Westfield trims plans for Newmarket mall

Australian shopping centre owner Westfield has bowed to community opposition in Newmarket, substantially scaling back its planned mall there and possibly spending $150 million less than planned.

The mall's height has been reduced from the planned 11 levels to only two or three, the controversial 25m long multi-storey airbridge over Nuffield St has been abandoned, and a community consultation room has been established.

The number of shops planned has been reduced from more than 200 to just 160, carparks are down from 3000 to 2500, and floor area down from 65,000 square metres to 45,000 sq m.

But opponents remain dissatisfied, saying the existing shopping strip will be threatened and traffic jams made much worse by any new mall.

The revised designs will only be finalised after "extensive community consultation", according to Westfield New Zealand director John Widdup who says this could take about three months.

Plans shown by Westfield in its new consultation room reveal that the focus of the mall has been entirely changed, no longer an internal-facing structure but instead facing onto Nuffield St as "an important, people-friendly space, enlivened with entertainment and cafes", Mr Widdup said.

Westfield has set up the Nuffield Street Development Centre in ground floor offices in the former Mercury Energy Building, near the corner of Nuffield St and Remuera Rd.

People are being asked to visit it and let Westfield know what they think about the mall proposal.

Last year, Westfield announced plans to spend $450 million on its Newmarket mall, to be more than twice as large as St Lukes.