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Enclosed malls or open centres?
Enclosed mall Open arcade
Advantages Weather protection. Easier to integrate into existing urban fabric.
Perceived as being safe, controlled environments. Easier to include a variety of spaces in the design.
Easily branded and managed. Easier to adapt in response to change.
Clear demarcation of management responsibilities. Provides an opportunity to introduce a wider number of uses behind varied facades that can accommodate varied floor heights and frontages.
Easier to create and manage high quality lighting, entertainment and other features. Lower capital and energy costs.
Easily accessible management and information services. Lower service charges to tenants.
Permits open shopfronts and greater flexibility in presentation of goods by retailers.
Disadvantages High capital and running costs. Limited weather protection.
Climate control and lighting results in high energy usage. More difficult to brand and to manage.
Insularity and lack of permeability – fewer pedestrian and visual links with the rest of the city. Perception of reduced safety and security.
Problems of lack of visibility of shop units from outside. More difficult and expensive to clean and maintain.
Faster deterioration of building fabric.
Limits on shopfront design options as open shopfronts are not possible.
Cost breakdown
Development type Unit cost (£/m2)
Shopping centre, new build  
Shopping centre mall; comfort cooled 2400-3700
Factory outlet centre, enclosed mall 2200-3400
Factory outlet centre 400-700
Anchor store units 500-800
Medium/small store units 650-900
Centre management/creche 950-1350
WCs 1500-2300
Enclosed, surface level service yard 750-950
Shopping Centre, refurbishment  
Shopping centre mall; limited scope 800-1200
Shopping centre mall; comprehensive 1150-1700
Car parking, surface 40-60
Car parking, surface, landscaped 70-95
Car parking, grade and upper level 120-180
Car parking, multistorey, flat slab 245-315
Car parking, semi-basement, naturally ventilated 325-380
Car parking, completely underground beneath building 650-820
 
Leisure shell 600-900
Multiplex cinema (shell only) 650-900
Enclosed mall
element cost cost/m2 gfa £ % of total cost
Demolitions 420,000 60 1.88
Demolition and site clearance; temporary works; associated works 4000 m2 @ £70      
Allowance for services and drainage diversions; builders work 4000 m2 @ £35      
Substructure 942,000 134.57 4.21
Ground slab; 200 thick reinforced insitu concrete slab, ground beams; sub-base; damp proof membrane 4000 m2 @ £130      
CFA piling; pile caps 4000 m2 @ £90      
Extra for foundations to mall features Item @ £25,000      
Allowance for lift pit Item @ £7000      
Allowance for escalator pits 6 @ £5000      
Frame 851,500 121.64 3.81
Structural steel frame supporting retail frontage, first floor mall etc; allowance based on 50 kg/m2; universal and hollow sections; fire protection, surface finishes 235t @ £1900      
Structural steel frame; to support roof and clerestory; allowance based on 35 kg/m2; universal and hollow sections; fire protection, surface finishes 150t @ £1900      
Allowance for feature steelwork to bridges across arcade 6 @ £20,000      
Upper Floors 245,000 35 1.1
Composite construction; insitu concrete slabs on metal decking; power floating 3000 m2 @ £60      
Insitu concrete flat slabs, 200 thick; to flat roof; parapets and upstands 500 m2 @ £90      
Extra for openings for staircases and escalators Item @ £20,000      
Roof 4,800,000 685.71 21.46
Glazed, vaulted roof at first floor floor level; 19 m wide on plan; sealed double glazed units, automatic opening vents; powder coated aluminium frame; feature secondary steelwork; rainwater goods 3000 m2 @ £800      
Aluminium panelling; to vaulted roof; 19 m wide on plan; powder coated; secondary steelwork; rainwater goods 1000 m2 @ £500      
Perforated aluminium solar shading; to vaulted glazed roof ; shading to 50 of glazed area 1500 m2 @ £500      
Metal cladding at clerestory level to sides of mall roof; powder coated aluminium; 3.5 m high; plasterboard backing; insulation 1750 m2 @ £200      
Flat roof finishes; sarnafil; insulation; leadwork; additional works to perimeters and openings 750 m2 @ £80      
Feature entrance canopies; single glazed; stainless steel supports Item @ £300,000      
Allowance for mansafe roof access system Item @ £10,000      
External roof cleaning access; mobile gantries Item @ £400,000      
Internal cleaning access; cherry picker Item @ £30,000      
Stairs 965,000 137.86 4.31
