rising appetite for premium, design-led retail have reshaped what our community wants from the centre, and how they shop. The opportunity was to respond to that evolution with a precinct built around contemporary lifestyle, sportswear, beauty and fashion, with each format chosen for its cultural relevance as much as its commercial performance. The planned departure of David Jones in January 2026, after an extended period of partnership and transition planning, opened the floorspace we needed to deliver that vision, backed by a $50 million-plus commitment to the centre’s next chapter.
Historically, when large anchor space became available, the focus was often on finding another single operator to fill it.
Today, we start by asking how that space can work harder to lift neighbouring productivity and strengthen the overall customer experience. Here, the David Jones departure was the catalyst for reshaping two levels into a curated mix of premium activewear, fashion and beauty, supported by upgraded customer amenity, including 155 additional car spaces.
Curating the retail mix
This catchment has evolved into one of Sydney’s most affluent, with household incomes in Castle Hill sitting well above Greater Sydney averages and a rapidly growing premium residential rental market. The mix has been calibrated to match. The Level 3 Designer Precinct, which opened in November, brought new-to-centre labels including Kivari, Oroton and Polo Ralph Lauren, with strong early trading confirming a clear appetite for aspirational fashion. This next stage carries that momentum into premium activewear and streetwear, opening in time for Christmas 2026. Global category leaders Lululemon and JD Sports will make their Castle Towers debut alongside Australian favourites LSKD and City Beach. Each addition reflects a market that increasingly rewards brand storytelling and immersive experience over scale alone.
Several of the centre’s established retailers are making flagship reinvestments: Nike expanding its footprint, Universal Store refreshing its youth-led format and Kookaï elevating its occasion-led offer. These upgrades build on the sport-luxe aesthetic established by recent additions Tommy Hilfiger and P.E Nation on Level 3, sitting comfortably alongside refreshed concepts for By Charlotte – the Sydney jeweller – and heritage label RM Williams. Taken together, these high-recognition brands give Castle Towers a breadth of contemporary apparel that few centres can match. Across eight new and upgraded stores, the precinct also makes a significant statement in beauty, with a flagship anchor to be announced closer to opening.
Building a destination
Entertainment has been one of the centre’s strongest performers for several years. The precinct built around Event Cinemas, Holey Moley, Strike Bowling and Archie Brothers draws steady visitation well beyond traditional shopping hours, and that day-to-night rhythm is something we have deliberately cultivated. The new retail offer taps directly into this energy, with brands like JD Sports and LSKD speaking to the same active young people and families the entertainment venues attract. This stage concentrates on apparel and beauty, deepening the centre’s daytime draw, while the broader masterplan points toward a richer mix of dining, hospitality and wellbeing-led experiences over time. The more reasons people have to visit and the longer they stay, the stronger the centre performs for every retail partner.
Future-proofing the asset
No single project stands alone. The Level 3 Designer Precinct built the audience for the current remix across Levels 2 and 3, which in turn lays the groundwork for what follows in our masterplan. Every intervention is judged on whether it genuinely lifts visitation and dwell time, and the sequenced approach means we can keep adapting the centre as the Hills community grows and tastes move on.
This article by Luke Young, General Manager – Leasing, is featured in the latest issue of SCN magazine
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