Children, and undoubtedly their parents, will be the main beneficiaries of proposed changes to the Westfield Kotara redevelopment.
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Amended plans for the $100 million project include an indoor skate halfpipe, children’s play centre, gym and new restaurants.
Some of the changes relate to retail chain and Kotara tenant Toys R Us being wound up by administrators in June, making floor space available for more entertainment outlets.
Kotara’s centre management was coy about the changes this week, but documents lodged with Newcastle City Council show the plans now include a gymnasium, “Monkey Mania-type” children’s recreation centre, skate shop with indoor halfpipe, two restaurants and a Timezone amusement centre.
Management would not confirm if the recreation centre would allow parents to drop off their children in a supervised environment.
The Kotara redevelopment, which will include new stores for international fashion giants H&M and Zara, will increase the centre’s floor space to about 82,000 square metres.
The shopping centre submitted plans for a bowling alley in 2010, but the idea was dropped.
Meanwhile, the council last month approved plans for the Sanbah Grindhouse, a new indoor skate park, shop and cafe on the site of the former Frank Frasca’s fruit shop and Video Ezy at Marketown.
And Harris Farm Markets is poised to open its Darby Street, Cooks Hill, fresh-produce market in mid-spring.
The market, under construction on the site of the former Auto One store, will include a fishmonger, on-site bakery and cafe.
