The City of Tshwane has marked the start of construction of The Yard at the Rosslyn Hub development with a sod turning ceremony as part of its programme to advance the City’s 17 Strategic Urban Developments.
The ceremony marks the commencement of construction of the approximately 9 700 square metre convenience retail development, which forms part of the broader 100 hectare Rosslyn Hub precinct and the Tshwane Automotive City.
The City said the development demonstrated the potential of partnerships between government and the private sector to turn planning and investment into economic opportunities.
According to the City, the project follows coordination between planning, approvals, infrastructure and private sector investment to move the Rosslyn Hub development from plans into implementation.
Economic growth is a priority for the Tshwane administration. Through the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy, the City has set a target of achieving economic growth of 3.9% by 2029.
The City said reaching the target would require increased investment, business expansion, infrastructure development and job creation across Tshwane.
Rosslyn has been identified as an important area in this strategy because of its location within Tshwane Automotive City, an economic ecosystem linked to major manufacturers and industries, including Chery, BMW, Iveco and Tata.
The Tshwane Automotive City has the potential to attract approximately R500 billion in investment over 50 years, while its three priority nodes have an estimated investment case of about R42 billion.
The City said the priority nodes could create almost 60 000 jobs over 15 years.
More than 1 400 construction jobs have already been created through bulk infrastructure investment in the area.
The City said these jobs demonstrated that economic benefits from development could begin before individual projects were completed by providing employment and opportunities for businesses.
The Mayoral Committee also welcomed more than R1 billion in bulk infrastructure investment already secured for the broader Rosslyn Hub precinct.
The precinct is planned as an approximately 700 000 square metre mixed use development incorporating housing, logistics, vehicle distribution, retail, healthcare, education, hospitality and other supporting facilities.
The Yard will provide approximately 9 700 square metres of retail space. It will be anchored by Shoprite and have a 70% national tenant footprint.
The City said the retail development would bring commercial activity closer to people living and working in Rosslyn while creating opportunities for enterprise and supporting the local economy.
The Rosslyn Hub development also includes residential and educational components.
Approximately 1 100 homes have already been delivered, while a further 1 180 apartments are planned. The precinct is also home to Spark Rosslyn Hub Primary School.
The City said investment in the area also included a R670 million greenfield investment by YFPO, described as the company’s first investment outside mainland China.
According to the City, the investment reflected international confidence in Tshwane when conditions for investment were in place.
The City said it would continue focusing on infrastructure planning, improving municipal processes, supporting responsible development and ensuring that growth areas were aligned with the municipality’s broader economic and spatial priorities.
It also said local businesses needed to benefit from development, while young people should have access to employment opportunities and entrepreneurs should be able to access markets.
The City said communities should experience the benefits of development taking place in their areas.
The sod turning at The Yard marks another stage in the development of Rosslyn Hub and the broader Tshwane Automotive City, with the City positioning the precinct as an area for investment, enterprise and economic activity.
The development forms part of Tshwane’s broader programme to attract investment and support economic growth through strategic urban development projects.