Feature stairs from arcade to first floor; 6 m rise, cast iron balustrades, hardwood handrails, stone finishes 2 @ £60,000      
Armoured glass balustrading; hardwood handrail; to first floor voids 700 m @ £1000      
Extra for curved balustrading 100 m @ £400      
Sundry metalwork Item @ £75,000      
Allowance for access stairs, platforms and cat ladders to plant areas and roofs Item @ £30,000      
External Walls 800,000 114.29 3.58
Structural glazing to mall entrances; double glazed; feature support frame 1000 m2 @ £800      
Windows/Shopfronts/Doors 501,000 71.57 2.24
Temporary shopfronts; painted ply; access door; quantity based on 50 requirement; (permanent shopfronts by tenant) 1200 m2 @ £55      
Feature windows; single glazed units; powder coated aluminium frame; 1.5 m x 1.5 m 50 @ £700      
Mall entrance doors; automatic rotating doors and manual doors 4 @ £100,000      
Internal partitions and doors 270,500 38.64 1.21
Fire escape/service doors to mall; flush; hardwood frames; stainless steel ironmongery, finishes; single 5 @ £1100      
Fire escape/service doors to mall; flush; hardwood frames; stainless steel ironmongery, finishes; double 10 @ £1500      
Allowance for sundry doors Item @ £10,000      
Internal partitions, linings and backing panels; plasterboard/blockwork; average rate used 2000 m2 @ £70      
Glazed cladding to feature lifts; single glazed structural glass; frame and fixings Item @ £70,000      
Allowance for additional work in connection with partitions and doors Item @ £30,000      
Wall finishes 1,292,000 184.57 5.77
Feature bulkhead above shopfronts; glass reinforced gypsum; framing; surface finish; accessories; 1 m high by 500 mm deep 800 m @ £200      
Feature bulkhead to first floor voids; glass reinforced gypsum; framing; surface finish; accessories; 700 high by 500 mm deep 700 m @ £200      
Extra for curved bulkheads 100 m @ £200      
Natural stone column cladding; 1 m wide by 5 m high; blockwork backing; fixings 80 @ £2200      
Natural stone column cladding; 1 m wide by 4 m high; blockwork backing; fixings 80 @ £1800      
Metal feature fascia panel above shopfronts; 1.2 m high 840 m @ £300      
Wall finishes generally; to clerestory and internal walls; feature finishes including stone panelling features; cornice details Item @ £400,000      
Floor finishes 1,460,000 208.57 6.53
Stone tiling; including patterns and features; trim strips; skirting; screeds; movement joints 7000 m2 @ £19      
Extra over for mats and matwells Item @ £80,000      
Allowance for additional floor features to entrances and squares Item @ £50,000      
Ceiling finishes 655,000 93.57 2.93
Feature suspended ceilings to first floor soffit; glass reinforced gypsum; framing; surface finishes; accessories 1100 m2 @ £150      
Extra for feature finish to soffit of walkways across mall at first floor level; metal and glass panels 400 m2 @ £350      
Allowance for additional ceiling features Item @ £100,000      
Allowance for glazed smoke curtains at high level; fire shutters etc Item @ £250,000      
Furniture and fittings 900,000 128.57 4.02
Allowance for mall furniture including bins, benches, bollards etc Item @ £100,000      
Allowance for statutory and directional signage to mall Item @ £50,000      
Allowance for feature signage including banners, directories, graphics etc Item @ £200,000      
Allowance for planting Item @ £50,000      
Allowance for mall features; water features etc Item @ £500,000      
Disposal installations 100,000 14.29 0.45
Rainwater disposal; cast iron downpipes and fittings Item @ £40,000      
Below ground drainage; manholes, covers etc Item @ £60,000      
Water installations 20,000 2.86 0.09
Landlords supplies to mall only Item @ £20,000      
Space heating air treatment 1,040,000 148.57 4.65
Supply and extract ventilation installation to mall; low temperature, hot-water heating circuit including heat source; chilled water circuit including chiller plant; air handling units; perimeter ductwork distribution; high quality diffusers; provision for smoke extract through air handling units 7000 m2 @ £140      
Warm air curtains; to mall entrances Item @ £60,000      
Electrical installations 1,236,000 176.57 5.52
Mains and sub-mains distribution 7000 m2 @ £25      
Electrical power to main plant Item @ £18,000      
Landlord's small power to mall 7000 m2 @ £8      
Lighting and luminaires to mall 7000 m2 @ £125      
Electrical installations, continued Extra for emergency lighting 7000 m2 @ £15      
Earthing and bonding 7000 m2 @ £1      
Lift and escalator installations 775,000 110.71 3.46
Escalators from mall to first floor; 6 m rise; glass balustrade; stainless steel finishes 6 @ £100,000      
