Stockland is proposing to add an eight-screen cinema, leisure and entertainment complex to its $372 million redevelopment and expansion of Stockland Green Hills, which is now well underway.

Subject to council approval, Stockland will integrate the additional construction works into the latter stages of its two-year development schedule.

 

Chris Travers, Centre Manager at Stockland Green Hills, said: “We want to make a great redevelopment even better. We’ve covered all of the bases to make Stockland Green Hills the premier retail and casual dining destination in the Lower Hunter and our proposed cinema, leisure and entertainment complex will complement the redevelopment by creating the perfect venue for a day or night out with family and friends.”

 

Stockland has indicated that its new cinema will not necessarily compete head-to-head with the existing cinema in Maitland.

“This part of the Hunter is vastly under-serviced when it comes to cinemas and destinations for daytime and evening entertainment,” explained Mr Travers.

 

“Our proposed cinema extension aims to capture and retain a slice of the escape expenditure that currently results in a steady flow of traffic with people travelling down the highway to spend their money in Charlestown, Kotara, and Newcastle.”

 

“We’ve tabled a proposal to incorporate cinemas into Stockland Green Hills in the past and we know from speaking to our customers that the demand certainly exists for us to provide a greater range of entertainment options. We’re uniquely positioning Stockland Green Hills to bring together great retail, café, lunch and evening dining options, with new release movies on the big screen.”

 

Construction is well underway on the redevelopment project that will more than double the size of the centre, with the inclusion of the first new format David Jones department store in the Hunter, a new Target discount department store, a new JB Hi-Fi Home store, Harris Scarfe department store and more than double the number of specialties to 225 shops.

 

The $372 million redevelopment of Stockland Green Hills is estimated to create 1,350 jobs during construction, and more than 1,250 permanent full time retail and hospitality jobs once completed. Stockland will also add an expanded restaurant and leisure precinct, a new indoor-outdoor casual dining precinct, expanded fresh food offering and provide approximately 3,100 car parking spaces.