The plan to live inside a shopping centre

Veitch said residents wanted the councils to work together to make decisions that deliver a public benefit.

“If this proposal were to be approved, it would be a grave disservice to these communities, and a betrayal of the public’s trust in local governments to work together for their benefit,” she said.

The shopping centre is opposite the Pagewood Green residential development, where thousands of apartments have been built by Triguboff’s Meriton.

“From our experiences, if you get a Woolworths or Coles in your retail precinct, not only will the supermarket do well, but the other shops will do well, too,” Triguboff said. “We both have it, which makes it perfect to serve the growing population in the area.”

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Triguboff said his Pagewood Centro development features a fully covered retail plaza with a supermarket, pharmacy and restaurants.

“It will serve not only the communities of both Pagewood Green and Pagewood Centro, but also the patrons at Westfield Eastgardens,” he said.

Scentre Group manages Westfield Eastgardens and in 2018 acquired a 50 per cent interest in the shopping centre with the remaining half owned by Terrace Tower Group.

A Scentre Group spokeswoman said the company was planning “long-term opportunities for Westfield Eastgardens” to meet the needs of customers.

“Our strategy is focused on creating the places and experiences that more people choose to come to, more often and for longer,” she said.

Community group No Overdevelopment Pagewood Eastgardens (NOPE) has also expressed concern about the bulk and scale of the redevelopment and its impact on local shopping strips.

NOPE convener Maria Poulos said residents and local business owners were concerned that an expanded Westfield would poach customers and reduce foot traffic from nearby shopping districts.

“The upgrade of Eastgardens should not come at the expense of adjacent retail areas, which are vital community hubs that bring life and character to this area,” she said.

Poulos said Eastgardens was in “desperate need of a makeover” as the mall had not undergone any upgrade since 2002, but it did not need a major expansion.

“The bulk and scale of this development, alongside the adjacent Pagewood Green development, will not only be an eyesore, but will cause traffic chaos in Bayside and Randwick,” she said.

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