By Thekiso Anthony Lefifi

According to David Fischel, CSC's chief executive, the centre is the "best shopping centre in the UK" outside London and the southeastern UK.

"If we have the Trafford Centre, we move to (control) 10 of the 25 top centres in the UK and four of the six out-of-town shopping centres," Fischel said.

CSC is in advanced talks to buy the mall in a share-based transaction that would value it at £1.6-billion, including debt.

Located in the Trafford Borough of Manchester, the mall attracts about 30 million visitors a year. It is also the largest shopping centre in the UK and second largest in Europe.

The Trafford Centre is owned by the Peel Group, an infrastructure, transport and real estate investment company in the UK.

It is part of a wider 550 acre site with huge developmental potential. This development has already begun with Trafford Quays Leisure Village, which includes a golf driving range, a David Lloyd fitness centre, hotels and Britain's first real snow leisure facility, Chill Factore, and a skydiving simulator.

Source: Sunday Times