BRIGHTWATER Commons, formerly known as the Randburg Waterfront, will celebrate its phase one launch on Tuesday.

After almost a year of refurbishing, the first phase is almost complete. This phase has seen the retreatment of certain facades or shop-fronts, roofscapes and walkways; the draining of the lake in the core of the development and filling of this area with soil.

An underground culvert was created, the core area landscaped and a new smaller, softer body of water introduced.

The musical fountains will be reinstalled and work on the promotions court, which will be in the centre of the development, is under way.

Phase two of the refurbishment will see the addition of a "market shed" in the central area and relocation of the flea-market, currently on the upper level, into this area.

Once the market has been relocated a new retail "home zone" will take its place.

Management says families will also be able to enjoy picnics on the grassy commons and participate in events in the new promotions court.

The owners, Allan Gray Property Trust, say Brightwater Commons has to be one of the first shopping centres that has chosen to provide a common parkland as an integral part of the development.

Allan Gray decided to avoid the almost inevitable decision in a refurbishment to extend the centre incrementally and instead decided to concentrate on reformulating the middle of the scheme as well as enhancing and upgrading the current retail space.

Interestingly, one of the keynote presentations at the recent South African Congress of Shopping Centres held in Cape Town last week was around the concept of limited and legislation-controlled development in the UK and the trend towards revitalisation of central business districts, using retail development as an initiator and link.

Andrew Ogg, of Leslie Jones Architects in the UK, highlighted the aims of the new UK plan and legislation and its intention on limiting new developments, and creating urban places in existing areas.

The recently opened Bull Ring in Birmingham was given as one such example.

Considering the demise of so many of SA's central business districts and the continuing progress of urban sprawl, one wonders when such legislation will be deemed necessary in this country in order to stimulate new development in current urban areas.

Part of the new UK legislation includes the provision of common public areas as part of commercial retail nodes.

Parks, treed avenues and civic areas are all becoming visually and environmentally stimulating spaces in these new mixed-use ventures.

Oct 22 2003 07:28:20:000AM Business Day Reporter Business Day 1st Edition