Westfield Albany
A major shopping and entertainment centre in Albany, Auckland, New Zealand.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Westfield Albany is a large shopping and entertainment centre in the Auckland suburb of Albany, opposite Albany Lakes Civic Park. It serves the North Shore and the wider northern Auckland region with a combination of department-store, supermarket, specialty retail, dining, entertainment, office and public-space uses. The centre is majority owned by Scentre Group, the Australian and New Zealand retail-property group that emerged from the demerger of Westfield Group’s shopping-centre interests; the remaining interest is held by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC. The development was conceived in the early 2000s as a response to the rapid population and commercial growth of the Albany area. Initial plans envisaged a substantially smaller centre of about 20,000 square metres, with a later expansion if local growth supported it. By the time construction and leasing progressed, the project had expanded significantly. The completed complex contains approximately 70,000 square metres of indoor floor area, comprising about 49,000 square metres of retail space and 21,000 square metres of offices. Construction reportedly cost about NZ$210 million. Stage One began trading on 30 August 2007 with 65 stores. The remaining retail areas opened on 1 November 2007 after a formal opening attended by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Westfield Group managing director Steven Lowy. The centre’s ten-screen cinema complex opened later, in April 2008, completing the principal development stages. Its tenant mix has included a two-level, approximately 10,000-square-metre Farmers department store, Kmart, New World, around 150 specialty stores, an Event Cinemas multiplex and a food court seating approximately 560 people. The centre also provides more than 2,000 car parks. Westfield Albany was notable within Westfield’s New Zealand development history because it was the company’s first entirely new shopping-centre project in the country since entering the market during the mid-1990s. Its design also reflected a shift away from the enclosed, inward-facing mall model associated with many earlier New Zealand developments. Planning and public criticism encouraged a more open layout incorporating main-street elements, civic-oriented spaces and connections intended to support the surrounding Albany community rather than operate solely as an isolated retail destination. North Shore City Council viewed the project as a potential focal point for the area’s future urban growth. The centre experienced several operational incidents after opening. In 2008, water-tightness concerns led the cinema operator to close the cinema complex temporarily as a precaution after roof problems had affected an individual auditorium. The cinemas reopened approximately a week later. In May 2011, the centre was closed for inspection after a tornado caused extensive damage across Auckland’s North Shore and resulted in one death in the wider event. The centre subsequently resumed operations. Westfield Albany received the New Zealand Property Council’s highest award in 2008. The judging recognised its combination of retail, leisure and entertainment uses, as well as its public spaces and intended role as a community focal point. The centre remains an active retail property in Scentre Group’s New Zealand portfolio, with its tenant mix and operating performance reflecting the broader Auckland market.
History
Westfield Albany emerged from the rapid expansion of Auckland’s northern suburbs and the transformation of Albany into a significant commercial and urban centre. When the project was first proposed in 2003, it was considerably smaller than the complex ultimately delivered. Early plans contemplated approximately 20,000 square metres of retail space, with a possible later addition if population and demand increased. The scale of the planned development grew as developers and market observers assessed the likely demand generated by Albany and surrounding North Shore communities. The project was significant for Westfield because it represented the group’s first wholly new shopping-centre development in New Zealand since its entry into the local market in the mid-1990s. It was also planned during debate about how Albany should develop. Some planning and property observers believed the wider area could support substantially more retail and associated office space, while Westfield had previously objected to a district-plan change that it considered capable of creating excessive retail provision in parts of Albany. That challenge was rejected by the Environment Court. Community and planning criticism influenced the design approach. Westfield had faced broader criticism in the past for focusing on the internal commercial performance of malls while giving insufficient attention to their effects on surrounding communities. North Shore City Council’s planning vision emphasised the creation of a town centre rather than a collection of disconnected retail sites. In response, the Albany scheme adopted a more open configuration with main-street-style elements and public areas. The design was viewed as a departure from the predominantly inward-looking enclosed malls developed in New Zealand during the 1990s. Its stated ambition was to provide a gathering point for the