The highly anticipated $750 million redevelopment of Perth’s Garden City shopping centre, now known as Westfield Booragoon, has hit another major roadblock, with work on the project officially stalled due to ongoing economic and industry challenges.
The ambitious project, initially unveiled several years ago, was set to transform the Booragoon precinct by increasing the centre’s size by nearly 70 per cent — from 72,000 square metres to approximately 120,000 square metres — and nearly doubling its number of stores to 370.
Plans included a new cinema complex, two full-line supermarkets, major international retailers, and a vibrant dining and entertainment precinct, positioning the centre as one of Western Australia’s premier retail destinations.
However, the redevelopment has faced repeated delays.
The original construction start date, scheduled for early 2019, was pushed back multiple times as negotiations between owner AMP Capital and builder Scentre Group stalled over pricing and contract terms.
Tensions were heightened by challenging retail conditions, with many shopkeepers at Garden City already feeling the strain of Western Australia’s broader retail downturn.
In recent developments, Scentre Group, which had been leading pre-construction efforts, was directed to suspend all work on the project.
Staff have been relocated or made redundant, and engineering drawings were seen discarded outside the now-abandoned site office.
AMP Capital has declined to comment on whether the project has been permanently shelved, but confirmed that Scentre Group’s services are no longer required “at this point in time”.
The latest blow comes as the Western Australian Planning Commission recently approved a four-year extension on the commencement deadline, now pushing the potential start of construction out to February 2029.
Scentre Group cited ongoing labour shortages and supply chain disruptions as key factors behind the request for more time, stating that these “extenuating circumstances” have made it impossible to proceed as originally planned.
Despite the setbacks, developers maintain that the vision for Westfield Booragoon remains alive, emphasising their commitment to eventually delivering a contemporary retail, dining, and entertainment hub for the community.
For now, however, the $750 million transformation remains on hold, leaving local shoppers and businesses waiting for a much-needed boost.
