report on shopping centre design - Shopping Centre Council of ...

REPORT ON SHOPPING CENTRE DESIGN
Prepared for The Shopping Centre Council of Australia
By Ingham Planning
with the assistance of The Buchan Group (Brisbane)
Lyndhurst, Suite 19, 303 Pacific Highway, Lindfield NSW 2070
Telephone: 02 9416 9111 Facsimile: 02 9416 9799 Email: ningham@ozemail.com.au
Job No. 02039
December 2002

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1 Introduction
This <strong>report</strong> is in response to a brief from the Shopping Centre Council of Australia
(SCCA) to provide an analysis of shopping centre design with particular regard to the
Sydney metropolitan region and a discussion of the major current issues in shopping
centre design. The brief follows a statement by Planning NSW's Urban Design
Advisory Committee (UDAC) that it intends to investigate the creation of design
guidelines for shopping centre development.
The members of the SCCA are the owners/developers/managers of generally large
shopping centres. Therefore this <strong>report</strong> focuses on this form of retailing. The <strong>report</strong>
aims to assist UDAC in gaining an understanding of the industry perspective so that
it is fully informed of the relevant issues in its consideration of the possible guidelines.
The <strong>report</strong> supplements the previous discussions held with the SCCA and its
members and the presentation by the SCCA to UDAC on 20 November 2002. As
noted at this presentation meeting, in addition to providing this <strong>report</strong>, the SCCA,
being the peak industry body, seeks a close working relationship with UDAC
throughout the life of this project.
The Shopping Centre Council of Australia
The Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA) is the national retail property
policy arm of the Property Council of Australia.
SCCA represents owners and managers of shopping centres in working for
public policy outcomes which encourage the development of the shopping
centre industry.
Primarily the SCCA represents owners of investment grade retail property. In the
main these owners are superannuation funds, listed property trusts and property
syndicates entrusted with the prudent investment of the retirement savings of
millions of Australians.
The SCCA members are:
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AMP Henderson Global Investors
Centro Properties Group
The <strong>report</strong> includes the following Sections:
Section 2 provides a discussion of the evolution of shopping centre design and
identification of the recent and current trends;
Section 3 summarises the current planning framework for the consideration of
shopping centre proposals;
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CFS Gandel Retail Trust
Deutsche Asset Management (Australia)
FPD Savills/Byvan
Intro International
Jones Lang LaSalle
Section 4
discusses the main design issues for shopping centres and includes
comments about the design process and the key functional aspects
which influence design;
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Leda Holdings
Lend Lease Retail
Section 5
provides a summary of conclusions drawn from the preceding
sections.
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Macquarie CountryWide Trust
McConaghy Holdings
Throughout the <strong>report</strong> are examples of recent shopping centre development which
highlight the high quality of current design.
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MCS Property Limited
Perron Group
Queensland Investment Corporation
Stockland Trust Group
Westfield Holdings Limited
Yu Feng Group.

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2 Changing Directions
Shopping centres of the type described began being established in Australia in the
late 1950's. In the beginning, these shopping centres were a tool to fill the gap
created by a need for the convenient and efficient distribution of goods to a fast
growing population.
During the late 60's and 70's the design of shopping centres resulted in some very
basic, pragmatic layouts and often unimaginative exterior presentation. Features of
these centres included:
Then the 90's came along with the growing world movement of new urbanism and
smart growth, a search for authenticity, and an even greater focus on entertainment
and eating. Planning authorities have encouraged the establishment and
revitalisation of town centres. The market is now also demanding an environment
where the basic aspects of daily life can be accommodated in a way that is
convenient and enjoyable. The establishment of mixed use areas where people can
work, rest and play have become the focus of both new areas and urban renewal
projects. The shopping centre plays an integral part in this process and in some
cases provides the basis for the creation of new and revitalised town centres.
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Large carparks
No links to the local community
Large box shapes
Often poor regard for the surrounding environment
The capture and contain mentality.
As the 70's progressed we find a few centres starting to question the design and
layout that had become regarded as typical. The first centre to do this was Pacific
Fair on the Gold Coast in Queensland. This centre followed the open air approach
and looked to establish a fabric of streets, places and parks. The large box design
was modulated by laminating other smaller active buildings onto the edge of these
boxes.
After this we find the approach to shopping centre design changed rapidly with
greater amounts of style being created. A lot of this change was caused by the fact
that most of the catch up to demand had been fulfilled in the 60's and early 70's
and hence to achieve a successful shopping centre one had to compete with
various other retail opportunities.
However one could see that the customer was beginning to demand better
designed environments to shop in and of course recreate in. Recreation time had
been recognised as a commodity and hence the retail sector started to provide
recreational opportunities such as:
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Cinemas
Cafes
Lifestyle retail
Entertainment in various forms.
Harbour Town in Queensland (Fig 1, top) and Knox City in Victoria (Fig 2, above) highlight the change in direction of
shopping centre design - far removed from the traditional concrete box.

