Growthpoint Properties is expanding its Western Cape logistics and industrial property portfolio with the development of the Indlovu Logistics Park on the site of the former PPC facility in Cape Town.

The R578-million development in the industrial precinct of Montague Gardens will comprise about 38 600 m² of gross lettable area across nine maxi-units.

The units will range from about 3 900 m² to 4 600 m², each combining warehouse and office components.

Units can be combined to create larger spaces, with the possibility of a single unit of up to 38 000 m².

Construction will start in May, and the park will be ready for occupancy in the middle of next year.

The buildings will feature nine-metre eaves height, FM2 power-floated floors with a 50 kPa load-bearing capacity, high-lift sectional dock doors, heavy-duty dock levellers and a minimum 32-m yard depth to support vehicle movement and goods handling.

Five-metre-deep canopies over all dock doors will provide weather-protected loading and offloading.

Rooftop solar PV will be integrated into the development and water back-up tanks and water harvesting will also be included at the park.

Natural light will be introduced through translucent sheeting along vertical warehouse surfaces, reducing reliance on artificial lighting during daytime operations, while energy-efficient LED high-bay lighting will also be installed throughout the warehouses.

Each unit will be supplied with 250 A three-phase power and optical fibre connectivity.

The warehouses will be fully sprinkler protected, with backup pumps and tanks, as well as provision for in-rack sprinklers should tenants require them.

The park will also feature 24-hour precinct security, access control, CCTV, guardhouses at entrance and exit points, electric fencing and street lighting.

The first step on site will be the demolition of the landmark PPC cement tower – a longstanding feature on the skyline, visible from as far as the N1 highway.

Growthpoint identified the redevelopment opportunity after PPC decided to move its operations from Montague Gardens to its Riebeek Valley facility.

The JSE-listed group says the development of the park is aligned with its strategy in South Africa to increase its weighting towards sectors and regions expected to deliver better growth over the longer term, specifically targeting logistics and retail property, and the Western Cape.

“Opportunities to secure and repurpose well-located industrial land in the high-demand Montague Gardens area are increasingly scarce,” says Growthpoint logistics and industrial property asset management head Jason Reeves.

“This development allows us to deliver a high-quality logistics park in a proven node where tenant demand consistently outstrips supply.”

Montague Gardens benefits from its central location and access to major arterial routes, including the N7, M5, M8, N1 and N2.

From this position, occupiers can service the greater Cape Town metro, surrounding suburbs, port terminals and Cape Town International Airport, as well as regional and long-haul distribution routes.