• The Concept Masterplan is Scentre Group’s vision for the Woden Town Centre.  It is designed to transform Woden into a connected, urban and community destination that offers greater housing options, public spaces, convenient access to transport and a vibrant mix of arts, culture, goods, services and experiences. The proposal for the Woden Town Centre is designed to serve the growing Woden community and deliver on their aspirations, for decades to come.

  • The Woden Masterplan reinforces Westfield Woden as both the everyday heart of the Town Centre and a vibrant destination for retail, entertainment and community life. The retail offer at Westfield Woden will continue to evolve to meet the changing needs and interests of customers. This may include: 

    • Greater fresh food, convenience and essential services along with the integration of lifestyle, wellness and fitness experiences, over time.  

    • Expansion of entertainment and leisure throughout the centre 

    • Externally, new pedestrian-friendly streets and connections linking seamlessly to the centre 

    • Bradley Street’s dining offer may be extended to offer entertainment, slow-food and café culture to see activity expand from morning to night.

    Scentre Group is exploring a diverse range of activations designed to create atmosphere and bring the community together. These may include: 

    • A boutique entertainment and live music stage 

    • Playgrounds and family-friendly spaces 

    • A flexible dining precinct featuring street-food markets 

    • Seasonal festivals and adaptable seating areas 

    • Brand activations in collaboration with local artists and wellness providers 

    • Plaza spaces for markets, exhibitions, cultural celebrations and family activities 

    • Seasonal attractions such as a winter ice rink, light projections, or water play in summer.

  • The Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan proposes a mix of building heights, ranging from low, medium rise and up to 55 storeys. This variation in height creates potential for a distinctive skyline, celebrating taller buildings as architectural landmarks while mid-rise and lower-rise buildings to frame streets, plazas and open spaces.  

    Find out more about the reasons behind the proposed building heights here.

  • The design of the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan carefully considers sunlight and overshadowing to protect nearby homes and public spaces: 

    • Taller buildings have  generally been positioned to the south of adjoining public spaces and to the centre of the site, largely containing shadowing over the shopping centre (within the site) 

    • Shorter buildings have been positioned around the perimeter of the site to minimise shading to  adjoining land and properties.  

     As the project progresses, detailed shadow studies will be included with each future Development Application, to support the preservation of sunlight access. 

  • Whilst it’s too early to determine the exact mix of units, the objective of the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan is to contribute to a more vibrant, dynamic and integrated mixed-use town centre. The future development proposes approximately 3,000–4,000 dwellings, envisaging a mix of apartment typologies that cater to a wide range of needs and life stages.   

    We’re currently inviting the community to share their views on this important topic through the survey questions focused on housing. This includes questions about who might live here, what features matter most and what would make living in this location appealing. Your input will help guide the housing outcomes that reflect the needs and aspirations of the community.   

  • The Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan is being designed to be accessible and inclusive for people of all ages and abilities, focusing on:

    • Step-free paths, adaptable homes, and a mix of apartment types will support comfortable living for everyone

    • Safe public spaces which are welcoming and easy to use encouraging connection across generations

    • Strong links to public transport, walking, and cycling paths will make it easy to get around

    • Shared community spaces to support social inclusion and help build a strong sense of belonging. 

  • Sustainability is a key focus of the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan. Scentre Group is seeking to deliver environmentally responsible design for the Masterplan, including through:  

    • Tree canopy cover and high-quality landscaping 

    • Support for walking, cycling, and public transport 

    • Thoughtful building orientation to improve comfort and energy efficiency 

    • Use of sustainable materials throughout the site.

    These strategies aim to create a greener, healthier and more resilient town centre for the future. 

  • Westfield Woden will remain open and trading throughout the planning process.  

  • Scentre Group’s priority at this stage is to develop a rich understanding of local aspirations and to seek to adjust planning conditions to support development. Following community engagement and pending approval of a Major Plan Amendment, Scentre Group will be better positioned to determine planning and construction timelines. 

Proposal Frequently Asked Questions

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  • The Territory Plan 2023 contains the planning rules for how the site can be used and what can be built. A Major Plan Amendment (MPA) is the process for amending these rules – for example, to allow new land uses or adjust building height limits.  