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What does the future hold The following list highlights some recent trends:
3 The Current Planning Framework
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increasing spending on food and merchandise;
greater diversity of uses in shopping centres, particularly the provision of
entertainment/lifestyle attractions such as cinemas;
creation of precincts targeted towards certain parts of the market;
the impact of the increasing popularity of electronic services such as internet
shopping and phone banking;
creating environments that respond to changing demographics including more
singles and childless couples and increasing average age;
creating environments where people feel comfortable including the identification
of the 'third place' - a place away from home and work where people want to
spend their time;
recreating the 'high street' or 'old town centre' shopping experience including
externalisation of spaces, better integration into surrounding context and
permeability;
the breaking down of visits into categories including chore shopping,
discretionary shopping and leisure activities such as eating, drinking and
moviegoing;
the importance of design aesthetics including the use of high profile
architects/interior designers.
As noted above, there has been a significant shift in the retail sector and customers
are far more discerning of the environment in which they shop. The market itself is
generating a demand for more integrated, multi-use and well designed centres.
It is not only customers that are driving the need for better design, the expectations
of the relevant planning authorities have also increased. These days, shopping
centre designers know that their proposals will be subject to intensive scrutiny by a
vast range of professionals, politicians and the public. One only has to look at the
current standard of design, as can be seen throughout this <strong>report</strong>, to know that
developers now take the issue of design very seriously. In keeping with changing
expectations, planning authorities have been taking greater interest in shopping
centres and urban design generally. The following discussion provides details of the
current planning framework within which shopping centres (in Sydney) are assessed.
This range of influences highlights that urban design is but one of many factors that
need to be considered. A well designed shopping centre does not necessarily result
in a successful shopping centre. Conversely, there are centres which many would
say are unattractive, yet they are very successful. A balanced approach will consider
all of the above matters in order to achieve a positive outcome for all.
Activation of streets and public spaces has been on the planning agenda for a number of years. Westfield Burwood
(Fig 4, left) and Castle Towers (Fig 5, right) provide examples of how recent development is successfully responding
to this issue.
3.1 State planning
For many years, strategy plans for the Sydney metropolitan region have sought to
encourage the concentration of employment and commerce in major urban centres.
This policy continues in the latest metropolitan strategy "Shaping Our Cities". There
are no State government planning policies which specifically relate to the
development of shopping centres. Without any adequate statutory planning
instruments in place, there have been a considerable number of significant retail
outlets approved in 'out-of centre' locations.
Castle Towers in NSW (Fig 3) evokes the 'old town centre' shopping experience.
However, draft State Environmental Planning Policy No 66 - Integrating Land Use
and Transport has been exhibited and has aims which include discouraging the
establishment of significant employment or people generating activities in out-of

