ICSC reveals finalists for 2009 European Shopping Centre Awards

The International Council of Shopping Centers Europe (ICSC Europe) has announced that 18 centres out of a record 41 entries from 19 countries have made it onto the shortlist of finalists for the 2009 European Shopping Centre Awards. The short list was unveiled last week at the Mapic retail real estate fair in Cannes, France.

The ICSC Europe's awards are presented to the best new and refurbished or extended retail developments in Europe. The final selection for six award categories represents 11 countries across Europe.

Jury chair Derek Barker, said: 'It was pleasing this year to see an increasing number of entries from the emerging shopping centre markets such as Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Cyprus and Eastern Turkey, where we are seeing some competent shopping centres being built based on tried and tested formulas. In Western Europe urban design is still driving many shopping centres with the rebuilding of streets and parts of towns to assist urban regeneration.'

The 2009 Awards will be presented at the 34th ICSC Europe Conference from 22-24 April 2009 in Barcelona, Spain. All European winners will be submitted to the 2009 ICSC International Awards Program to be announced in December 2009.

In terms of developers, international firms based in the Netherlands are the most prominent on the list of finalists for the European awards. Multi Corporation, based in the Dutch city of Gouda, was the developer in three of the nominated projects, in Belgium, Turkey and Northern Ireland. The Italian units of Netherlands-based Corio and Foruminvest were nominated for one development each. German developers have been nominated for three awards, and Portugal's Sonae Sierra was involved in the development of two schemes shortlisted for the final.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE FULL LIST OF FINALISTS