The $150m shopping centre strangling a Sydney suburb’s streets

A new $150 million retail outlet is facing scrutiny over a contentious parking policy that prioritises customers rather than the workers who run its 100-plus stores.

The Eastern Creek Quarter shopping complex is causing traffic headaches for surrounding home owners due to a directive by centre management that reserves the site’s 1900 parking spaces for customers, with staff instructed to park off-site, cycle, use shuttle buses or public transport.

The policy – aimed at maximising parking for customers following the centre’s opening last month – has resulted in workers parking in surrounding suburban areas, which resident Samantha Dooley said has turned local roads into congested thoroughfares.

“The situation is absolutely ridiculous – we used to have a quiet, safe street where kids could play, but not any more – it’s too unsafe,” she said.

“We’re regularly having cars parked across our driveway. We can’t move on the roads. It seems like there hasn’t been any thought for the residents who live in the area.”

Parking issues have extended to the Great Western Highway, where long lines of cars entering and exiting the retail hub have caused significant congestion. Police have been called to manage traffic during peak periods.

Nearby schools and community facilities have also been affected, with parents of Kiddiwinks Preschool and Eastern Creek Public School reporting difficulties finding parking during drop-off and pick-up times.

Rooty Hill Football Club president Matt Taylor said congestion around Cor Brouwer Reserve – just 200 metres from the centre – is making it harder for parents to get children to weekend games on time.

On a recent Friday, the chaos reached a head during a grandparents’ day and Easter hat parade at Eastern Creek Public School. The congestion was so significant that Blacktown councillor Bob Fitzgerald personally intervened, standing in the street to direct traffic so families could find a place to park.

He described the situation as a “planning failure” that has caused “staggering impacts” on the community.

“It seems like they’re packing as many customers as possible into their car park to boost sales, and the community is paying the price,” Fitzgerald said.

The issue has also drawn attention from the retail workers union, amid reports that employees who defy the ban and park on-site face daily fees of up to $40 – a cost critics say is unsustainable, particularly for casual workers.

While some store owners have dismissed the gridlock as “temporary teething problems,” one worker, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there are not enough bays to meet the reality of western Sydney’s car-dependent workforce.

Blacktown Council is now investigating introducing timed parking restrictions on surrounding streets to ease the parking pressures.

The controversy has also renewed scrutiny of the NSW government’s approval process of the centre which was built within Western Sydney Parklands, despite objections from Blacktown Council which had warned of traffic and infrastructure constraints.

Mayor Brad Bunting said the development addressed a longstanding retail gap in the region but added that infrastructure had not kept pace with the area’s rapid growth.

Frasers Property Australia, which operates the centre, defended its approach, pointing to a “green travel plan” that includes shuttle bus services and incentives for carpooling and cycling.

A spokeswoman said a subsidised parking option for staff was under consideration and that arrangements would be reviewed as trading patterns stabilise.

Complaints have also been escalated to Transport for NSW, state ministers and the Western Sydney Parklands Trust.

Online, criticism continues to build, with one resident describing the traffic as a “dog’s dinner”, while others say the centre – though a welcome addition – should have been better planned.

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