A major €48 million (£41 million) shopping and leisure complex is set to transform one of Gran Canaria's most popular holiday destinations for British tourists. The new Centro Comercial Playa del Inglés is scheduled to open in the first half of 2029, bringing 68 new shops, bars, and restaurants to the sunny southern Canary Island resort.
Development details and location
Covering nearly 753,000 square feet (70,000sqm) on the border between Playa del Inglés and San Fernando de Maspalomas, the development will feature 248,000 square feet (23,000sqm) of commercial space, along with an underground car park for 815 vehicles. The multi-million-pound complex will house 68 units featuring a curated mix of fashion retailers, footwear brands, supermarkets and leisure outlets.
Visitors will also enjoy a vibrant dining and nightlife offering, complete with an array of new restaurants, food venues and bars. The ambitious development is being promoted by Tefia SL and Supermercados Marcial SL, with overall commercial management handled by Archigestión SA.
Revitalising a struggling retail scene
Developers hope the sleek new hub will revitalise the retail scene in southern Gran Canaria, offering tourists and residents a modern alternative to the region's ageing commercial centres. Several older complexes in the area have struggled with deterioration, safety issues, and legal battles in recent years.
The local council temporarily closed the Plaza Shopping Centre after it failed to comply with fire safety regulations, marking a repeat of a similar closure in 2022. Nearby, the Metro Shopping Centre has remained closed since fires damaged the building in 2011 and 2013. While authorities officially ordered its demolition, the teardown remains stalled by an ongoing legal challenge from a local business owner.
Impact on tourism and trade
Meanwhile, the iconic Kasbah complex – which dates back to the 1960s – was slated for a €20 million (£17.2 million) rebuild in 2023, though the ambitious redevelopment plan has made little progress since. As one of the largest private retail investments in the resort town in decades, the new hub is expected to breathe fresh life into the area's tourism and leisure trade ahead of its 2029 debut.
Playa del Inglés is one of Gran Canaria's most famous resort towns, renowned for its extensive golden dunes and energetic nightlife. Approximately 947,400 Brits visit the south of the island – including other major hubs like Maspalomas – annually. Known as high spenders with a high return rate, British holidaymakers are among the primary demographic groups driving the southern resort's retail and hospitality trade.
