Meriton Group will incorporate a food emporium as part of its $300 million Lighthouse project at Dee Why in Sydney’s north.

The property firm stated the food emporium will be a key ingredient for a retail area that will be at the heart of a new town centre earmarked for the northern suburb. The development is expected to begin early next year and will include 16,000sqm of retail and office space.

The Lighthouse development, which occupies a former shopping centre site, will front Dee Why’s main street and be developed under a council masterplan for central Dee Why.

The masterplan, formalised in 2013, is intended to provide Dee Why with the northern beaches’ premier commercial and residential area, one which will include a focus on civic and cultural activities.

Meriton has started a leasing push for its Lighthouse retail space, where the major tenants will be a supermarket and one of Australia’s major banks.

The development, in which the tallest of four planned buildings will be 20 levels, will also have specialty shops, restaurants and cafes, along with office suites and a 130‐place childcare centre.

Meriton’s Nicholas Ivanov said Meriton was very much on the front foot in seeking to attract a range of tenants that would offer the residents of Dee Why and surrounding areas a one‐stop shopping, dining and relaxation destination.

“We’re seeking expressions of interest from operators interested in helping us deliver a retail area that will be an exciting plus for the residents of Dee Why and surrounding areas,” Ivanov said.

Ivanov stated Lighthouse would have a large first‐floor area that catered for, among other tenancies, dining outlets overlooking a piazza‐style landscaped dining precinct.

“We are living in an era where people are hungry for food adventures so things like a pizza and wine bar and an organic grocery shop have great appeal,” he said.

“We feel that if we can create a food emporium, we will add a new dimension to the food offerings in Dee Why and to the experiences available to shoppers.”

Meriton expects the Lighthouse retail area to be underpinned by Dee Why and surrounding suburbs providing a potential customer base of over 100,000 people.

The Dee Why masterplan provides for 550 car spaces servicing the retail and commercial precinct. Marketing of Meriton’s planned 356 apartments is expected to start next month.

Meriton bought the 1.44ha Lighthouse site for $52 million three years ago from Canada’s Brookfield group.

Access exclusive analysis, locked news and reports with Inside Retail Weekly. Subscribe today and get our premium print publication delivered to your door every week.