The Shoreline Mall appoints leading brand destination consultants

The Shoreline, which will create a new landmark commercial destination and premium residential spaces in the south of Malta, has appointed Development Solutions (UK) in conjunction with Stephen Spendlove Retail Consultants and Placematters to turn the brand into a household name, which will be recognisable immediately it is mentioned. They will advise on a mix of uses types for The Shoreline Shopping Mall, including retail, leisure, food and beverage and other services.

This appointment closely follows that of Haskoll, one of Europe’s leading retail architectural practices, which will be working directly with retailers to ensure that the shopping mall project is completed on time and to the highest standards.

Located at SmartCity Malta, The Shoreline Shopping Mall is by far the largest and most significant development of its type in the south. The shopping mall will comprise a 25,000 square metres gross area on two floors with 30 outlets, with ample space for underground parking, as well as a modern and sophisticated living with more than 450 shoreline residences.

Founded by Philip Harcourt who is also its managing director, Development Solutions is a specialist development consultancy providing high-level strategic destination development advice and development management services on projects throughout the UK and internationally. An acknowledged expert in development matters, he is frequently called on to write and present academic papers on development topics, particularly those related to waterfront development where he has developed a global reputation. In the UK’s Construction Awards for 2017, Development Solutions won two awards, namely the Best Development & Regeneration Consultancy and the Construction Consulting MD of the Year, both for South West England.

Stephen Spendlove Retail Consultants is a specialist consultancy which focuses on the retail property in the UK and across the EMEA region dealing with the development and occupation of retail shopping space of all types – in town, out of town, shopping centres and outlet centres. Stephen Spendlove, its principal, has over 40 years of hands on experience in the sector where his skills, knowledge and experience are in high demand.

Since 2011, Mr Harcourt and Mr Spendlove have worked both independently and together on a range of development projects across the UK and around Europe. Up until 2011, they had worked together at major global real estate adviser Colliers International, where they were both directors in the development advisory team. While at Colliers, they were part of the team that advised Midi on The Point in Sliema, from inception through to completion. Later in private practice, both as a team and individually, they have worked on a number of other projects in Malta.

Other notable retail and mixed use projects they have worked on beyond Malta and the UK have included projects in Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Malaysia, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine. In advising on The Shoreline proposals, they also introduced a former colleague, the internationally acclaimed and leading place-branding specialist, Malcolm Allan of Placematters.

The Shoreline is aiming to turn what is essentially an office park into a 24/7 living destination. To do this, The Shoreline must have its own place-brand and the key reason for developing a brand is to give people a reason to locate at or to visit the place.

“We want to arrive at a point where people would say: ‘Let’s go for a day out at The Shoreline’. We would like them to say this in the same way they might say it about a day out in Valetta or Sliema,” said Steve Carter, managing director at The Shoreline.

“Separate to the wider issue of brand for the places of The Shoreline or SmartCity will be the consumer brands that will be attracted to the area and in turn become attractors. Hence brand becomes important in all senses, as we see successful consumer brands drive the success of The Shoreline; and success breeds success,” said Philip Harcourt of Development Solutions (UK).

“The fact that The Shoreline is not Valletta or Sliema or St Julian’s should prove to be an advantage. By creating a unique destination at the heart of SmartCity, around which will be an exciting mix of employment, education and technical establishments, supported by residential apartments, we will be able to attract the most diverse range of both retailers and customers. It will help make SmartCity become Malta’s only true mixed-use destination development,” Stephen Spendlove said

“The Shoreline will be the ‘town square’ for SmartCity where residents, employees, students, other Maltese and tourists will congregate,” explained Malcolm Allan from Placematters. “We often refer to the key ingredients that define a destination as being the ability to live, work, shop and play. Only The Shoreline at SmartCity will be offering this in Malta.”