Feature lift including glass car; 13 person; two stops; hydraulic 1 @ £175,000      
Protective installations 115,000 16.43 0.51
Lightning protection Item @ £10,000      
Sprinkler installation; heads, distribution and share of infrastructure 7000 m2 @ £15      
Communication installations 535,000 76.43 2.39
Fire alarm system; fully addressible, smoke detectors and infra-red sensors 7000 m2 @ £30      
Public address system 7000 m2 @ £25      
CCTV system (rate per camera) 30 @ £5000      
Special installations 540,000 77.14 2.41
ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø management system; including provision for interfaces with shop units 7000 m2 @ £20      
People counting, to arcade and shop unit entrances Item @ £400,000      
Builders work in connection 220,000 31.43 0.98
Forming holes, chases etc – allow 5% Item @ £220,000      
Preliminaries and contingencies 3,690,000 527.14 16.49
Contractor's overheads, site establishment and site supervision, allow 14% Item @ £2,620,000      
Contingency sum – allow 5% Item @ £1,070,000      
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST (BUILDING ONLY) £22,373,000 £3196.13 100.00
Open arcade
element cost cost/m2 gfa £ % of total cost
Demolitions 400,000 57.14 2.6
Demolition and site clearance; temporary works; associated works 4000 m2 @ £70      
Allowance for services and drainage diversions; builders work 4000 m2 @ £30      
Substructure 782,000 111.71 5.09
Ground slab; 150 thick insitu concrete bed; ground beams; sub-base 4000 m2 @ £100      
CFA piling; pile caps 4000 m2 @ £80      
Extra for foundations to arcade features Item @ £25,000      
Allowance for lift pit Item @ £7000      
Allowance for escalator pits 6 @ £5000      
Frame 777,000 111 5.05
Structural steel frame supporting retail frontage, first floor arcade, etc; allowance based on 50 kg/m2; fire protection, surface finishes 265t @ £1800      
Structural steel frame; to support parapets, canopies and flat roof; allowance based on 35 kg/m2; fire protection, surface finishes 100t @ £1800      
Allowance for feature steelwork to bridges across arcade 6 @ £20,000      
Upper Floors 290,000 41.43 1.881
Composite construction; insitu concrete slabs on metal decking; power floating 3000 m2 @ £60      
Insitu concrete flat slabs, 200 thick; to flat roof; parapets and upstands 1000 m2 @ £90      
Extra for openings for staircases and escalators Item @ £20,000      
Roof 2,310,000 330 15.03
Glazed, monopitch canopies at first floor floor level; 4m wide on plan; feature secondary steelwork; rainwater goods 2000 m2 @ £800      
Feature canopies spanning across open arcade; PTFE fabric; cabling and secondary support forming tension structure; rainwater goods 400 m2 @ £500      
perimeters and openings 1000 m2 @ £80 80    
Structural glass roofing to enclosures covering circulation areas, escalators, lift and stairs; secondary steelwork, rainwater goods 300 m2 @ £900      
Allowance for roof features to main entrances Item @ £100,000      
Allowance for mansafe roof access system Item @ £40,000      
Internal cleaning access; cherry picker Item @ £20,000      
Stairs 680,000 97.14 4.42
Feature stairs from arcade to first floor; 5m rise, stainless steel balustrades, hardwood handrails, stone finishes 2 @ £60,000      
Stainless steel balustrading; hardwood handrail; to first floor voids 700 m @ £600      
Extra for curved balustrading 100 m @ £400      
Sundry metalwork including cast iron balustrades and grilles to external walls Item @ £75,000      
Allowance for access stairs, platforms and cat ladders to plant areas and roofs Item @ £25,000      
External walls 2,087,000 298.14 13.58
Natural stone cladding to columns; 1.00m wide by 5.0m high; blockwork backing; insulation; stainless steel fixings 80 @ £2,400      
Natural stone cladding to columns; 1.00m wide by 4.0m high; blockwork backing; insulation; stainless steel fixings 80 @ £2,000      
Metal feature fascia panel above shopfronts; 1.20m high 840 m @ £250      
Reconstituted stone cladding above shopfronts/walls; blockwork backing walls; including allowance for features; insulation, fixings 700 m2 @ £450      
Timber feature panelling; external quality veneer panels; above shopfronts/walls; framing, blockwork backing; fixings 700 m2 @ £300      
Rainscreen panels; powder coated aluminium; insulation, framing, blockwork backing; fixings 1000 m2 @ £325      
Parapet detail above canopies at first floor level; 1.50m high; aluminium panelling; cornice detail; dressing to flat roof finish 500 m @ £750      