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centre locations. This includes shopping centres. The draft SEPP also contains
provisions that relate specifically to shopping centre design. In this regard, part of
the Planning Policy Package of which draft SEPP 66 is a part includes the following
relevant documents:
'The Right Place for Business and Services - Planning policy'. The explanatory
notes of this policy include 'Part D. The right design'. The following issues are
discussed:
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design pointers for centres;
design guidelines;
public realm;
safety and security; and
transport choice and integration.
'Improving Transport Choice - Guidelines for planning and development'. Part 1
contains the 'Accessible Development Principles'. Principle 2 relates to 'Mixed Uses
in Centres'. The following design related matters are noted as being 'best practice':
◗ a feeling of security is assisted by buildings and active uses, such as cafes and
front verandahs, being oriented to the street.
Principle 7 relates to improving cycle access and contains the following relevant
point:
◗ bicycle storage is conveniently located close to building entries and at ground
level.
Principle 8 relates to managing parking supply and contains the following relevant
points:
◗ in activity centres, parking is placed at the rear of buildings or internal to the
block;
◗ parking for people with disabilities is provided adjacent to key facilities - it must
be enforced.
Principle 10 relates to implementing good urban design. The following matters are
noted as being 'best practice':
◗ buildings and their pedestrian entrances are oriented to the street;
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key land uses are located within walking distance of each other (e.g. shops,
library, childcare centres, cinemas, bus/rail interchange);
the highest densities of housing and employment appropriate to an area, are
located within walking distance of public transport nodes;
uses are mixed either vertically within the same building, or horizontally on
adjacent sites;
functional requirements, such as servicing, and impacts such as sound, odours
and identity in the layout and design of horizontally and vertically mixed uses, are
considered;
pedestrian and bicycle access is safe, direct and comfortable between uses;
plans and codes encourage home businesses and home workplaces.
Principle 6 relates to improving pedestrian access and contains the following
relevant points:
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every development has convenient and prominent pedestrian entrances, in
terms of design, signage, lighting and gradient;
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building setbacks are minimised to provide natural surveillance of footpaths, bus
stops and taxi ranks, while still allowing sunlight access and minimising wind
tunnel effects;
attractive streetscapes reinforce the functions of the street and enhance the
amenity of adjacent development;
bus stops are located and designed to provide shelter, seats, adequate lighting,
and timetable information; they provide access for people with disabilities, and
are overlooked from nearby buildings;
footpaths, cycleways and taxi ranks are well-lit and located where there is
natural surveillance from adjacent uses;
pedestrian amenity is enhanced by attractive, coordinated street furniture,
lighting and signage;
the design of development in accessible centres, especially involving railway
stations, addresses issues of potential conflicts, such as transport noise and
vibration.
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expanses of ground level blank walls along street frontages, and large driveways
and entrances to car parks are avoided;

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As redevelopment occurs over time, retail complexes should be joined more
directly with street frontages and bus stops;
Clear signage should direct patrons to public transport stops, taxi ranks and
pedestrian links to adjacent uses. Public transport operators should provide
timetable information, ranging from display cases to visual displays with
touch/voice access;
To encourage access by public transport, retail and other commercial and
community facilities located in centres with high frequency rail services should
be developed with reduced or shared parking.
These location and design guidelines can be equally applied to bulky goods
outlets. The need for extensive same-level parking areas for loading bulky goods
is often exaggerated and little different from other retail outlets.
This section includes graphics which demonstrate how a traditional layout can be
transformed over time (see Figure 7, below). Should draft SEPP 66 be gazetted, it
will provide a comprehensive control document for shopping centres, not only
dealing with locational and transport matters but also urban design issues.
This recent upgrade of Macquarie Centre in NSW (Fig 6) shows how transport links (in this case a bus interchange)
can be incorporated into shopping centre design.
Part 3 of 'Improving Transport Choice' relates to location and design guidelines. In
regard to retail development the following design guidelines are noted:
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Access by all transport modes should be encouraged. The configuration of
shops and other services must seek a balance between pedestrian, cyclist and
driver comfort, visibility and accessibility. Shopping centres and malls,
entertainment complexes and personal services offices should be designed to
allow direct and convenient access by walking, cycling and public transport and
provide access for people with disabilities;
Public transport and taxis should have direct access to retail areas. When retail
or entertainment facilities are set back from the street, buses and taxis should
be easily and directly rerouted through the facility with a sheltered stop at their
front entrance. Bus stops and taxi ranks on the far side of large car parks
should be avoided;
3.2 Local planning
There are few local planning documents that relate specifically to shopping centres.
In the majority of circumstances the land on which the shopping centre is, or is to
be located, would have a business zoning. The permissibility of uses within these
zones and the development controls that relate to such development varies greatly
from Council to Council. In most cases there are statutory controls relating to floor
space ratio (FSR), height of buildings, or both.

