Big retail plans for Sydney CBD

Westfield Group yesterday unveiled plans to revive Sydney's CBD as a shopping destination with a A$600 million ($642 million) world-class retail and office development project.

Westfield said the redevelopment linking Centrepoint, Imperial Arcade and Skygarden would restore the city's heart as a high-quality retail destination and deliver a much-needed facelift to the Pitt St mall.

The redevelopment, which will include a 27-storey commercial tower, is the latest for Westfield's global properties that include Century City in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Centre, Bondi Junction and London's White City.

The project is expected to be completed in stages over three years and will provide 300 construction jobs.