Over the past decade, Box Hill has seen the addition of more than 2,790 apartments, five new hotels, high-rise offices, and population growth from 16,480 in 2006 to more than 23,600 in 2019.

Situated in the heart of one of Victoria's fastest-growing Metropolitan Activity Centres, Box Hill Central welcomes approximately 26-million visitors each year providing the foundations for a vibrant mixed-use precinct for work, rest, and play.

First unveiled in 2020, Vicinity plans to revitalise the heart of Box Hill’s CBD, to create a bustling new town square and mixed-use precinct with new residential, commercial and retail developments, representing a very significant private investment into Box Hill.

In what will be one of Victoria’s largest private urban regeneration projects, the vision is to transform 5.5 hectares in the centre of Box Hill into a world class mixed-use and retail precinct for more than 6,000 workers and 3,800 residents by 2030.

Highlights of the 10-year vision include:

• one of the most significant public spaces to be created in suburban Melbourne to date, opening up Box Hill’s town centre with a Spanish Steps-inspired amphitheatre, town square and a new extension of Main Street – for hosting events, entertainment, art and music

• the creation of new walkways and roads connecting the precinct’s residential, commercial, transport, retail and hospitality offerings to Whitehorse Road

• consolidation of the majority of Box Hill Central’s retail between Main Street and Carrington Road, capitalising on the iconic Asian fresh food market and dining experiences, and leveraging the centre’s location at one of Melbourne’s busiest rail and bus transport hubs

• a new mixed-use precinct on the land fronting Whitehorse Road with up to 250,000 square metres of new buildings, including: new residences; office accommodation; a hotel; and contemporary retail – all taking advantage of the transport interchange.

In mid-2022, Whitehorse City Council approved the first part of Vicinity's 10-year masterplan, paving the way for the development of a state-of-the-art office tower, residential tower and a new town square.

The first stage approval represents a significant private investment in Box Hill CBD with a combined value of approximately $700m.

Approval to the masterplan came via close working with Council and State Government, an the Box Hill community.

Vicinity's Chief Development Officer, Carolyn Viney, said:

“Reaching this important milestone makes way for the first stage of development that will create a new east-west pedestrian connection through the town centre which will be complemented by a community plaza and Spanish-steps inspired amphitheatre, a new residential tower for more than 600 residents and commercial office space for 2,000 workers."

Development of the 10-year masterplan's approved first stage is expected to deliver more than 50,000sqm of commercial office space, 366 apartments and 3,350sqm of new public spaces. It will also create new walkways and roads to interconnect to the precinct’s transport, retail, and dining offerings.  

Overall, the redevelopment is expected to deliver approximately 2,400 construction jobs during the building phase and more than 6,000 new jobs for the precinct upon completion.