A fourth developer on Monday entered the race to build East London's next big regional shopping complex, and immediately called on the city to take a stand in support of one of the four proposals.

The Atterbury Salinga Consortium unveiled plans for a 50,000m? regional mall that will form part of a far larger multi-use node including residential and office space.

Over the last year, three property groups have announced plans to develop a regional mall in East London, although market consensus is that the city can only support one.

Atterbury's 117-hectare site is located on the Gonubie Main Road-N2 interchange and is directly opposite the site proposed by Thynk Property Partners and Investec as ideal for a regional mall.

On Monday, Gerhardt Jooste, a director of Atterbury Holdings, called on the Buffalo City Municipality to go public on which of the four proposals it backed.

"Council needs to place a moratorium on mall applications and decide on the best position," Jooste said.

But on Monday BCM officials maintained the municipality's neutral position.

"He has got to be joking," said Craig Sam, Buffalo City's planning and development director.

Sam, who said he was not aware of the fourth proposal, added that the municipality would consider seeking independent advice if a "deadlock" was reached.

"But really, market forces must decide," he said.

The market forces he speaks of are the national retailers who are being courted as potential anchor tenants to the developments.

So far, only one development has received a public commitment from a retailer. Woolworths has agreed to place a full-line store at the Beacon Bay site proposed by Zenprop and Pearlstone properties.

Thynk and the Billion Group, which is promoting a site adjoining Hemingway's Casino, have not announced any major signings.

Both have been negotiating with potential tenants for months.

In contrast, Atterbury's developers began approaching retailers a month ago.

"We have entered the race very late but we feel our site offers the best options for East London," said Jooste.

He went on to encourage the other groups to shelve their plans and join Atterbury's development.

"Let's join forces to bring the most benefit to East London and the Eastern Cape," he said.

Atterbury bought the property last year. While parts of the land are rezoned for commercial and residential purposes, the developers were waiting for "some approvals" that might take three to four months, Jooste said.

Although Atterbury's "lifestyle" mall proposal is not the largest of the four, it is the only one to include a stream with rapids and waterfalls flowing through the middle of it.

"We like to create places with soul," Jooste said.

The developers were in negotiations to include a hospital, up-market office blocks, a hotel and residential estate in the development.

In 2005, the company received South African Property Owners' Association's Best Mall Award for its R600m Clearwater Mall in Roodepoort, and Pretoria?s 40,000m? Woodlands Mall was a runner-up for the same award.

Atterbury also developed the Garden Route Mall and Cape Gate in Cape Town.

Property economist John Loos said municipal councils do have a role to play in planning shopping malls.

"It's a tough one, if you allow market forces to prevail without regulation there could be a problem," he said.

Daily Dispatch