Cape-based Storageland has bought 1.7ha of prime industrial land at Westlake for the construction of a 700-unit storage facility.

The land is prominently positioned, fronting on to Steenberg Road at the junction with the M3, and will afford excellent visibility and easy access.

The site was bought for marginally under R400/m2, and the cost of the completed development will be R18 million, according to Peter Unite, the owner of Storageland.

The company presently has two facilities in the Southern Suburbs, but needed to expand.

Buying land in this new nodal position would also provide for future growth, he says.

Development of the Westlake facility began in February and it will be open for business by April 1, with 40 stores, an office and the security infrastructure in place.

Unite is project managing the development, which has being partially financed by BoE, now Nedcor.

Construction will be carried out by builders HJ Coetzee, with engineers Conspec and other specialised companies sub-contracted to do the work.

Unite's partner Scott Hindmarch, the owner of a self-storage facility in the Northern Suburbs, will be running the new facility.

"Together we chose the Westlake site because of its position relative to the large residential areas on either side of the M3 motorway from Westlake to Claremont, which are presently not serviced by a storage facility," says Unite.

He says most customers are homeowners moving house and needing temporary storage, or those with items such as boats, caravans, cars and unwanted furniture or belongings that they do not have space for at home.

About 20% of their business comes from small businessmen who run agencies and need storage.

Stores may be leased for any length of time from days to years, and the customer only pays for the days he occupies the store. Unite says that interest in availability of stores is strong, with most of the initial batch booked.

Stores will be completed to keep ahead of demand at an expected rate of 30 a month.

l Bookings can be made at Storageland on 021 785 5512.