Rural development experts, McCormick Property Development (MPD) have had the rights approved for their largest rural retail development to date.
Situated on the R36 in Nkowankowa, 15kms outside of Tzaneen, Limpopo, the R3 billion Dan City mixed-use development will transform the area’s expansive rural landscape.
Communities residing along the base of the Wolkberg mountain range from Nkowankowa all the way to The Oaks (65kms to the southeast) will benefit from this landmark development.
The prime location will see residents saving on their taxi fares, (which currently range between R36 and R100 for a round trip to Tzaneen), leaving more disposable income for buying essentials. The environmental benefit of the reduction in fuel burnt as customers have less distance to travel is also a major benefit.
Anchored by the 36 000m2 Dan City Mall, a total of 146 000m2 of development is planned for the site which will include a motor city, hospital, and school. The mall is set to become a landmark both in the region and for the development company.
With rights approved by the Greater Tzaneen Municipal Planning Tribunal, work on-site is planned to start in late 2023 with an anticipated mall opening in 2025.
Taking design cues and learnings from their larger township malls in Gauteng, the mall will provide a shopping experience like nothing before in the region, whilst retaining a local, culturally relevant look and feel. The design includes three grocery anchors and an expansive fashion mix. Food, entertainment as well as banking and services previously not represented within the market will all contribute to the tenant mix.
The development team is working closely with their leasing team, the local communities, and the architects to ensure not only an impressive selection of stores but also a shopping destination that will provide an entertainment and value offering for the whole family.
As has become synonymous with MPD developments, it will have a unique aesthetic that will appeal directly to the local communities, plus numerous community-focussed initiatives under the company’s #ChangeForGood banner, supporting the rise of local enterprises alongside that of the mall.
Natural lighting, environmentally friendly solar power, waste management services and rainwater harvesting will all be included to ensure it is able to trade to capacity at all times, irrespective of service delivery constraints.
“We are absolutely thrilled that the rights for Dan City Mall have finally been approved. It is a scheme the team has been pushing for years, as we have always seen the potential of this region. This one is going to be extra special, and I cannot wait to deliver an exceptional product to these communities. It will be phenomenal to finally get it out of our pipeline and into the ground,” says MD of MPD, Jason McCormick.
“We look forward to a continued close working relationship with the local community, who, like all our developments are our partners and co-shareholders.”
Dan City will be the third development in the region from MPD, with Maake Plaza and Mahlakung Mall, both neighbourhood centres, having been developed over the past two decades.
The mall and ancillary developments to follow will be an economic game-changer for the region, creating thousands of job opportunities and providing a platform for local businesses to grow and thrive.
