A developer has claimed victory in the race to build East London?s first regional mall.

Warren Rovelli, executive manager of the Billion Group, announced last Friday that the company had secured tenants for at least three-quarters of the mall it has proposed at a site next to Hemingway's Casino.

"This battle has been going on for a long time, and it has been quite a thing," he said.

The developers of a planned mall development in Gonubie, Thynk Property and Investec, also proposed a regional mall this year.

Both have been competing to attract national retailers to their planned developments.

While Thynk executive Leon Quenet was not available to comment, Rovelli said the Billion Group had signed its latest agreement two weeks ago.

According to Rovelli, Woolworths, the Edcon Group, Pick 'n Pay Hyper, the Mr Price Group, Pepkor and Checkers were "finalised and secured" tenants for the Hemingway's mall.

Woolworths' real estate head Paul Simpson confirmed the news to the Daily Dispatch last Friday that the company would place a clothing, home and foodstore into the Billion Group's Hemingway's development.

"We look forward to bringing our East London customers a new and exciting shopping experience," he said.

In total, more than 35,000m? of the mall had been "signed up" according to Rovelli.

This would allow the Billion Group to "jump-start" the development, he said.

Buffalo City Municipality's (BCM's) development planning director, Craig Sam, said that two objectors to the planned development, Alan Introna and Thynk Property's Leon Quenet, had until the end of the month to appeal against council's approval of the site as suitable for a regional mall.

Any appeals would be dealt with by the provincial Department of Housing and Local Government, he said.

Sam said the municipality did not involve itself in the competition to attract tenants.

"If we don't receive any (appeals) by the end of the month, the developers will be free to submit their building plans when they are ready," said Sam.

The Hemingway's mall may be as large as 60,000m?, at a projected cost of around R800m.

Daily Dispatch
Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge