Kolding Storcenter

Celebrates 25th anniversary

Kolding Storcenter has approx. 5 million customers annually and a covered shopping area of about 60,000 sqm.

A shopping centre needs to have the finger on the pulse all the time to meet customer demand and trends in the society.

For this reason Kolding Storcenter has taken preliminary steps to investigate the possibility of an expansion of Kolding Storcenter by a further 12,000 sqm.

This is based on the new Planning Act effective from the middle of 2017, which means that municipalities to a greater extent than before are able to plan the development of shopping areas. This enables the municipality of Kolding to prepare an addendum to the municipal plan and gives us the opportunity to make inquiries about a possible expansion of the centre.

Kolding Storcenter is owned by Danske Shoppingcentre, where Danica Ejendomme and ATP have an equal share. Danske Shoppingcentre owns a total of 16 shopping centres all over the country. And here, we decide whether we want to expand, if possible, says Eva Handest, Property Manager at Danica Ejendomme and responsible for the shopping centres.

Due diligence
The process involved in a possible expansion of Kolding Storcenter could take quite a long time. It takes time from the preliminary ideas on expansion till laying the foundation, so now we focus on throwing out feelers.

– It will take several years. We have not made a schedule as the plan is still on the drawing board. But it is our experience that it can easily take five years. So, we are well into the future if it becomes a reality, says Eva Handest.

– It is important to underline that we are at the very beginning. We have no concrete plans. It is just a feeler. We have thrown out many feelers all over the country, and no decision will be made higher up in our system until we have made a business case. But we are nowhere near that yet, explains Eva Handest.

Is it feasible to expand Kolding Storcenter?
Since the inauguration of Kolding Storcenter in 1993, the centre has been expanded by 20,000 sqm in 1999 to the current 60,000 sqm. How Kolding Storcenter can be expanded, if it comes to that, is as yet uncertain. One possibility is expansion by using parts of the existing parking area. Even though parking spaces will be scarce, expansion of the shopping centre is possible, according to the property manager.

– It is feasible by building on the sides of the centre. This will, of course, mean that we lose some parking spaces, but perhaps they could be moved to the roof. The options are plenty. But again, we have no drawings, says Eva Handest, who has no schedule in her desk either.