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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
SEPTEMBER
2017
28
PROJECTS & CONTRACTS
“Bridge City is coming of age because of
its strategic location and completion of
the half diamond interchange giving direct
access to the M25. This successful project
demonstrates just what can be achieved at
Bridge City,” says Brian Ive, a development
executive at Tongaat Hulett Developments,
which is driving the development of this
mixed-use precinct in partnership with
eThekwini Municipality
Situated on a 7 761 m² site within the
17 hectare business estate, the new NJR
Steel facility is already fully operational.
It is home to a fully stocked shop that
is open to members of the public and
offers steel as well as hardware products,
a distribution centre which serves as a
hub from which customers can collect and
the company can deliver product and a
reinforcing bar line which cuts and bends
reinforcing bar as per engineering schedules
for all sectors of the building industry.
According to Durban branch manager,
Mike Smith, NJR Steel acquired the
property about two years ago. Construction
commenced in earnest in May 2016 and
the new Durban operation was completed
in just under a year. They officially took
occupation on 1 May 2017.
The end result offers “a bigger yard,
easier access and greater convenience,”
he says. “We were previously located in
New Germany but had sadly outgrown the
facility about six years ago. The design of
the building that we have erected in Bridge
City has taken into account our customers
and suppliers and allows ease of access for
both loading and offloading of materials.
We are able to service up to four interlinks
within the facility at any given time, as well
as cater for customers collecting daily
requirements,” he explains.
Both Ive and Smith believe that location
is the key reason why businesses will
choose Bridge City. NJR Steel, which has
a network of 16 branches in five provinces,
serves customers all the way from Richards
Bay to the Eastern Cape.
“We offer a large selection of mild steel
products and steel hardware accessories
and serve all facets of the market –
from the largest fabrication business to
construction businesses to the average DIY
enthusiast who may require some steel or
an allied product. “With the location of the
airport at La Mercy, many business have
moved north. In particular, there is a lot of
development in uMhlanga and the Northern
Bridge City comes of age
Tongaat Hulett Developments and NJR Steel are officially celebrating the
opening of the Bridge City Business Estate’s first greenfields project – a
purpose built 4 000 m² warehouse and distribution facility.
Region. We believe that our business is now
centrally situated in order to provide fast
and efficient service, Smith explains.
Ive notes that the completion of the
M25 half-diamond interchange and freeway
leading to Bridge City at the beginning of
the year has significantly improved access
to both the town centre and the business
estate for both road users and for the
R20-billion GO!Durban bus rapid transport
network (BRT).
In addition, he says, Bridge City
businesses will also benefit from good
visibility from the busy M25 and the
convenience of being just three kilometres
from the N2. Bridge City Business Estate
offers fully serviced and platformed sites,
making them immediately available to buy,
take transfer and start construction. This
overcomes protracted delays experienced
by many potential investors in other parts
of the city. However, according to Ive, at
present, there are just six sites left ranging
in size from 2 500 m² to 2,9 hectares.
He adds that the location of Phoenix
Industrial Park directly across the M25
is another important consideration for
businesses. Since its launch in 1982,
Phoenix Industrial Park has evolved into
an important economic hub along the
burgeoning northern corridor of Durban.
It is home to over 460 businesses, making
it one of the largest industrial complexes in
the country. As far back as 2013, one of the
chief challenges to growth in the area has
been the availability of affordable land for
business expansion.
Bridge City is the second leg of the
highly successful Effingham joint venture
public private sector partnership between
Tongaat Hulett Developments and the
eThekwini municipality. It is a mixed use
development that includes residential,
retail (including the 48 000 m
2
Bridge City
shopping centre), recreational, medical and
commercial and light industrial facilities.