Shopping for a new apartment could soon be part of your regular grocery run if Scentre Group moves forward with plans to build residential apartments above its existing shopping centres.

Scentre Group owns and operates 42 Westfield centres across Australia and New Zealand.

Chief Executive Elliott Rusanow says the company is exploring the redevelopment of its properties to include apartments, a move that would support the company’s long-term growth and help address housing supply issues.

“Our Westfield centres are located in key civic and transport hubs, areas where densification is already happening,” says Rusanow.

“These prime land holdings, combined with their strategic locations, could play a key role in tackling housing shortages in both countries.”

Hal Pawson, Associate Director at the University of New South Wales City Futures Research Centre, notes that building above shopping centres offers valuable housing options.

“It’s much better to develop in these locations than on the outskirts of cities,” he says.