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Many Council's have documents which relate to commercial centres generally or the
main 'town centre' in the local government area. Those documents that fall into the
latter category tend to deal with the issue of urban design in greater detail and can
be very specific. An example of such a document is draft Burwood Town Centre
DCP No 10, prepared on behalf of the Council by Gary Shiels and Associates.
This DCP includes discussion of precincts within the town centre, including the
'Major Shopping Precinct', which contains the Westfield Shoppingtown and
Burwood Plaza shopping centres. Detailed objectives and development controls
are provided in order to achieve the stated 'Desired Future Character' for the
precinct. Urban design and in particular the manner in which development relates
to the public domain and surrounding uses is a significant element of these
provisions. Whilst still a draft document, Council relied upon its provisions in its
consideration of the recently completed redevelopment of Westfield Shoppingtown.
As can be seen in Figure 18, this redevelopment provides a good example of an
appropriate balance between the constraints of an existing building and the desire
to provide a more contemporary response to the site context.
An example of planning documents that apply in a greenfield context is the Rouse
Hill Regional Centre LEP and DCP. These documents contain provisions which
specifically deal with the future urban form of the centre, including the creation of a
pleasant and lively main street as the focus for retailing. The recently issued
Expression of Interest document for the creation of this centre contained an example
of main street retailing (see Figure 8 below).
There are now many local government planning documents which address in detail
the design and integration of shopping centres. Further, even where there are no
formal provisions in place, the growing importance of urban design and the creation
of lively shopping precincts in planning assessment, means that in most cases,
these matters would be a major consideration in the assessment of any application
involving a shopping centre. Examples of how more recently constructed shopping
centres have paid greater attention to the matters of design, activity and integration
are provided throughout this <strong>report</strong>.
4 Design Issues for Shopping Centres
4.1 The Design Process
Before discussing the design process, it is considered appropriate to emphasise two
financial aspects of shopping centre design that sets it apart from other forms of
development.
The first is that shopping centre owners/developers are, in the vast majority of
circumstances committed to a financial return over a long period. Unlike some other
forms of development, the shopping centre developers' involvement does not end
upon the completion and sale of the building. Given this long term commitment
there is greater interest in ensuring profitability on an ongoing basis. This interest, in
the current environment, encourages high quality design.
The other financial factor is financial viability. Shopping centres are affected by
changes in the market including competition. Competition is an integral part of the
retail environment and the risk from competition is acknowledged in feasibility
analysis. However, changes to the retail hierarchy bought about by poor planning
decisions is a risk that cannot be predicted. Given the significant amounts of capital
required to develop and redevelop shopping centre, the developer needs to be
confident that there is no unforeseen threat to achieving an appropriate return on
their investment.
In the present environment, there is a certain level of comfort. However, the failure
of local and State government to protect established shopping centres in existing
commercial area from out-of-centre retailers is a great cause for concern. The
spectre of such threats mean a reduced likelihood of older centres being rejuvenated
and less chance of high quality urban design outcomes being achieved.

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As previously noted 'urban design' (or the way in which a shopping centre appears
in, and relates to, its context) is but one of many issues that require careful
consideration in shopping centre design.
The starting point for the design of a shopping centre is to establish 'a first cut'
tenancy mix. As Jean Louis Solal, a French specialist in retail layout and a writer on
shopping centres, said "A good tenant mix is the bloodline of the shopping centre
industry".
Solal goes on to say "The development process should not be started by the
architect, but by the establishment of a merchandising concept. This tenant mix will
drive a range of issues in the brief and will provide a self regulating effect on the
changing face of shopping centres.
Key steps are the identification of:
Belmont in Western Australia (Fig 10, above) shows how an appropriate interface of the public and private domain
can create a pleasant streetscape.
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Demographics
Tenant mix
Size
Requirements of the shoppers i.e. the community
The physical concept
The construction
The leasing.
The character of shopping centres will be determined by the users and these users
continue to be educated about lifestyle. The character of a shopping centre is often
a response to customer needs, climate, design trends and planning trends.
Competition will always be the driver and the mother of inventive design outcomes
for retail.
The trends in retail identified in Section 2 above are influencing the range and type
of design elements that need to be considered. The key design elements are
considered to be:
1. Planning
The reworking of Hornsby Town Square as part of the redevelopment of Westfield Hornsby (Fig 9, above) was
subject of a lengthy consultation process with the local Council.
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Convenience
Security
Customer Orientation
Lines of Visibility
Efficient Planning and Strong Anchoring of Malls
Comfort
Dynamics
Promenade

