New Cape Town shopping centre anchored by Superspar and with Clicks, Cashbuild, and Capitec

A new shopping centre has opened in Blue Downs, Cape Town, featuring retailers including Superspar, Clicks, Cashbuild and Capitec.

Central Blue Shopping Centre was developed by Abland Property Developers and its investment partners. The fully let centre offers 8,000m² of gross lettable area on a 1.8-hectare site.

It is located at the corner of the M54 and Endurance Road, serving residents of Central Blue Estate and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Abland director Grant Silverman said the centre was planned as the retail heart of Central Blue Estate, which will ultimately accommodate 1,800 homes across its residential villages.

The development was designed around the everyday shopping needs of these households, while remaining accessible to the wider Blue Downs community.

Its anchor tenant, Superspar, sits alongside retailers such as Clicks, Cashbuild, Capitec, PEP, OBC Better Butchery and Tops at Spar, which is expected to begin trading at a later date.

Other businesses include 24hr Laundry, Aux London Cell, Home Plus, Vintage Barber and House of Spices.

The centre also has several food outlets. KFC is among the tenants, while Hungry Lion, Fish Co and Jowa’s Coffee operate from a dedicated restaurant pavilion.

The pavilion is designed as a central gathering space, with distinctive architecture and artwork intended to give the centre its own identity.

Central Blue Shopping Centre is positioned to serve both the residential estate and the wider Blue Downs area.

The centre has access from within Central Blue Estate and visibility from the adjoining main roads. Its layout also connects it to the estate’s parks and planned private school.

This allows residents to walk between the shopping centre and other parts of the development. The site is also well positioned for future extensions of the MyCiTi bus network.

Building Central Blue

Silverman explained that Abland placed a great deal of importance on the needs of the local residents when designing Central Blue.

“You need to understand the community you are serving and what residents need from their local centre,” he said.

“That understanding informs the mix of shops and services, and how the centre fits into everyday life.”

Construction was completed over 11 months and created approximately 200 jobs. Local participation included general labour, wet trades and the hiring of plant and equipment.

The centre also incorporates solar photovoltaic panels, backup power and a backup water supply to help maintain trading during service interruptions.

Boogertman + Partners was responsible for the architecture, while CDP was the main contractor. Broll is responsible for property management.

The architectural design combines rustic brickwork, textured plaster, timber tones and steel detailing. A sculpted canopy shelters the restaurant pavilion, while mural artwork adds colour to the centre’s façades.

Abland’s growing property development pipeline

Central Blue forms part of Abland’s broader retail development portfolio in the Western Cape.

The opening follows the completion of Saxdowne Shopping Centre, five kilometres away on Stellenbosch Arterial. Abland has also completed developments such as Groot Phesantekraal View in Durbanville.

Established in 1990, Abland develops office, retail, industrial, motor, residential and mixed-use properties across South Africa.

The company provides turnkey development services, managing projects from initial concept through to completion and operation.

Its approach considers factors such as transport links, accessibility, security, connectivity, sustainable building practices and green surroundings.

Beyond its completed projects, Abland has several developments in its pipeline. These include the 187,000m² Rietvlei Precinct and 90,000m² Irene Link Precinct in Irene, as well as the 278,800m² Samrand Industrial Quarter in Centurion.

Other planned projects include the 1.2 million m² Lanseria Commercial Crossing, the 600,000 m² Groot Phesantekraal Precinct in Durbanville and the 1.5 million m² Botfontein Park Precinct.

The company also has developments under construction, including The Rubik office development in Cape Town, Canal Plaza and Mopane View in Soshanguve.

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Photos of Central Blue Shopping Centre

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