Sonae Imobiliaria is looking for a development partner to create Portugal’s first purpose-built factory outlet centre. It has secured a site 25km north of Porto and hopes to begin construction during 1996.
Alvaro Portela, president of the company, said: “This site at Famalicao is at the heart of the Portuguese textile industry. We want to create the best environment to group not only the local factory outlets but also a mix of branded products outlets.”
Sonae Imobiliaria, a subsidiary of the conglomerate Sonae Group, is Portugal’s largest retail developer. Since its first modest scheme in 1985, it has gone on to open five major shopping centres and is currently building 200,000 m2 (GLA) in three schemes. But Portela said the company did not have any direct experience of factory outlet developments and was looking to team up with another developer.
“I would hope that during 1996 we would have settled everything with a partner and could start construction by the end of the year,” he said.
Sonae has appointed Wimpey Construction, in a joint venture with Portuguese project manager Cinclus, as construction manager for its Norte Shopping development north of Porto. Pre-construction work has already started on the 67,000 m2 scheme.