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Location of Amenities
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Environmental Graphics
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Meeting Place
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Excitement
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Flexibility of Environment.
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Promenade
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Meeting Place.
2. Specialist Retail Environment
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External Appearance
5. Visual & Impact
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Internal and External Style
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Care of the Environment
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Point of Difference in Competitive Market
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Environment Graphics
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Clarity of Presentation
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Lines of Visibility
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Lines of Visibility
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Internal and External Style.
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Lighting
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Environmental Graphics
6. People Spaces
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Colour
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Convenience
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Dynamics of Space
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Security
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Excitement of the Space
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Customer Orientation
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Flexibility of the Environment.
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Lines of Visibility
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Efficient Planning and Strong Anchoring of Malls
3. Tenancy Mix
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Comfort
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Focus Retailing
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Dynamics
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Community Use and a Community Focus
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Promenade
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Retail Mix
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Location of Amenities
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A Meeting Place.
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Meeting Place
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Flexibility of Environment.
4. Entertainment
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Leisure
Internal and External Style
Passive and Active Entertainment

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7. Connectivity to Fabric of Community
◗ Street Patterns
◗ Pedestrian Connection
◗ Part of the Fabric of Community.
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are internalised. As total redevelopment is rarely a viable option, the
refurbishment of such centres must be a compromise between what may be
'ideal' and the existing reality;
the functional requirements for shopping centres which include:
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the need for 'big boxes' in which to contain large format retailing;
Running in tandem to design driven by the customers is a process of consultation
with the community and regulatory authorities. Large projects in particular involve a
significant amount of consultation. This process allows modifications to the design
which aim to provide a balanced response to the issues raised by all stakeholders.
The final design really is a collaborative effort. It would not be unusual for the design
and approvals process to extend well beyond a year. It is worth noting that in the
vast majority of cases large centres result from a negotiated outcome - they rarely
result in a refusal by Council or an appeal to the Land and Environment Court.
The design process for shopping centres is far more complex than say, an
apartment building where government now guides all aspects of building design.
Shopping centre design is a highly specialised and changeable area of expertise that
is not well suited to the application of rigid controls.
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convenient parking to meet the needs of customers; and
provision of easily accessible and available loading docks.
These constraints create very complex and difficult issues for shopping centre
designers. Such are these constraints that the 'ideal' scenario (particularly from the
planning authorities point of view) cannot always be achieved. Whilst the ideal is
something all parties would agree, is something that we should all work towards, it
must be acknowledged that achieving the ideal costs money and sometimes
overcoming all the constraints would be economically unviable.
A detailed discussion of each of the above requirements is provided below.
The other major point of difference from some other forms of development is the
long term involvement of the owner/developer. As noted earlier, and unlike, say,
residential flat buildings, there is no large short term profit in large shopping centre
development. The majority of owners are there for the long term. Therefore they
have a greater interest in ensuring profitability on an ongoing basis. This interest, in
the current environment, encourages high quality design.
4.2 Specific urban design issues
Notwithstanding the above, it must be remembered that due to their nature, it is a
very difficult task to create shopping centres which respond to all the different
expectations of customers and regulatory authorities. The main constraints in this
regard are discussed below:
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the vast majority of shopping centre development is actually the redevelopment
of existing centres. As most of these centres have been established for many
years, they have not benefited from the changes in attitude of the market and
developers towards design. They are often very large, box-like structures which
This image of Westfield Hornsby (Fig 11) shows the size of building required for large format uses and how such
forms can be appropriate 'descaled'.

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Cinema boxes are the highest of the large format users requiring between 9m to
12m;
They have a requirements for strong visual identification usually with signage and
sometimes with external colour.
Major tenants typically have very rigid requirements in terms of the space they
require. This is because duplication of the same or similar configuration over many
stores creates efficiencies that are of great value to the retailers.
Northbridge Plaza in NSW (Fig12, above) is a smaller shopping centre where an appropriate balance has been
achieved in relation to the public domain. The front of the centre to the main shopping street is activated with glass,
allowing the activities within the supermarket to be visible. The 'back-of-house' part of the centre is located on a
non-active streetfront and is appropriately articulated and detailed.
Westfield Bondi Junction in NSW (Fig 13, above) is a recent example of how the constraints of an existing centre
can be overcome to provide a high quality urban outcome.
Large format retailing
The need for shopping centres to provide large, unrestricted spaces for major
tenants is a significant element in the design of a centre. Department stores such
as David Jones or Grace Bros can require up to 9000sqm of floor area per level over
a number of levels. Discount department stores require around 6,000-7000sqm of
floor area and supermarkets between 2000 and 5000/sqm. The constraints of
these large formats include:
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Plan dimensions are usually rectangular or square;
Height internally usually requires an external height of approximately 6.0m;
Notwithstanding the above, recent developments are reducing the impacts of the
buildings required to accommodate large format tenants through innovative and
good design as can be seen in many of the graphics in this <strong>report</strong>.
Parking
Parking is typically provided in accordance with the requirements of the local Council
or the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority. In some cases, a shopping centre will
require more parking than the standard, in other cases, less. The circumstances
vary greatly, however, for centres of the size discussed in this <strong>report</strong>, a significant
number of car spaces are required to ensure the viability of the centre.
In the majority of cases, it is simply not viable to provide car parking underground.
It is also not practical in most cases as customers demand parking with easy access
to the shops and as such parking levels match retail levels. Due to the functional
nature of car parking, the provision of large car parking structures above ground,
creates a design issue. In the past, large, simple concrete structures would meet
the functional needs with little attention given to the external appearance. In many
cases the only amelioration was to provide thick screen planting. Whilst in some
cases, this solution provides a reasonable outcome, this is not generally considered
to be an adequate outcome in today's environment.
In more recent times, far greater attention has been given to ensuring that the visual
impact of large parking structures is reduced. A variety of measures are now
employed in order to address this issue, including:
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enclosing the car park with walls and providing appropriate measures to reduce
building bulk such as different materials, colours and textures, building
articulation and architectural features (see Figures 15 and 16);
◗ the use of appropriately designed screens (see Figures 15 and 16);
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the use of signage which screens the car park and activates the façade;
of course, landscaping remains an important factor in addressing the issue of
visual bulk.

