Retailers and residential developers are driving demand in the land market and the volume of transactions is hampered by uncertainties regarding urban development legislation. 

Shoppers are becoming increasingly conscious and are looking for easily accessible, environmentally friendly shopping centres that also have outdoor green areas, a representative survey called "The role of shopping centres in the 21th century" by Westend and Marketing Resolution found. The survey examined the customer habits of people living in Budapest and its suburbs, including how often they visited their favourite malls, what experiences they were looking for there or what products were in highest demand.

Atrium plans to demolish three old shopping mallls in Warsaw - Atrium Reduta, Atrium Targówek and King Cross – and build apartments in these locations. City authorities comply, but the change of the spatial plans may take years.

According to Savills, the European retail sector is increasingly looking more attractive to opportunistic investors. In the UK, there was a rise in opportunistic interest in the sector in the last quarter, supported by significant yield correction. In Poland, secondary retail assets are being traded at double-digit yields.

Gap, the American casual clothing and accessories brand, announced its entry into the Hungarian market through a franchise partnership with Ganeta Pannónia Kft. The brand will be introduced to customers through Gap-branded stores in the country, beginning with the opening of a Gap freestanding store in Etele Plaza in September 2021.

Marius Persenea, Chief Operating Officer of Romanian real estate developer IULIUS talked to Property Forum about financing, sustainable development and future plans for different market segments.

Romania’s retail sector will see new deliveries of projects covering around 121,000 sqm, of which 62% are small structure, mainly retail parks, according to a report by real estate consultancy Colliers. 

The 46-month revitalization of the Norblin Factory in Warsaw's Wola district, carried out by Capital Park Group, has come to an end. The complex has been granted an occupancy permit. At the investment site, preparations are currently underway to open the first concepts, which will be gradually unveiled to future visitors over the next few months.

Czech real estate fund Trigea bought two retail parks in Moravia – Retail Park Haná in Olomouc and the shopping centre Retail Park Ostrava, expanding its existing portfolio of three properties with additional retail projects.  

DL Invest Group has finalised the sale of the DL City shopping centre in Zgorzelec in Lower Silesia. The return on equity of the transaction is 253% and the return on the investment comes to as much as 63%.