A $192 million redevelopment of East Lakes Shopping Centre will go ahead after a legal challenge spearheaded by the Botany Bay Council was defeated in court on Tuesday.
Mayor Ben Keneally launched action in the Land and Environment Court in 2013, challenging a Planning Assessment Commission decision to approve the Crown Group project.
A planned 400 units and 14,000sq m of shops pitched as a revitiliastion of the Eastlakes site is now expected to begin as early as this year.
Traffic flow and inadequate public transport were flagged by Mr Keneally when council launched legal action.
In a statement on Wednesday he said the site was a “victim of poor planning” a generation ago and is again now.
“This is a lost opportunity to improve Eastlakes for the residents that live
there,” Mr Keneally said.
Crown Group plans include a community meeting point, improved park edges and both indoor and outdoor dining facilities.
Despite the controversy it won a pretigious Urban Development Institutae of Australia Concept Plan award shortly after PAC approval.
At the time Crown Group development director Chris Pope said the existing “tired” retail shopping centre would be replaced with a mordern retail complex.
“We are confident the planned mix of supermarkets, retail and residential apartments produce the best results for tenants, shopkeepers and residents of the the surrounding area,” Mr Pope said.