Barreiro Retail Planet creates thousands of new jobs
Setubalnarede.pt - April 2010
Barreiro Retail Planet will open in mid-November. "Everything indicates that it will open, still in time for Christmas shopping," states Jorge Rodriguez, director of development of Eiffage, the company responsible for building the project. "The construction work has evolved, already speaks for itself, and at the commercial level, has had a good receptivity," he adds.
Of the 35 million square feet available, 74 is already filled, and brands such as Jumbo, Decathlon, Radio Popular, AKI, Rucoline, Norauto, Brink, home and W52 are confirmed. The project's first "retail planet" in Portuguese soil, in the freguesia of Coina, is budgeted at around 60 million. So far, "the predicted value has been completed within expectations."
In total, it is estimated that the Barreiro Retail Planet will "reach a population of over 2.7 million consumers." Those responsible for the project estimate that about 4000 jobs may be created with the project. Of these, a thousands will be created directly by the project, the remaining 3000 jobs induced by the influence of new commercial space.
For the Mayor of Barreiro, Carlos Humberto, the retail planet is "an important contribution to a strategy of consolidating Coina, as well as to acquire a new centrality of the county within the Setúbal peninsula." The concept of "retail planet" combines the formats of shopping and retail park, "appearing in Portugal in an innovative way."
In the specific case of Coina, road accessibility, proximity to the capital Lisbon, and in particular the proximity to the railway station which is near the new infrastructure, were to Jorge Rodriguez, "anchors the project." Barreiro Retail Planet will also incorporate a free car park with capacity for 1750 seats, which is already built.