    Scentre Group’s Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan evisions buildings which exceed current building height limits. For this vision to be realised, a MPA is required to increase height limits for the site.

    Scentre Group is working towards submitting a MPA application in late 2025. Further detail on what to expect: 

    1. Community Input - While the ACT Government will formally notify the proposed changes once the MPA application is submitted, Scentre Group believe it’s important to hear from the community early (before submission of a MPA application). Your feedback on  Scentre Group’s Concept Masterplan will be used to help shape the proposal to reflect community values and aspirations. 

    2. Concept Development - Planners, architects, infrastructure specialists and similar experts are in the process of analysing the site and understanding how to optimise the concept. The Concept Masterplan is continually being refined in light of these findings, along with community input, to enable effective planning outcomes. 

    3. Government Review - Once submitted, the ACT Government will review the MPA proposal, including community feedback, to see how it aligns with broader strategic planning policy for Woden’s future. 

    4. Decision - The Territory Planning Authority will decide whether to support the MPA and will proceed to prepare a formal draft amendment which will be notified. Following public notification, it will be presented to the Minister, potentially reviewed by the Legislative Assembly Planning Committee and tabled in the Legislative Assembly as a disallowable instrument.

  • The Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan can be thought of as the ‘vision’ for the site. The Major Plan Amendment (MPA) is the first step  towards allowing for delivery of this Masterplan.   

    Numerous planning approval processes will be required beyond the MPA process and are likely to span a number of stages. These could include:   

    • Lease Variations – These allow greater development or different uses to those currently permitted. 

    • Development Applications (DAs) – Will be required for proposed new buildings (likely to be a separate DA for each building, with each DA being subject to public notification) 

    • Design Review – by the National Capital Design Review Panel (NCDRP) 

    • Building Approvals – Assessment against national safety and construction standards

    • Utility and Infrastructure Approvals – Organisations like ICON Water, EvoEnergy, and Roads ACT will review plans to make sure essential services are in place and have capacity to meet demand.

  • The building heights in Woden Town Centre are set out in the Woden District Policy: 

    • In the main shopping centre area:  up to 53 metres (around 16 storeys) 

    • In the car park area near Callam Street: up to 41 metres (around 12 storeys) 

    • In both areas, one building per block may be allowed to go 15 metres higher if it meets certain design standards.  

    The proposed Major Plan Amendment seeks to increase the current heights to facilitate taller buildings. The buildings in the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan range between 17 and 55 storeys.   

  • As Woden grows, careful planning is required for parking and traffic management. 

    • Parking: Car parking provision will be considered to support new homes, shops and services. Future development applications will include detailed parking studies to inform sufficient and efficient parking.

    • Traffic: Scentre Group is working with Quantum Traffic and the ACT Government to understand how the proposal and other nearby projects could collectively affect traffic in the Woden Town Centre

    • Transport Assessments: All future development applications will include a Transport Impact Assessment to appropriately consider traffic, public transport, walking, and cycling. 

    It is expected that the ultimate traffic solution may be a combination of roadworks and the provision of attractive alternative transport solutions. 

  • Findings from past engagement in Canberra tell us that thoughtful design which considers wind impacts to create comfortable public spaces suited to our local climate is very important to the community. 

    Scentre Group and its specialist consultants are prioritising the impact of wind to be able to create a comfortable public environment. This consideration and assessment has already helped shape the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan. Additional, detailed wind assessments will accompany each future development application.  

    Key design considerations for management of wind impacts can include: 

    • Landscape planting to reduce local ground level wind 

    • Building awnings to reduce wind downdrafts down the sides of buildings 

    • Positioning and orienting buildings based on prevailing wind patterns. 

  • Solar access will be guided by the Commercial Zones Technical Specification within the Territory Plan. This document recommends that at least 70% of apartments should receive a minimum of three hours of direct sunlight on the winter solstice (shortest day of the year). 

    While this target is not mandatory and will be of greater relevance once individual buildings go through more detailed design, the Concept Masterplan has been carefully designed so all buildings can achieve this target.  