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Chadstone in Victoria (Fig 14) provides a good example of how the large buildings required for some retailing can
be design in a way that results in a pleasant environment.
The redevelopment of Mirrabooka shopping centre in Western Australia (Fig 17 above) included a number of new
access points and significant reworking of existing entries to enhance permeability.
Loading docks
Loading docks are an integral feature of shopping centres that create specific issues
such as noise, odour, visual appearance, light spill and hours of use.
As with parking, regulatory authorities often require a particular ratio of loading
docks in relation to the size of centres. However these requirements are often
increased to accommodate retailer's specific needs and the desire to recycle
garbage and packaging.
Loading Docks can be designed in such a way as to be screened from external view
lines and often have a service yard enclosure which helps to disguise them.
The façade treatment of Westfield Burwood (Fig 18, above) provides for a streetscape which integrates well with
the existing shopfronts along Burwood Road.
4.3 Other design issues
Integration and permeability
As indicated in Section 2 shopping centre development is responding to the
changing retail environment. One of the most significant change is the level of
integration and permeability being incorporated into designs. Most new centres are
no longer "turning their backs" to the surrounding environment.
These images of Fox Studios carpark (Figs 15 and 16) demonstrate that the large car parks often associated with
shopping centres can be well designed and contribute to a quality public domain.
The use of "Town Squares" and "High Streets" are providing a method of transition
and at the same time improving or reinstating the convenience aspect of large
shopping centre. This in turns provides a better visual impact by the centre on the
surrounding built environment.

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The use of "Town Squares" and "High Streets" creates externalised, active frontage
which often open onto public roads, parks, water front etc. These connections
create a useful blurring of public and private space which helps in the integration of
the centre into the fabric of the surrounding streetscape.
The influence of these issues can be seen in many of the examples shown in this
<strong>report</strong>.
There is also widespread commitment to recycling and reuse of materials.
In addition to the issue of energy efficiency, shopping centres assist in creating
sustainable neighbourhoods. By providing for a wide range of needs locally, there
is less need for residents to travel greater distances, thereby reducing the length and
number of vehicle trips.
Sustainability
The issue of sustainability has great relevance to retail environments. Many centres
are designed to collect good natural light within the internal space to create a feeling
of outdoor environment.
The recurrent costs of a retail centre can be greatly reduced by energy efficient
design and management practices. Passive solar design and the provision of cross
ventilation are provided where appropriate however, due to the size and functional
requirement of shopping centres and the need to provide a climactically stable
environment for customers, such measures are often difficult to incorporate into
design. Construction, operational and management measures which are energy
efficient are playing a much greater role in conserving resources. Such measures
include:
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high shading coefficient and high thermal resistance glazing material is used to
minimise heat transmission;
triphosphor lamps are used instead of the conventional fluorescent tubes;
metal halide lamps to replace tungsten halogen;
circuit management of the lighting zones;
photo-cell control for external lighting;
automatic on/off when the ambient illuminating level is required;
power factor correction system;
building services (including air conditioning) which are fully programmable and
can be updated to suit any changes to the building and maintain high energy
efficiency.
Chadstone in Victoria (Fig 19) shows how the use of natural light can be maximised.
Security
Security is a significant issue for both shopping centre owners and customers.
Buildings are designed to minimise the potential for criminal activity with measures
such as providing good sight lines, removing spaces that can be used for hiding and
shortening 'dead' spaces such as walkways to toilets.
As there is limited scope in building design to address security issues, the chief
measures used are surveillance and security personnel.

