Jhb sees a new breed of mixed use

Barrow Construction, Vunani Properties and Sherratt Property Ventures have unveiled plans for a significant new, 30 000 square metre commercial development in Heartland Properties' strategically located Modderfontein site, North East of Johannesburg.

The 4200ha Modderfontein site is being rolled out on a strategic land release programme and accommodates various retail, commercial, residential and industrial developments. The developments are the latest example of new generation thinking in mixed-use property development.

Heartland, an AECI subsidiary, is tasked with accelerating the realisation of value from land and property assets that have become surplus to the group's operational requirements, turning the company's extensive land holdings to good account for commercial, residential and industrial development in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Existing Modderfontein developments include Longmeadow Business Estate, Founders View Industrial Park, Lakeside Village, Thornhill and Greenstone Hill Residential Estate.

The new development is strategically located, within the core of Gauteng's growth and investment zone and straddles the East-West route of the proposed Gautrain Rapid Rail Link. It forms an integral part of the development corridor between Sandton and Johannesburg and the newly renamed O.R. Tambo International airport is just 15 minutes away.

Greenstone, a 320ha portion of the overall Modderfontein development framework offers mixed use development consisting of 160 000 sq m of retail space, together with commercial, lifestyle, residential and entertainment elements.

Barrow, Vunani and Sherratt have acquired 30 000 sq m of office bulk in Greenstone and will be developing buildings varying in size from 1800 to 3500 sq m, for lease, with phased occupation dates, beginning end 2007.

"We are confident that the commercial properties leasing market will remain soundly underpinned by demand. Hence our decision to lease rather than sell the properties," comments Paul Barrow of Barrow Properties.

"The site, with its low-bulk town planning controls, is ideally suited and lends itself to campus-style corporate development for large users, with the convenience of the full spectrum of retail and commercial amenities."

According to Peter Mackenzie of Vunani Properties: "Modderfontein is Gauteng's most important new growth node and it has been planned from the outset as a model of urban planning with a well considered development framework to ensure responsible and strategic roll-out of future developments.

"With the provision of new and substantial arterials within the framework of the new node, linking to O.R. Tambo airport, Kempton Park, Isando and Midrand, in addition to the existing linkages from Modderfontein Road and the abundance of new retail space immediately adjacent Greenstone Office Park, this makes for a comprehensive offering."

Graham Sherratt of Sherratt Property Ventures adds: "The Longmeadow commercial precinct has already been chosen by leading manufacturers and suppliers to the retail industry for their centralised distribution centres, including Pick n' Pay, Nestle, Cadbury, Nashua ,Coin, Crown and the Bidvest Group and it now provides in excess of 500 000 square metres of space. In short, the node is central and pivotal to the region."

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