Glazed cladding to feature lifts; single glazed structural glass; frame and fixings Item @ £70,000      
Allowance for wall features, including stone features at entrances Item @ £200,000      
Additional works to external walls including grilles and louvres Item @ £30,000      
Windows/shopfronts/doors 147,000 21 0.951
Temporary shopfronts; painted ply; access door; quantity based on 50 requirement; (permanent shopfronts by tenant) 1200 m2 @ £60      
Feature windows; single glazed units; powder coated aluminium frame; 1.5m x 1.5m 50 @ £700      
Fire escape/service doors to arcade; timber faced; sheet steel reinforced; stainless steel ironmongery; single 5 @ £1600      
Fire escape/service doors to arcade; timber faced; sheet steel reinforced; stainless steel ironmongery; single 10 @ £2200      
Allowance for sundry doors Item @ £10,000      
Wall finishes 370,000 52.86 2.41
Feature bulkhead above shopfronts; glass reinforced gypsum; framing; surface finish; openings for grilles; accessories; 1m high x 500mm deep 800 m @ £200      
Feature bulkhead to first floor voids; glass reinforced gypsum; framing; surface finish; openings for voids; accessories; 500mm high x 500mm deep 700 m @ £150      
Extra for curved bulkheads 100 m @ £150      
Natural stone trim; to edge of first floor slab 600 m @ £150      
Floor finishes 1,105,000 157.86 7.19
Stone paving; including patterns; features; trim strips; skirting; screeds; movement joints 4000 m2 @ £200      
Brick paving; including patterns and features 3000 m2 @ £70      
Allowance for continuous gutter; steel grating and outlets 300 m @ £150      
Allowance for additional floor features Item @ £50,000      
Ceiling finishes 345,000 49.29 2.24
Feature ceiling below first floor colonnade; glass reinforced gypsum; framing; surface finish; accessories 1100 m2 @ £150      
Extra for metal and glass feature finish to soffit of bridges at first floor level 400 m2 @ £450      
Furniture and fittings 650,000 92.86 4.23
Allowance for street furniture; bins, benches, bollards etc Item @ £120,000      
Allowance for statutory and directional signage to mall Item @ £30,000      
Allowance for feature signage; banners, directories, graphics etc Item @ £150,000      
Allowance for planting and trees; including grilles, containers, drainage and irrigation Item @ £150,000      
Allowance for arcade features; main entrances treatment, artworks, etc Item @ £200,000      
Disposal installations 130,000 18.57 0.85
Rainwater disposal; cast iron downpipes and fittings Item @ £50,000      
Below ground drainage; manholes, covers etc Item @ £80,000      
Water installations 20,000 2.86 0.13
Landlord's supplies to arcade only Item @ £20,000      
Electrical installations 868,000 124 5.65
Mains and sub-mains distribution 7000 m2 @ £25      
Landlord's small power to arcade and circulation areas; weather proofed to IP65 7000 m2 @ £8      
Lighting and luminaires to arcade; weather proofed to IP65 7000 m2 @ £80      
Extra for emergency lighting 7000 m2 @ £10      
Earthing and bonding 7000 m2 @ £1      
Lift installations 865,000 123.57 5.63
Escalators from arcade to first floor; 6m rise; glass balustrade; stainless steel finishes 6 @ £115,000      
Feature lift including glass car; 13 person; two stops; hydraulic 1 @ £175,000      
Protective installations £10,000 1.43 0.07
Lightning protection Item @ £10,000      
Communication installations 430,000 61.43 2.8
Fire alarm system; fully addressable 7000 m2 @ £15      
Public address system 7000 m2 @ £25      
CCTV system (rate per camera) 30 @ £5000      
Special installations 435,000 62.14 2.83
ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø management system; lighting control, allowance for interface with retail units 7000 m2 @ £5      
People counting, to arcade and shop unit entrances Item @ £400,000      
Builders work in connection 140,000 20 0.91
Forming holes, chases, etc – allow 5% Item @ £140,000      
Preliminaries and contingencies 2,530,000 361.43 16.46
Contractor's overheads, site establishment and site supervision, allow 14% Item @ £1,800,000      
Contingency sum – allow 5% Item @ £730,000      
         
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST (BUILDING ONLY) £15,371,000 £2195.86 100.00
 
Regional variation
Inner London 1.10
Outer London 1.04
South-west England 0.97
East Midlands 0.93
West Midlands 0.95
East Anglia 0.93
Yorkshire and Humberside 0.89
North-west England 0.92
Northern England 0.92
Scotland 0.93
Wales 0.89
The cost breakdown is based on a project in south-east England and should be adjusted by the following location factors for schemes in other regions.