The consortium of Multi Development Portugal and the Lena Group has been chosen to develop a shopping centre and other facilities in the centre of Leiria.
After an international tender the Council of Leiria announced yesterday that it has chosen Multi Development Portugal and the Lena Group to design, finance, build and manage a major retail development in the city. The project, which has been designed by Atelier Risco, will involve a total investment of 170 million euros and will include a 50,000 m˛ shopping centre. It is planned that construction will start this year and that the development will be completed by the end of 2010.
Leiria
The city of Leiria has a population of 60,000 people and is located 120 kilometres to the North of Lisbon. Under the city’s development plan it is intended that the new shopping centre will be integrated into and reinforce the existing retail offer in the city. As part of the project the developer will build various facilities on behalf of the Council including a multi-use pavilion, a sports park and a whole new garden area next to the River Lis.
Multiple use of space
The tender was held following an independent inquiry into the best way to develop the city of Leiria. The inquiry recommended the use of the current site, which is located in the centre of the city and within walking distance of the city’s main shopping streets. As a result Forum Leiria will function both as a regional centre and as an extension of the existing shopping area. The report emphasised the importance of the design of the centre if it is to become a flagship for the city and the region. The design of Multi Development was the only one of the three designs submitted with the tenders to preserve the existing link between the centre of the city and the nearby stadium and its surrounding park, by placing a large proportion of the shopping centre underground.
Benno van Veggel, managing director of Multi Development in Portugal, stated that he was delighted that the Forum Leiria project has been selected. He emphasised the fact that the development marks an important step in the improvement of the city and that Multi is a specialist in such central area projects, which has been amply recognised by its winning a number of international awards.
“We are committed to a policy of sustainable development and we look forward,” he said “to continuing to contribute as much as we can to the revitalisation of the centres of cities throughout Portugal and the rest of Europe.”
António Barroca Rodrigues, president of the Lena Group, was also very pleased that the consortium won the tender. He pointed out the innovative character of the project, how well it has been designed from an environmental point of view, and how much it will mean for the whole area.