Inside East Sunbury's new $8m shopping village

News.com.au

09-07-2025

A major new shopping and civic precinct in Melbourne's outer northwest is officially under construction.
Retailers Woolworths, Priceline, Kingswim and Anytime Fitness have already signed on — as developers tip the area's booming population will more than double over the next 20 years.
Community developer Birchmore and capital partner IDA this week began construction on East Village Sunbury, a $8m-plus neighbourhood centre set to anchor the Kingsfield estate off Lancefield Rd.
Due to open in late 2026, the 9250sq m precinct will deliver a full-line Woolworths, medical centre, swim school, food hall, and five stand-alone buildings connected by landscaped laneways and public gathering spaces.
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The new shopping centre is already over 70 per cent leased and includes a car park with 263 spaces at ground level and another 175 spaces underneath.
Birchmore managing director Andrew Peters said the development was a 'long-term bet on Sunbury's future'.
'Sunbury is a growth area we have a lot of confidence in, the fundamentals are strong, there's significant residential development underway, and a real need for community-focused retail,' Mr Peters said.
'Our ethos is all about sustainable communities, we're not just building shops, we're creating a walkable neighbourhood centre that brings people together.'
Official forecasts commissioned by Birchmore suggest the area's population will grow by 165 per cent over two decades, with a potential 64,250 new homes still to come across the Lancefield Rd precinct.
The project's public-facing architecture was awarded to Genton via a design competition, with a focus on blending civic and retail use, outdoor dining, and strong pedestrian flow throughout.
Also planned is a food and beverage laneway called Market Row, a five-tenancy food hall with two kiosks, and civic space to host local events.
East Village Sunbury is expected to benefit from more than 8500 daily vehicle movements along Lancefield Rd, with key access points designed for local traffic efficiency.
The centre will be delivered in a single stage by commercial builder Mainbrace Construction.
It comes as Sunbury cements itself as Melbourne's next major retail growth hotspot, with a $2bn pipeline of new precincts, including the 10.3 ha Sunbury South Town Centre now on the market.