New Town Plaza
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA major mixed-use shopping complex in the town centre of Sha Tin, Hong Kong.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
New Town Plaza is a large mixed-use shopping complex in the town centre of Sha Tin, Hong Kong. Developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties, it was among the most significant commercial projects in the New Territories when completed in the early 1980s. The complex is closely integrated with Sha Tin station and Citylink Plaza, making it both a retail destination and a major transport-linked gathering place for residents of Sha Tin and nearby districts. The development covers approximately 200,000 square metres and is organized around several connected or associated components. Phase 1 is the principal nine-storey mall and contains a broad mix of fashion, beauty, consumer electronics, restaurants, department-store-style retail, entertainment and family-oriented facilities. Phase 3 consists of a private housing estate above a three-storey shopping arcade. Grand Central Plaza, located less than one kilometre from the main mall, contains HomeSquare and a large IKEA store, extending the wider New Town Plaza retail ecosystem into furniture and home-living categories. New Town Plaza's location beside the MTR station is central to its identity. The complex is also served by buses, minibuses and estate shuttle services, and its direct links to public transport contribute to its reputation as one of Hong Kong's busiest shopping centres. The tenant mix has included international fashion and lifestyle brands, supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, cinemas, electronics retailers and children's businesses. The precise store lineup changes over time, but the centre has consistently positioned itself as a comprehensive, mass-market-to-premium regional mall rather than a narrowly specialized retail venue. The mall has also used destination attractions to distinguish itself. Snoopy's World, an outdoor Peanuts-themed playground on the podium of Phase 1, opened in 2000 and was described as Asia's first outdoor Peanuts playground. Its themed areas include a Snoopy House, Peanuts Academy, a canoe ride, a baseball-themed play area and a miniature town. New Town Plaza was also historically known for a large musical fountain. The original fountain was removed in 2004, a replacement opened on the roof garden in 2005, and the later installation was closed in 2015. Phase 1 underwent an extensive renovation between 2003 and 2008. Phase 3 was subsequently renovated from 2017 to 2019, including changes to the atrium and the arrangement of retail floors. These projects updated circulation, tenant space and the commercial offer while preserving the complex's role as a large regional shopping centre. New Town Plaza became especially prominent in public affairs during the 2019-2020 Hong Kong protests. A peaceful protest in Sha Tin on 14 July 2019 developed into intense confrontations inside the mall after protesters were confined within the complex. Sun Hung Kai Properties attracted scrutiny over the circumstances in which police entered the shopping centre. The mall was also one of several Hong Kong commercial venues where crowds gathered to sing "Glory to Hong Kong" in September 2019. These events showed how a highly accessible private retail property could become an important civic and political gathering space as well as a commercial one.
History
New Town Plaza was developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties as a major commercial and mixed-use centre for Sha Tin, one of Hong Kong's planned New Towns. Its creation reflected the expansion of population, housing and transport infrastructure in the New Territories. When the main complex was completed in the early 1980s, it was the largest shopping centre in the New Territories, giving Sha Tin a substantial retail and leisure destination comparable in scale with established urban centres elsewhere in Hong Kong. The principal Phase 1 mall was designed as a large, multi-level shopping centre directly beside Sha Tin station and Citylink Plaza. This location made the development unusually accessible by public transport and helped it serve a regional catchment rather than only the immediately adjacent housing estates. The complex also benefited from road connections, minibus routes and shuttle services linking surrounding residential developments. Its nine-storey format allowed it to combine fashion, beauty, dining, electronics, entertainment and general merchandise within one large destination. A notable early feature was an oval musical fountain positioned at the centre of the mall's third level. It became an identifying attraction and was described in contemporary accounts as the largest musical fountain in Asia. The original fountain was demolished in August 2004. A replacement was later constructed on the seventh-level roof garden, opened in November 2005, and eventually closed in 2015. New Town Plaza expanded through related components. Phase 3 was built between 1990 and 1991 and combines five residential towers with a three-storey shopping arcade. Grand Central Plaza, known in the retail context for its HomeSquare shopping mall, is located less than one kilometre from Phase 1 and broadens the development's offer into furniture and home improvement. The complex's wider setting also includes nearby public and civic facilities such as Sha Tin Town Hall, Sha Tin Public Library, Sha Tin Park and the Sha Tin Marriage Registry. Royal Park Hotel, another Sun Hung Kai Properties development, has been regarded as part of the broader New Town Plaza project area. Family entertainment became an important element of the centre's identity when Snoopy's World opened on 1 September 2000. Located on the Phase 1 podium, the outdoor attraction uses Peanuts characters and settings, including a themed entrance, school plaza, boating canal, baseball play area, miniature town and covered party pavilion. It gave the shopping centre a destination feature that extended beyond conventional retail. Phase 1 underwent extensive renovation from 2003 to 2008. The work modernized the interior and refreshed the tenant and circulation environment while retaining the mall's broad regional-shopping function. Phase 3 received a further major renovation from 2017 to 2019. The redesign increased retail capacity and altered the former atrium arrangement, including the removal of the atrium extending between the first and second levels. Following the renovation, the arcade included Yata department-store and supermarket functions, Toys "R" Us, MUJI, The Commercial Press, Decathlon, Foot Locker, GU, restaurants and other retailers. The associated Grand Central Plaza has housed HomeSquare and a major IKEA store with an in-store Swedish restaurant. Together with the principal mall and Phase 3, these properties create a distributed retail cluster focused on fashion, food, household goods, family shopping and leisure. The centre also entered Hong Kong's political history during the 2019-2020 protests. On 14 July 2019, a protest that began peacefully in Sha Tin escalated after protesters moved or were confined into New Town Plaza and confronted police. Sun Hung Kai Properties was criticized and scrutinized over whether police had entered the private shopping centre with appropriate authorization. In September, New Town Plaza became one of several malls where residents gathered to sing Glory to Hong Kong. These incidents highlighted the mall's role as a heavily trafficked public-facing space and demonstrated how its transport access and central position could make it a venue for civic mobilization as well as consumption.
