New town centre caters for all sectors
THE Umhlanga Ridge new town centre, of which the R1,4bn, 127000m² Gateway Shoppertainment World being built by Old Mutual is a key element, is the latest development undertaken by Moreland to provide a safe, convenient and pleasant business environment.
Built on a planned grid, the centre will be connected by a series of pedestrian-friendly roads, parks and public spaces designed to facilitate on-street parking and the flow of traffic.
The development, expected to grow steadily over the next 10 years in line with market demand, has mixed uses, including retail, residential and commercial components, and their various permutations within individual buildings.
Ultimately, the emphasis will be on the tenants' flexibility of choice.
Ken Forbes, Moreland's industrial and commercial development director, says the company has provided an infrastructure and management model that will establish the new town centre as SA's most modern and globally competitive working environment.
Owners will become members of the management association, which, assisted by Moreland's experience, will employ professionals to administer centralised services like security, cleaning, landscaping and traffic control.
The centre will be accessed via a network of five major roads, including the N2, with Durban International Airport only 25 minutes away.
Forbes says the Umhlanga Ridge centre will build on the success of La Lucia Ridge Office Estate, which is situated on its doorstep and where a number of Durban's blue chip and multinational companies are operating.
The centre encapsulates Gateway Shoppertainment World. This development, which opens in October, is expected to draw 18-million visitors a year.
A 21st-century communications network will make the new town centre a leader in the informationdriven new economy, connecting individuals and businesses to each other and the global marketplace.
Forbes said the centre will offer an integrated lifestyle, a place where work, entertainment and social life blend in a secure environment.
The development has been designed with people in mind. Central to the development will be wide, tree-lined boulevards, parks, traffic circles and piazzas.
Street-level cafes and restaurants will become meeting places for people working in the offices, or living in the apartments above.
The mixed-use approach will be vertical, not horizontal. Buildings will range from between four and six storeys, and the environment is focused on the people for whom it was developed.
Shoppers will be attracted by boutiques and galleries, as Gateway will be among the largest shopping and entertainment complexes in Africa.
There will be banks and financial houses in the commercial district, while the penthouse apartments will overlook sidewalks where children can ride their bicycles.
Prescribed architectural guidelines are central to all Moreland developments, since this ensures harmony and continuity, say Forbes.
Thus, buildings in the new town centre will be constructed of natural materials, sandstone and brick.
However, he says that the development design must ensure a city- centre feel.
Although guidelines will be laid down, there is also scope for individual designs.
The harmony that stems from living and working within the same community has succeeded in Europe and America for centuries, and Forbes says there is little reason why SA should not follow suit.
Moreland has always taken its responsibility for the natural environment seriously, and all its developments are designed to minimise their impact on the surrounding areas, he says.
Wherever possible, Moreland has enhanced the environment by reclaiming wetlands, re-introducing indigenous vegetation and encouraging bird and animal species to repopulate areas from which they have disappeared, says Forbes.
The new town centre will see Moreland take this policy into a fully urban environment for the first time. vThe open spaces in the development will serve as green lungs, providing healthy outdoor living and a tranquil atmosphere.
More than 5000 shrubs and trees are being grown at the nursery for planting in the centre. vOf these, 85% are indigenous, allowing the project to blend in seamlessly with the North Coast environment.
"The new town centre will change the way people work, the way they play, and the way they live their lives," Forbes says.