The centre was planned to be shut down and demolished originally sometime around 2022 but eventually got delayed to early 2025, but has since been delayed again multiple times. The building suffered a major safety incident during preparation for demolition with a section of a 10-storey residential property collapsing during demolition of the neighbouring structures of Burwood Plaza, which caused scaffolding to fall and forced the evacuation of nearby residents and workers.[1] The planned closure of the Australia Post location inside the shopping center in November 2025 to make room for demolition caused backlash in the local community.[2]
Origins
The site where Burwood Plaza now lies was once the site of Burwood's first theatre which opened in 1910. It was replaced by the Palatial Theatre which opened in 1921 and featured the first Christie pipe organ in a local theatre. The Palatial closed in 1971 and the space was used by the Royal Blind Society, then as a carpet showroom.[3]
History
Outdoor signage above the main entrance.
Burwood Plaza opened in 1978 as a competitor to the neighbouring Westfield Burwood shopping centre and was originally anchored by a Waltons department store.[4] The location of the centre was strategic as it was close to Burwood train station, and the centre was designed to be a supplies stop for pedestrians boarding the trains.[citation needed] In the early 1990s, a Franklins Big Fresh replaced the anchor tenant space where the Waltons department store was previously located. This would leave Burwood Plaza without a proper department store. Franklins Big Fresh would soon close in 2001 and was replaced with a Woolworths supermarket, which became the new anchor tenant.[citation needed]
On 14 November 2015, a small scale Toys "R" Us store opened a location on the space of the former Best & Less clothing store.[5] Due to company-wide financial issues within Toys "R" Us unrelated to the centre, the Toys "R" Us location closed in August 2018 and the current tenant, Japanese 100-yen shop Daiso soon opened a store on the former location.[citation needed]
Burwood Plaza has been in a rapid decline of shoppers since late 2021 due to lack of significant investment into the building in preparation for the redevelopment and the opening of several stores in the neighbouring Westfield Burwood shopping centre which were similar to previous tenants of Burwood Plaza. This led to tenants removing their presence in the centre, leaving empty tenant spaces.[citation needed]
Acquisition and redevelopment
In November 2014, Parramatta-based Holdmark Property Group acquired Burwood Plaza from Centuria Property Funds for a price of around $80 million.[6] With plans for the site to be used to build a commercial complex known as Burwood Place, with a new convenience centered shopping centre. The current centre is expected to close in early 2025.[7]
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Burwood 