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the greater permeability being provided by shopping centres and required by
authorities;
greater integration with surrounding public domain; and
the provision of true 'open space' within shopping centres, ie outdoor,
unencumbered recreation spaces.
Most large shopping centres have always provided semi-public space to allow for
the circulation of customers. These spaces are generally required to be publicly
accessible, but usually only during operating hours. Due to the nature of these
spaces, in some cases, consent authorities have excluded such areas from floor
space calculations. These spaces are becoming more public in terms of level of
accessibility provided and the actual nature of the space, often as a requirement of
the consent authority.
The extensions to Erina Fair in NSW (Fig 20) respond to community needs as well as retail needs with the provision
of a town square.
Community Enhancement
Shopping centres have many strong community benefits. They accommodate retail
'chain' stores which provide an efficient method of distributing goods, allows these
goods to be sold at lower prices. They also accommodate specialty shops which
respond to the demands of the local community and are often owned by local
people.
Often what is being provided is high quality public domain which comes at no cost
to the public. Whilst there is some benefit in providing such environments for
shopping centre owners, to further encourage the creation of such areas, the
consideration of some credit to the owner would be beneficial. This would also
create some equality in the present public/private domain situation where public
spaces are leased to private users for substantial fees.
Shopping centres provide safe, pleasant meeting places for the community often
providing a focus for social activities. As noted previously, in recent times the
shopping centre industry has sought to enhance the role of the shopping centre in
the community, expanding the range of uses provided. Many shopping centres now
include entertainment and leisure facilities. Others are going a step further, aiming
to be the focus for the business centre in which they are located by creating 'town
square' or 'high street' environments.
Public / Private space
The issue of the blurring of the public and private domain is growing in importance
as a result of societal changes and the shopping centre designers' response to
these changes. Key aspects of this 'blurring' include:
◗
the use of the public domain for commercial uses such as outdoor dining and
market retailing;
Knox City in Victoria (Fig 21) provides an example of a very public space within a shopping centre.

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6 Conclusion
This <strong>report</strong> has provided an industry perspective of the current status of shopping
centre development and assessment, with particular regard to NSW. It is
considered that the current environment encourages high quality shopping centre
development and redevelopment. New planning legislation in the form of SEPP 66
includes provisions related to design which will further encourage shopping centre
developers to create integrated and accessible centres with a high quality interface
with the public domain.
The examples of recent shopping centre development detailed in this <strong>report</strong>,
demonstrates that many of the issues to be considered by UDAC are already being
addressed in the current planning framework. Whilst the SCCA are always open to
suggestions on how design can be improved, they are encouraged from the
discussions with UDAC, that it is not intended to recommend 'prescriptive' design
guidelines.
Woden Town Centre in ACT (Fig 22) - Woden Plaza has been an integrated part of the Woden Town Centre since
its opening in the1970's. Recently expanded in 2000 - it now includes external cafe and restaurants.
Given the specific and complex nature of shopping centres as discussed in this
<strong>report</strong>, it is considered that applying guidelines would not be appropriate or
productive. It would be a poor outcome if, like many other planning provisions,
these guidelines simply result in more 'boxes' required to be ticked by the consent
authority in the development assessment process.
As the peak industry body, the SCCA believe the involvement of their major
developer members is essential to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all
stakeholders. The agreement of UDAC to meet further with the SCCA and its
members is a positive first step in this process. The SCCA are happy to co-operate
further with UDAC. In particular, it is considered that it would be useful for some
members to 'walk-through' one or more of their major projects, so that UDAC
members are made fully aware of the detailed and significant approval process that
is already in place and the many amendments to the design that result from this
process.
With ongoing co-operation, it is hoped that the end result will be the creation of an
environment that will encourage innovative, responsive and high quality shopping
centre design, without lengthening the development approval process.
Sunshine Plaza in Queensland (Fig 23) is a shopping centre where there is great 'blurring' between the public and
private domain, providing in an integrated design solution.