Albany community as well as a retail destination. Construction produced a centre of approximately 70,000 square metres of indoor floor area. Around 49,000 square metres was allocated to retail and approximately 21,000 square metres to offices. The development cost was reported at about NZ$210 million. More than 2,000 parking spaces were provided, reflecting the centre’s regional catchment and Auckland’s car-oriented suburban environment. Stage One opened on 30 August 2007 with 65 stores. The wider retail opening followed on 1 November 2007, when Prime Minister Helen Clark and Westfield Group managing director Steven Lowy attended the main opening ceremony. The cinema component was delayed until April 2008, when the ten-screen complex opened. The completed tenant offer included Farmers, Kmart, New World, approximately 150 specialty retailers, food outlets, a large food court and cinema entertainment. The centre encountered a short-lived operational disruption in 2008. Roof and weather-tightness concerns led the cinema operator to close the cinemas preventively in July after one auditorium had already been shut the previous month. The complex reopened approximately one week later. In May 2011, a tornado that caused extensive damage across Auckland’s North Shore prompted a temporary closure for inspection. The event also resulted in one fatality in the wider area. Westfield Albany received the New Zealand Property Council’s highest award in 2008. The judges highlighted the centre’s mix of retail, leisure and entertainment, together with its public spaces and community-oriented design. Ownership later changed as Scentre Group became the principal owner of Westfield’s Australian and New Zealand shopping-centre interests. The centre is now majority owned by Scentre Group, with GIC holding the balance. It continues to operate as a major retail and entertainment complex in Auckland’s northern metropolitan area.
- 2011
Temporary closure after tornado damage
[1]The centre closed for inspection following tornado damage affecting Auckland’s North Shore.
- 2008
Cinema complex opens
[1]The ten-screen cinema complex opened in April after the main retail stages had launched.
- 2008
Receives top New Zealand Property Council award
[1]The centre was recognised for its retail, leisure, entertainment and community-oriented public-space design.
- 2007
Stage One opens
[1]The first stage began trading on 30 August with 65 stores.
- 2007
Main retail opening
[1]The remaining stores opened on 1 November, completing the principal retail launch of the centre.
- 2003
Initial development proposal
[1]Westfield’s Albany project was first publicly mooted as a smaller centre of about 20,000 square metres, with potential for a later expansion if population growth justified it.
Products and positioning
A large regional shopping, dining and entertainment destination serving Albany, Auckland’s North Shore and surrounding northern communities.
Retail · 2007
Specialty retail stores
Westfield Albany houses approximately 150 specialty stores across fashion, beauty, electronics, homewares, services and other everyday retail categories. These stores complement the centre’s anchor tenants and give it a broad regional shopping offer.
Department store · 2007
Farmers
A large two-level Farmers department store is one of the centre’s major anchors. Its presence supports the centre’s fashion, beauty, home and general merchandise offer and contributes to the destination’s regional draw.
Discount department store · 2007
Kmart
Kmart provides value-oriented general merchandise, home products, apparel and everyday goods within the centre’s anchor-store mix.
Supermarket · 2007
New World
New World serves grocery and household shopping needs, adding a frequent-use supermarket component to the centre’s broader retail and convenience proposition.
Cinema and entertainment · 2008
Event Cinemas
The centre’s ten-screen multiplex provides movie entertainment and extends Westfield Albany’s role beyond conventional shopping. The cinemas opened in April 2008 after the main retail stages.
Food and beverage · 2007
Food court and dining
A food court with seating for approximately 560 people, together with other dining outlets and major fast-food franchises, provides quick-service and casual dining for shoppers and visitors.
Brand decisions
2008
Temporarily close cinema complex for weather-tightness inspectionOtherBackground
Roof problems and weather-tightness concerns affected the cinema facilities shortly after the multiplex opened.
Action taken
The cinema operator closed the complex preventively while the building issues were assessed.
Aftermath
The cinemas reopened approximately one week later; the incident did not result in a permanent closure.
2003
Adopt a larger, community-oriented Albany developmentStrategyBackground
The initial concept was smaller, while planning debates and projected growth suggested that Albany could support a substantial regional centre. The council also wanted a town-centre form rather than an isolated retail destination.
Action taken
Westfield expanded the planned development and incorporated more open spaces, main-street elements and community-facing areas into the design.
Aftermath
The resulting centre became a major retail and entertainment focal point for Albany and was recognised by the New Zealand Property Council for its design and public-space emphasis.
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