Key Takeaways:

  • Historical significance: Built on the last remaining portion of the original Waterkloof farm where Pretoria was founded, representing the city “coming full circle”
  • Infrastructure transformation: Major upgrades included new roads, traffic lights, electrical substation, and bridge crossing to accommodate the development
  • COVID-19 resilience: Overcame significant material supply chain disruptions during hard lockdown through micro-management with contractor WBHO to open on schedule
  • Environmental innovation: Features 1MW solar power system, rainwater harvesting with borehole water purification, and waste-sorting facility for maximum recycling
  • Phased expansion strategy: Next phase begins January 2021 with gym and office building, followed by residential and medical facilities within two years

Developed on the last remaining portion of the historical farm Waterkloof on which Pretoria was built, Castle Gate truly represents a city coming full circle. Once a working farm belonging to the Erasmus family, Atterbury’s prestigious new mixed-use development will provide a whole community with an enviable work, live and unwind lifestyle environment in the east of Pretoria. As Phase One, the Castle Gate Lifestyle centre, opens its gates to the public, Atterbury Development Manager Raoul de Villiers gives an overview of this landmark project.

Raoul de Villier

Please take us through the facilities that have just opened in Phase One.
Firstly, we did a whole series of infrastructure upgrades around Castle Gate Lifestyle centre in order to accommodate the development. This included major road upgrades, additional lanes and two new traffic lights. Furthermore, we constructed a new electrical substation, a bridge crossing in Koedoesnek Avenue and a few new internal roads.

Is the shopping centre fully let or is there still space available?
At the time of writing there was only one shop vacant, but I am sure it will be filled very soon.

How much of a challenge was it to open on schedule, considering the difficulties presented by Covid-19 this year?
It was a major one. The hard lockdown at the beginning of the outbreak disrupted various material supply chains far beyond the actual lockdown period. It was a challenge to obtain even the most basic materials. We had to micro-manage various materials and supplies with our main contractor WBHO. The guys did a great job to keep things moving on site.

We hear that the centre will even generate some of its own electricity! Tell us more about the environmental impact measures in place at Castle Gate?
Yes, we are deploying a 1 MW/1 million Watt solar-power system that will supplement the municipal supply. We are also harvesting rainwater which will be supplemented by borehole water for irrigation and supply to the centre via a purification plant. The centre also boasts a waste-sorting facility to ensure that we recycle as much as possible.

How is the opening being celebrated, and also, for those customers who might still feel nervous about going to shopping centres due to Covid-19, what measures are in place to ensure their safety?
We have been trying to create some excitement while maintaining health and hygiene measures as far as possible. There’s a line-up of artists performing in an open-air setting from Thursday morning through to Saturday; and a lot of activities planned for the young ones in between. Our operations team is ensuring that everything is sanitised and that everyone has access to sanitising stations. If you haven’t been yet, we encourage you to come and enjoy some time in our new open-air centre. Remember your masks and keep a safe distance!

Developments such as Castle Gate, which offer a self-contained environment where people can live, work and relax all in the same precinct seem to be the best possible arrangement for a post-Covid-19 world. What will be the next phase of the development and how far along is it in the process?
Come January 2021 we will start construction of a new gym and office building right next to the centre. In the next two years we also envisage launching residential and medical facilities. Keep watching this space…

Raoul de Villiers (Atterbury Development Manager), Louis van der Watt (Group CEO of Atterbury), Tebogo Mogashoa (Chairman of Talis Holdings).