Johannesburg - The redeveloped and significantly expanded Ballito Junction regional mall on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast is set to open in March next year.
The size of the mall will be increased from 10 000 square metres to 80 000m² in the R1.3 billion redevelopment project with the number of stores rising to 130 and the mall getting an additional four anchor tenants. Checkers, Woolworths, Edgars and Game will join the existing anchor tenants in the mall – Pick n Pay and Dis-Chem.
The mall is owned and developed by a consortium comprising Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings and Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment.
The primary market for the mall comprises more than 65 000 people in the 25 000 households in the immediate area, with about half of these being high-end consumers.
The secondary market includes more than 510 000 people from about 140 000 permanent households and about 40 percent of them were higher-end shoppers.
Research by the owners revealed that the primary area for Ballito Junction would, because of its location, span about a 10km radius from south of Tongaat to north of Sheffield and inland areas such as Shakaskraal, Fairbreeze, Mitchell Village and Chelmsford Heights.
Its secondary trade area extends beyond Zinkwasi and Darnall in the north to La Mercy in the south.
Pat Flanagan, the co-chairman of Flanagan & Gerard, said Ballito Junction as a large, dominant shopping centre with a super regional pull, had been positioned to serve a large cross section of shoppers from the area’s permanent population and would have something for everyone.
Flanagan said upmarket shoppers made up a smaller yet important part of the Ballito Junction shopper market, but the mall would benefit from the cash economy.
“The mall will also benefit from the cash economy and regular spend from the largest portion of our shopper market. The mall’s retail, restaurant, entertainment and services will cater for a diverse mix of shoppers,” he said.
Flanagan added that there was nothing in the area that would compare with Ballito Junction, which would introduce a mix of leading retail and leisure choices.
He said the mall’s 130 stores would feature an appealing variety of international brands, independent retailers and entertainment for the entire family and complement the powerful line-up of popular national retailers.
BUSINESS REPORT