Sonae Sierra announces new development in Leiria

Sonae Sierra just started the construction of LeiriaShopping, a new shopping and leisure centre which is the result of the expansion of current SC Continente de Leiria, and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.

With a Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of 43,200 m2, the new Shopping and Leisure Centre represents an investment of € 75 million and is scheduled to create 900 new jobs. LeiriaShopping will make available the best shopping and leisure offer in the region with a total of 108 shops. There will be 8 large dimension shops, including the Continente Hypermarket, Worten and Sportzone which are already under operation, a Castello Lopes cinema with 7 screens and C&A. The offer is completed by 16 restaurants, and 84 shops which will host a wide range of prestigious brands.

Located in an area with excellent access roads (A8, IC2-N1, N113, N242), the new shopping centre will serve a population of 529,000 inhabitants in a 30 minute catchment area, of which 80% area already clients of the current Continente Shopping Centre. With the opening of the new centre, annual visits are expected to grow from the current 5 million to 8 million annual visits. The parking lot will be free of charge, and will have a 2000 vehicle capacity.

Inspired by the Leiria Pine Forest and the Ocean, LeiriaShopping will attempt to recreate this green coastal area through its architectural and interior design, using the different elements that characterize it: the scent of the Atlantic, the pine forests from which the wood that built the Discoveries ships was extracted, the cliffs and the sailors, the golden sands of its beaches.

The city of Leiria, district capital, is 146 kilometres away from Lisbon and 72 kilometres away from Coimbra, and its central location is one of the elements that contributed the most for its growth and economic development. Currently, it’s one of the 25 largest cities in the country, with a young population, 31% under 25 years old, and a high purchasing power, 41% belonging to the A/B/C1 classes.

source : Sonae Sierra