The R365 million project is being developed by Retail Africa and promises to bring a boost to economic growth in the West Coast area. Building contractors, Basil Read are using 750 skilled workers and sub-contractors in the fulfillment of this project. The completed West Coast Mall will be the size of four rugby fields with 110 shops on two levels, providing significant employment opportunities for the surrounding communities.

Retail Africa director, Etienne Eyenberger, says that the development has been driven by demand from both the residents of the area and national retailer enquiries. The 30 000 square kilometer mall is likely to attract local shoppers from the West Coast, but also from as far afield as the Swartland and Olifants River areas. In addition, the mall is expected to attract visitors who frequently holiday in these areas. Key tenants include; Game (3300m2), Woolworths (including food – 2500m2), Checkers (3300m2) and Edgars (2500m2). Other significant tenants include Foschini, Truworths, Ackermans, PEP, Clicks, Exclusive Books and Cape Union Mart.

Hennie Brandt (BCD Town Planners) is a former town planner for the region. He comments that Vredenburg represents the administrative, financial and trade centre of the Saldanha Peninsula. “Planned development of the corridor on both sides of the Main Road between Vredenburg and Saldanha is essential for growth in the area and the West Coast Mall is an important building block of this spatial development axis”.

Set against a backdrop of boulders and indigenous vegetation, the West Coast Mall has been sensitively designed in response to the environment. Architects, Bentel Associates International (Pty) Ltd, are incorporating historical elements and materials typical of the local architecture into the contemporary design. The heart of the mall is a double-volume atrium which is filled with natural light, landscaping and water features. The Mall also affords far-reaching views of the surrounding area. Indigenous vegetation on the site has been carefully transplanted and will be reintroduced into the landscaping later.

Bentel Associates International (Pty) Ltd are recognised as one of South Africa’s leading retail architects, whose portfolio includes some of the country’s most successful centres, such as the Pavillion (Westville), Canal Walk (Cape Town), more recently, Clearwater Mall (Roodepoort) and Greenstone Mall (Edenvale).

Market research conducted by Prof Thinus de Wet showed that local residents showed strong aspirations to shop at big name retailers in a mall environment. This is in line with national trends for “shoppertainment” and locals would have previously travelled to Cape Town for this experience.

Retail Africa is a national leader in shopping centre development. CEO Jannie Kruger says the company has developed 35 shopping centres since 1998 and similar developments totaling R 3.5 billion are in the pipeline. “West Coast Mall is one of our blue-chip developments,”says Kruger. Previous developments include Mountain Mill (Worcester), Steenberg Village (Tokai), Irene Village Mall (Pretoria) and Westwood Mall (Durban).