The Victorian government has struck a deal to build a new train station at a major Melbourne shopping centre.

Four years after promising to build a station at Southland, the coalition and the owners of Southland Shopping Centre have agreed on access to the site.

Premier Denis Napthine said works will begin on a $21 million station at Southland on the Frankston line that would service 4400 passengers a day.

“The new station will cater for growth in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs and greatly improve access to this major shopping centre,” Dr Napthine said on Wednesday.

He said the idea to build Southland Station has been around since the shopping centre opened in 1968.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the new station will ease congestion on neighbouring stations and make the centre more accessible to the public.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2016.

The coalition, then in opposition, pledged $13 million to build Southland station during the 2010 state election campaign.

AAP