»
Mar 03, 2008:
A consortium comprised of Graham Projects, ICP Properties and eight Esikhawini shop owners have applied for a DFA re-zoning of a 27500 m2 site to allow construction of a 15000 m2 retail centre at Esikhawini near Richard’s Bay
All the necessary environmental, geotechnical and traffic studies have been completed and, subject to DFA approval, the Developers hope to begin site earthworks in June so that the Esikhawini Plaza can open in June 2009.
Mr. Mike Graham said that there were several factors that gave the Developers the confidence to make this investment in a rural town.
• The Plaza site lies alongside the highly successful Esikhawini Mall which the same development team built in 2004. The Mall has been trading extremely well and the anchor Tenant, a Rencken’s Superspar, was voted South African Spar of the year in 2006. Other National Tenants have reported sales at double their national average sales per square metre.
• Esikhawini is 23 kms from Richards Bay and Empangeni so community members prefer to shop locally.
• The town has high employment at above average income levels. Most of the economically active community members work for the State, or Quasi State Organisations, (Portnet and Transnet) and Multi National Companies like BHP Billiton, Richards Bay Minerals, Ticor, Mondi, Foscor, and Richards Bay Coal Terminal. Most of these Companies work three shifts so there are many well paid people shopping in town during the working day.
• As most of the big Richard’s Bay companies produce commodities the area is well protected against a possible general economic slowdown.
• Relatively few of the upwardly mobile community members leave Esikhawini because houses in the Richards Bay are very expensive due to the scarcity of residential land in a town virtually surrounded by water.
• The Esikhawini Mall Taxi Rank is a regional hub where commuters from the densely populated rural hinterland to the West and South West change taxis on their way to Empangeni and Richards Bay. Many of them now welcome the opportunity to save taxi fares by shopping in Esikhawini.
Mr. Graham said that prospective Tenants were showing unprecedented interest in the Plaza and letters of intent had been received from National Tenants for more than 70 % of the available space. The mix will include a major supermarket, a wide range of fashion and furniture shops and a builder’s merchant. Two Banks will be opening branches and the other Banks will be providing ATM’s. There will also be a bottle store, motor spares, a wide range of smaller shops as well as 400 m2 of office space for Doctors, attorneys and other professionals.
The Plaza will offer a Spur restaurant and a range of fast foods outlets with pavement café type seating which will be welcomed in a densely populated area that lacks these facilities. The restaurant and food shops have been grouped with the ATM’s, video/DVD outlets, hairdressers and other similar shops to create a bright, safe environment for after hours shoppers.
The overall design provides for hawkers stalls and incorporates a new concept of small shops with simple specifications at affordable rents. These are intended to bridge the gap between hawker’s stalls and the full specification shops. The Developers have advertised the opportunity in the local press and have a waiting list of established local entrepreneurs who will have the first option to lease these shops.
The Plaza can be accessed from two sides thus facilitating smooth traffic flows. Provision had been made to add another forty taxi bays to the existing taxi rank on the adjacent property and the City of uMhlathuze will be investing in additional bus stops and traffic calming measures. Trees and benches will be placed in the car parks while children will be able to use a secure play ground.