop garden and ceramic-tile murals featuring abstract artwork. The architectural quality of the project was recognised when the architects received the 1969 Victorian Architecture Medal. Southland expanded and changed substantially over subsequent decades. A first major expansion took place in 1987, while a Village Cinemas complex and food court were added in 1990. The rooftop garden was removed during redevelopment and replaced by additional retail space. The centre's most significant transformation occurred in the late 1990s, when Westfield pursued an extension across the Cheltenham market site on the opposite side of Nepean Highway. Planning approval was granted in 1993, demolition began in 1997, and construction started in 1998. The two parts of the complex were connected by a large retail and pedestrian bridge incorporating vehicular access, while the redevelopment also added parking, new anchors and specialty stores. The redevelopment opened in stages. The youth-oriented Street precinct opened in April 1999, the principal extension and bridge opened on 28 October 1999, and the overall project was completed on 5 May 2000 with the opening of a David Jones department store. The project was reported as costing approximately A$300 million, followed by further works costing about A$13 million for parking improvements, ramps and a large glazed section of the bridge. Southland subsequently developed into a regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Melbourne's south-east. The centre has been recognised in Victorian metropolitan planning as one of Melbourne's Principal Activity Centres. Transport access was a recurring planning issue because the centre was historically separated from the rail network and depended heavily on road access. The Victorian Government committed in 2015 to building a railway station at Southland; construction began in 2016 and Southland railway station opened in November 2017. The station improved public-transport access to the centre and reinforced its role as a major activity hub. Southland's retail offer has included Myer, David Jones, Harris Scarfe, Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Kmart, Target and Big W, alongside brands such as JB Hi-Fi, Sephora, Cotton On, Rebel Sport, Apple, Toymate and Best & Less. Entertainment facilities have included Village Cinemas, Timezone and Zone Bowling. The centre has also appeared in Australian popular culture: numerous scenes from the television comedy Kath & Kim were filmed there, with the complex standing in for the fictional Fountain Lakes shopping environment, and it has appeared in episodes of the ABC series Please Like Me. In 2016, the centre was reported to have generated annual turnover of A$857.9 million, according to Scentre Group reporting cited by reference material.

The site now occupied by Westfield Southland has a longer history than the shopping centre itself. It was formerly a farm and included an English garden designed by artist Henrietta Maria Gulliver, which became a local showplace. The land later formed part of a Methodist home for boys before being sold in 1966. Southland opened in September 1968 as Southland Centre. Tomkins, Shaw & Evans, the Melbourne architectural practice that had also designed Westfield Miranda, created the centre's original design. The opening complex was modest by contemporary standards, with a Myer department store, a Safeway supermarket and several dozen smaller retailers, banks and cafés. Its architecture was notable for a rooftop garden containing lawns, shrubs and trees, as well as abstract ceramic-tile murals in entrance corridors. The design received the 1969 Victorian Architecture Medal, at a time when shopping centres were judged partly on architectural quality and public amenity. Before the mid-1980s, the centre was owned by Myer. A first major expansion was completed in 1987, and a Village Cinemas complex and food court were developed in 1990. These changes increased the centre's retail and leisure role, although the rooftop garden was removed during early redevelopment and replaced by another level of stores. The largest transformation began with proposals to extend Southland onto the Cheltenham market site across Nepean Highway. In June 1991, Westfield developers began discussions with the City of Moorabbin about rezoning the approximately 60,000-square-metre market area. Early plans contemplated a mixed commercial and retail project, including an office tower, a two-level shopping centre and a bridge linking the new and existing facilities. Planning approval was granted by Victorian planning minister Rob Maclellan in June 1993. The plans were revised in December 1996 to improve car parking and vehicle access. The expanded scheme was intended to provide more than 400 stores over three levels. Demolition at the market site began in November 1997, and Victorian premier Jeff Kennett took part in the concrete-pouring ceremony in March 1998. The project linked the two sites with a wide multi-level bridge containing retail, pedestrian and vehicle functions, described in contemporary material as the largest structure of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. The redevelopment was staged. The Street, a youth-oriented mall, opened in April 1999. The new site and connecting bridge opened on 28 October 1999, while the complete redevelopment was finished on 5 May 2000 with David Jones as a new department-store anchor. Additional works costing about A$13 million added shaded parking areas, two car-park ramps and a large glazed section of the bridge with views toward Melbourne's central business district. From 2002, Southland was identified by the Victorian Government as one of Melbourne's 26 Principal Activity Centres under the Melbourne 2030 metropolitan strategy. Transport access remained a significant issue. Planning work in 2002 identified shortcomings in public-transport connections, and Public Transport Victoria's 2013 network plan recommended a railway station at Southland. The Victorian Government committed to the station in 2015; construction took place in 2016 and the station opened in November 2017. Today, Westfield Southland is a large regional retail and entertainment complex with approximately 129,180 square metres of floor area and about 400 retailers. Its tenant categories include department stores, supermarkets, discount department stores, fashion, technology, homewares, food and beverage, cinemas and family entertainment. The centre has also had a cultural profile through television productions. It served as a filming location for many scenes in Kath & Kim, where it represented the fictional Fountain Lakes shopping centre, and appeared in episodes of Please Like Me.

