Management at Perth Airport has announced that it is to open a new Direct Factory Outlet (DFO) within the airport estate in 2018, offering more than 110 specialty retail tenancies – mainly in the sectors of fashion, but also food and beverage.

 

Subject to planning permission, the new DFO is expected to contribute more than A$120m ($92.4m) a year to the WA economy and is set to be built on a nine-hectare site in the Airport West Retail Park on Dunreath Drive.

 

Once complete it will offer approximately 24,000sq m of retail space, be branded DFO and the outlet will be branded DFO and be managed by Vicinity in a 50-50 joint venture with Perth Airport. It will also feature parking space for 1,600 cars.

 

WORK BEGINS NEXT YEAR…

Airport management says that work on the new project will begin in the middle of next year, with the facility scheduled to open in 2018. Perth Airport says that the construction phase alone will create more than 250 jobs directly and another 450 indirectly into West Australia, while the DFO itself is expected to create a further 650 direct jobs and a further 400-plus.

 

Commenting on the plan, Steve Holden, Executive General Manager Property, Perth Airport said: “The DFO marks the start of an exciting phase in the evolution of the airport and Vicinity has a successful track record in operating DFOs”.

 

At the same time, Vicinity’s Development Director – WA, SA and QLD, Stephen Beer said the company is ‘delighted’ with the joint venture at Perth Airport and the opportunity to create a world-class outlet centre.