Construction underway at old Ballito Bay mall site

Construction of a R350 million medical precinct that will change the face of Ballito’s upper town got underway last week.

Hailed as a first-class medical and mixed-use development, the Ballito Vitality and Retail Centre will replace the eyesore of the derelict Ballito Bay Mall with elements of retail, residential, health, work and play.

The development is being carried out by Chromo Capital, a private equity firm which operates several healthcare facilities around the country.

Plans for the medical centre include oncology and cardio-metabolic treatments, diabetes and endocrinology centres as well as a stroke rehab unit.

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The existing structure will be converted and extended to include a day-hospital facility, 36-bed sub-acute hospital, offices for specialists, a gym, retail shops, office space, a boutique hotel, and 150 residential units.

The day hospital will cater for day surgery and the sub-acute facility will cater mainly for patients who have undergone surgery and need to recover at a lower cost than hospitals would charge.

Following objections by trustees and individual owners at Kingston Estate, opposite the mall, to some aspects of the development, the planned psychiatric unit is to be housed in a new hospital earmarked for development on a site opposite Simbithi Golf Estate.

Phase one of the development is expected to be completed by mid-2020.

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