- 2019
Phase 3 renovation concludes
[1]The renewed arcade increased and reorganized retail space and introduced a substantially revised floor layout.
- 2019
New Town Plaza becomes a protest site
[1]The shopping centre was involved in major confrontations during the 14 July Sha Tin protest and later hosted a large public singing gathering.
- 2017
Phase 3 renovation starts
[1]A major refurbishment of the Phase 3 shopping arcade began and ran through 2019.
- 2015
Musical fountain closes
[1]The later musical-fountain installation was closed.
- 2005
Replacement musical fountain opens
[1]A replacement fountain was installed on the seventh-level roof garden and opened in November.
- 2004
Original musical fountain is removed
[1]The original central musical fountain was demolished in August during the broader evolution of the mall's interior.
- 2003
Phase 1 renovation starts
[1]An extensive refurbishment of the principal mall began and continued through 2008.
- 2000
Snoopy's World opens
[1]The Peanuts-themed outdoor playground opened on 1 September on the Phase 1 podium.
- 1990
Phase 3 development begins
[1]Phase 3 was developed as a mixed residential and retail component and was completed over the 1990-1991 period.
Main complex completed in the early 1980s
[1]Sun Hung Kai Properties completed New Town Plaza as a major shopping centre serving the expanding Sha Tin New Town and the wider New Territories.
Products and positioning
A transport-connected regional shopping and lifestyle hub serving Sha Tin and the wider New Territories, combining everyday retail, international brands, dining, entertainment, family attractions and home-furnishing destinations.
Shopping mall
Phase 1 shopping mall
The principal nine-storey component contains a broad regional-mall tenant mix. Documented categories and occupants have included fashion and accessories, luxury and beauty, cosmetics, supermarkets, restaurants, cinema entertainment, consumer electronics, sportswear, information technology, department-store-style retail and family amenities. Its direct connection to Sha Tin station is a defining feature.
Retail arcade · 1990
Phase 3 shopping arcade
Phase 3 combines residential towers with a three-floor retail arcade. After its 2017-2019 renovation, the documented offer included Yata, Toys "R" Us, The Commercial Press, MUJI, Decathlon, Foot Locker, GU, children's clothing, restaurants and other stores.
Family entertainment attraction · 2000
Snoopy's World
An outdoor Peanuts-themed playground on the Phase 1 podium. It includes themed spaces such as the Snoopy House, Peanuts Academy, a boating canal, a baseball play area, a miniature town and a covered party pavilion. It opened to the public in 2000.
Home furnishings retail
HomeSquare
The home-living retail component at Grand Central Plaza, with furniture and related household merchandise across multiple floors. Grand Central Plaza also houses a major IKEA store and restaurant.
Controversies
2019
Police confrontation during the Sha Tin protests
On 14 July 2019, a protest in Sha Tin escalated into confrontations inside New Town Plaza after protesters were kettled within the shopping centre. Sun Hung Kai Properties was scrutinized over the circumstances and authorization surrounding police access to the private mall.
Brand decisions
2017
Reconfigure Phase 3 retail spaceStrategyBackground
Phase 3 underwent a second major modernization intended to increase shops and update the arcade's physical layout.
Action taken
The arcade was renovated from 2017 to 2019, including removal of the former first-to-second-level atrium and a revised tenant arrangement.
Aftermath
The refurbished arcade introduced a broader and more contemporary mix spanning department-store retail, children’s products, sports, lifestyle, restaurants and other categories.
2003
Undertake a major Phase 1 refurbishmentStrategyBackground
The principal mall required modernization as Hong Kong's retail environment and consumer expectations evolved.
Action taken
New Town Plaza carried out an extensive renovation of Phase 1 from 2003 to 2008.
Aftermath
The project refreshed the main mall while preserving its role as a large, transport-connected regional shopping destination.
Recent events
- 2019
Crowds gather at New Town Plaza to sing Glory to Hong Kong[1]
Other
On 11 September, approximately 1,000 people gathered at New Town Plaza to sing the protest song Glory to Hong Kong, as similar gatherings took place in shopping malls across Hong Kong.
Sources2 sources
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