    Two key planning requirements within the Commercial Zones Policy must be met relating to overshadowing: 

    Assessment Outcome 15: 

    “Reasonable solar access to dwellings and private open space within a block and on adjoining blocks is achieved. This includes solar access into main living spaces within a dwelling”. 

    Assessment Outcome 10:

    “The development (including the design of outdoor spaces) achieves reasonable solar access and microclimate conditions to public areas and streets to support their use by the community” 

    The Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan has been designed to comply with these requirements. Key strategies for achieving compliance have included: 

    • Generally positioning taller buildings to the south of public open spaces and to the centre of the site to contain shadowing within the site 

    • Positioning shorter buildings around the perimeter of the site to minimise shading to adjoining land and properties.  

  • The Woden District Policy outlines 8 key goals for shaping the future of the Woden District, including creating vibrant public spaces, supporting housing choice and improving transport connections. The Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan has been carefully designed to support these goals and help deliver a thriving town centre. 

    The Woden District Policy also includes mandatory Assessment Requirements for the Town Centre. The proposed building heights do not currently meet these height controls, requiring a Major Plan Amendment (MPA) to make the proposal possible. 

     As part of the MPA, a Supporting Report is being prepared. This report will explain how the proposal meets the principles of good planning under the Planning Act 2023.

Urban Planning Frequently Asked Questions

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  • As a multi-disciplinary firm grounded in urban planning, Purdon take the time to deeply understand our clients' vision and communicate their projects with clarity, confidence and transparency. We translate complex planning and design ideas into accessible concepts that empower meaningful community input.

    We consistently strive to serve as an independent, trusted, two-way conduit:

    For our clients, we showcase the strengths and aspirations of their proposals, highlighting the intent, quality and contribution of their proposals while still providing honest insight into how those proposals may be received.

    For communities, we report what we hear with integrity, clearly and accurately recording the views that they have expressed.

  • You can share your thoughts by completing our short survey. You can also drop by one of our planned community pop-ups to find out more and speak with our team in person. 

    Head to our engagement page here for more information.  

  • Engagement on the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan will close at 11:59pm on Sunday 16 November 2025.

  • The feedback we receive will be used to inform the MPA application to the ACT Government to amend the Territory Plan. We anticipate submitting this application late 2025. 

  • Yes. Consultation will be required in connection with future formal planning processes and the project team may also carry out further voluntary engagement.   

    Mandatory consultation 

    Community consultation will inform the proposed Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan, with findings to accompany a Major Plan Amendment (MPA) application to the Planning Authority in late 2025. 

    If a draft MPA is prepared, it will be notified for public comment prior to being recommended to the Minister for Planning. The Legislative Assembly’s Environment and Planning Committee may conduct an enquiry into any recommended MPA, seeking further input from the community. 

    Following the MPA, each future development application will be subject to public notification (two rounds for significant development applications). 

    Voluntary engagement

    The project team may pursue further voluntary community engagement outside of the above requirements in order to add value to the project. Future opportunities for input into design development may target specific stakeholder interests or be available to the broader community. 

  • The best way to stay informed is by visiting this website regularly. Updates will be shared as the project evolves.  

  • Yes. Purdon, on behalf of Scentre Group, have undertaken a thorough review of previous engagement findings across the Woden Town Centre. This included insights from a range of past planning and place-based initiatives. 

    Our understanding of existing community perspectives on development, enables this engagement to build on, rather than repeat, what’s already been shared. These insights provide a valuable foundation for ongoing conversations about how the centre can continue to evolve to reflect local aspirations, identity and everyday life. 

  • Community feedback is central to how the Scentre Group Woden Town Centre Concept Masterplan will continue to evolve. Input received during the engagement period will be carefully reviewed to identify key themes, ideas and concerns shared by the community.  

    These insights will be shared with the project’s design and planning teams to explore how the Masterplan can better reflect local aspirations while ensuring feasibility within the project’s broader scope. 

    A public report will be published at the end of the engagement process, summarising feedback from the community and opportunities to influence the design. The aim is for the Masterplan to reflect not only what’s possible but what matters most to the community. 

Engagement Frequently Asked Questions

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