• 2017

  Southland railway station opens

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  The railway station serving the centre opened in November after construction began the previous year.

• 2015

  Railway station commitment

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  The Victorian Government committed to building a railway station to improve access to the shopping centre.

• 2002

  Recognised as a Principal Activity Centre

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  Southland was included among Melbourne's 26 Principal Activity Centres under the Melbourne 2030 strategy.

• 2000

  Major redevelopment completed

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  The approximately A$300 million redevelopment was completed on 5 May with the opening of David Jones.

• 1999

  Redevelopment opens in stages

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  The Street opened in April, followed by the new site and connecting retail bridge on 28 October.

• 1997

  Extension-site demolition begins

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  Demolition began at the Cheltenham market site in preparation for the major redevelopment.

• 1993

  Extension receives planning approval

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  Planning approval was granted for a major extension involving the Cheltenham market site and a link across Nepean Highway.

• 1990

  Cinema and food court added

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  A Village Cinemas complex and food court were developed as part of the centre's continuing modernization.

• 1987

  First major expansion

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  Southland underwent its first major expansion, increasing its retail capacity.

• 1969

  Architectural medal awarded

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  Tomkins, Shaw & Evans received the Victorian Architecture Medal for the centre's design.

• 1968

  Southland Centre opens

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  Southland opened in September with Myer, Safeway and a group of smaller retailers and services.

• 1966

  Development site sold

  [1]Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org

  The land, previously associated with a farm, ornamental garden and Methodist home for boys, was sold before development of the shopping centre.

A major regional shopping, dining and entertainment destination serving Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, combining department stores, supermarkets, specialty retail, leisure and transport access.

• Retail · 1968

  Department-store retail

  Southland's department-store offer has included major Australian anchors such as Myer and David Jones, supported historically by Harris Scarfe. These stores provide broad ranges spanning fashion, beauty, homewares, electrical goods and seasonal merchandise, and have been central to the centre's role as a regional shopping destination.

• Retail · 1968

  Supermarkets and discount department stores

  The centre has accommodated major grocery and general-merchandise operators including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Kmart, Target and Big W. This combination gives Southland a frequent-needs shopping function in addition to discretionary fashion, technology and lifestyle retail.

• Retail · 1968

  Specialty retail precinct

  Approximately 400 tenants have included specialty retailers such as JB Hi-Fi, Sephora, Cotton On, Rebel Sport, Apple, Toymate and Best & Less. The mix covers consumer electronics, beauty, apparel, sport, toys and everyday household needs.

• Entertainment · 1990

  Cinema and entertainment

  Entertainment has been an important part of Southland's offer since the 1990 Village Cinemas development. The wider complex has also included family-oriented venues such as Timezone and Zone Bowling, complementing dining and retail visits.

• 1999

  Staged opening of the expanded SouthlandGeneration change

  Background

  The redevelopment was intended to transform Southland from a comparatively constrained centre into a multi-level regional complex.

  Action taken

  The Street, the new extension and the connecting retail bridge opened in stages, with new anchors and specialty stores added.

  Aftermath

  The expanded centre exceeded 400 stores and was fully completed in May 2000.

  Redevelopment cost. Approximately A$300 million (1990s redevelopment, completed 2000)

  Source

• 1991

  Pursuit of cross-highway expansionStrategy

  Background

  The existing centre had limited room for further development, prompting Westfield to explore rezoning the Cheltenham market site across Nepean Highway.

  Action taken

  Westfield proposed a major extension with new retail space, improved parking and a substantial bridge linking the two sites.

  Aftermath

  The proposal received planning approval in 1993 and ultimately produced the late-1990s redevelopment completed in 2000.

  Source

1. 1Westfield Southlanden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Westfield Southland official websitewestfield.com.au