Cape Town, which has many small businesses, appears to be taking the lead in meeting the needs of this fast-growing sector, and there is a small boom in providing purpose-built office space for small enterprises.

Now Johannesburg is catching on, as shown by Pinewood Square a joint venture by Barrow Properties and Bryprop in Woodmead on a site near Johannesburg Country Club.

There are just 11 'designer' office units left, for sale under sectional title or for rental, in the 30unit, two-phase development.

Entry-level prices for the Agrade units, ranging in size from 60m²-150m², start at R4500/m² while rentals start at R54/m².

The units are part of the R100m Pinewood Office Park development which is 40% complete and 100% let. Tenants include Premier Foods, Infrastructure Finance Corporation and Secure Data.

Barrow Props' Paul Barrow says the small enterprise units offer investors affordable but good addresses, and returns of about 14% a year from rental.

All face a central landscaped quadrant with a coffee shop, and each unit has a terrace.

Business Day