Polish company Scallier, which is developing a chain of retail parks in Romania under the brand name Funshop Park, has decided to choose BREEAM as the certification system for newly built schemes. Gleeds, one of the world’s largest companies operating in the construction consultancy market, is responsible for the certification process as well as project and cost management services. By 2022, Scallier plans to deliver 6 assets under the Funshop Park brand, which will offer a total of 40,000 sqm of modern retail space (GLA). Further projects are in the preparatory stage.

A new report from Savills indicates that an integrated omnichannel strategy will lead the way as the European retail sector returns to a new normal.

The SES-operated shopping centre Weberzeile located in Ried, Upper Austria, now generates its own environmentally friendly solar power, which is also the case at SES shopping centre Murpark in Graz. Last week, SES Spar European Shopping Centers commenced operation of a 520-kWp photovoltaic rooftop installation, which produces approximately 500,000 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity per year for its own use and reduces CO2 emissions by 128 tons. The photovoltaic system installed atop Weberzeile is the largest to be mounted by SES to date and is the benchmark for the installation of solar power systems on the roofs of other SES shopping centres throughout Austria.

Retail parks have been the biggest beneficiaries of the structural retail changes in Poland over the last ten years. Their number has doubled and increased their share in total retail stock by 4 pps. In H1 2020, developers completed nearly 148,000 sqm of modern retail space in large scale projects (GLA>5,000 sqm). Of this new supply, 67% was delivered in the shape of eight new retail parks and three extensions of existing schemes. Almost 450,000 sqm of GLA is still under construction with initial completion dates set for 2020 and 2021. Retail parks account for nearly 26% of this volume. JLL and Trei Real Estate Poland summarised the situation regarding these projects at the end of H1 2020, and outlined the development prospects for this commercial real estate sector in Poland.

Austrian developer Supernova has laid the foundation stone for a €70 million project aimed at the expansion of the Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik shopping centre in Ljubljana. Upon the completion of the project, Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik will become the biggest shopping centre in Slovenia.

Fashion House Group has appointed retail veteran Cornelia Nicolae to the position of Retail Operations Director in Bucharest. In the newly created role, Cornelia will be responsible for launching the Group’s new flagship development, its second in Bucharest, while continuing to drive footfall and sales at its established outlet centre in the capital.

Czech real estate developer RC Europe has opened its third retail park in Romania, following an investment of €9 million. The retail park, operating under the Nest brand, is located in Oradea, occupying approximately 6.500 sqm GLA. Construction works on the project started in October 2019.

Polish company Scallier is developing a new chain of retail parks in small and medium-sized Romanian cities under the Funshop Park brand. By 2022, 6 facilities with a total leasable area of ​​40,000 sqm will be completed. Work is currently underway to prepare further investments. Scallier, based in Poznań, has been operating on the Polish market for nearly a decade and specializes in investment management in the sector of small and medium-sized commercial facilities.

Trei Real Estate GmbH increased its development volume to €960 million euros during H1 2020. This implies an increase by €60 million euros since year-end 2019 (€900 million). Compared to the prior-year figure (H1 2019: €730 million), the growth actually amounted to €230 million, which equals an increase by 31 percent year on year. A breakdown of the €960 million by type of use shows €175 million in the retail segment and €785 million in the residential segment.

Trei Real Estate GmbH has opened its 18th retail park under the Vendo Park brand in Poland. The retail property is located in Solec Kujawski in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodship. The town of around 16,000 residents is located a two-hour drive south of Gdansk. The new Vendo Park provides a lettable area of around 3,000 square metres and 97 parking spots. The property is almost fully occupied. Its tenants include KiK, Sinsay, Martes Sport, RTV Euro AGD and Hebe, among others. Overall, Trei invested c. €3.8 million here.