New vibrant mixed-use precinct for Pretoria
Category Commercial Property News
Ground has been broken in the construction of Castle Gate Precinct, a state-of-the-art development in close proximity to Pretoria, Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport. The project, which was first conceptualised in 2016, is the result of a deal that was signed between the Erasmus Trust, the custodian of the last remaining portion of the historic Waterkloof Farm, and Atterbury, a developer of prime commercial, retail and residential property.
Castle Gate has been visualised as a contemporary urban space, designed for a blend of living, working and playing, complete with shops, open spaces and every other modern convenience. It has been likened to Johannesburg's Waterfall City, which has been lauded as the best international mixed-use development in 2018-2019.
Prior to the construction work beginning, great care was taken to ensure that the infrastructure and road designs in the area would meet the needs of the new development. With this preliminary work complete, attention has now been turned to the construction of a facility that will allow its property owners and tenants to live, work and relax.
This all-encompassing development will ultimately be home to offices, a medical centre, a shopping centre and residential apartments, all with fantastic access to highways and other arterial roads. According to Atterbury's managing director, James Ehlers, this particular piece of land is probably the best-located one left in Pretoria. This dynamic mixed-use development is situated on 65 hectares of land which was historically part of the Erasmus farm in Pretoria. Castle Gate takes its name from the original Erasmus homestead, which was dubbed "Castle".
Castle Gate will be accessed from Solomon Mahlangu Drive, and is approximately a 15 minute drive from central Pretoria, and a 10-minute drive from Menlyn. The ideal location of this development and the easy access that it offers to highways means that there is convenient and easy access to every corner of Pretoria and Johannesburg.
According to Ehlers, the first phase includes a 23 000m² shopping centre, and negotiations with various high profile retailers who wish to be part of this dynamic development are already underway. The centre is scheduled to open its doors in October 2020. Over and above its ample retail space, the shopping centre will boast an open-air restaurant and a park-like ambience.
In addition to its retail offering, the completed first phase of Castle Gate will boast office space and a gym, as well as an indoor running track. An impressive medical facility is also on the cards, with discussions being held with a group of private hospitals. The plan at this stage is to welcome five specialist hospitals to the Castle Gate Precinct, with work on phases 2 and 2B set to begin at a later date. "The location of this development is absolutely ideal for this type of use," explained Ehlers.
Once complete, Castle Gate will offer approximately 85 000m² of office space. It is envisioned that these offices could be occupied by a variety of corporate tenants as well as government departments. A residential development, consisting of approximately 1 200 housing units, will round off the precinct's offering to assist in alleviating the huge demand for housing that currently exists in this area.
With construction of the shopping mall already underway, it is anticipated that other components of the development will begin construction during 2020, with the completion of various small buildings set to coincide with the finishing touches being added to the shopping centre. According to representatives from Atterbury, the entire development could be completed by 2024, with the first commercial building being completed as soon as late 2020.
With Castle Gate having such a prime position, it is hardly surprising that there has already been vast interest in the development. It will bring a plethora of possibilities and investment opportunities to the area. For more information, contact OfficePlace today.
Author: OfficePlace
