Cornubia City

For the Australian community, see Cornubia, Queensland.

Cornubia City Development
Interactive map of Cornubia City Development
Alternative names	Cornubia
General information
Location	Cornubia City, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Coordinates	29°42′49″S31°03′30″E / 29.713549°S 31.058222°E / -29.713549; 31.058222
Construction started	2012
Completed	2030
Cost	US$1.9 Billion+ (R25 Billion+)
Owner	eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, Tongaat Hulett Developments and South African Sugar Association
Technical details
Structural system	Mixed use
Design and construction
Main contractor	eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Tongaat Hulett Developments
Website
www.cornubia.co.za

Cornubia City is a new mixed-use development which broke ground in 2012, north of Durban, South Africa between Phoenix, Verulam, Mount Edgecombe and uMhlanga.

The development project is a joint venture between the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Tongaat Hulett. 482 homes were constructed in 2014 of the 24,000 residential units planned for the development; 15,000 of which will be low cost homes. ^[1] A primary school opened 20 July 2015. ^[2]

Cornubia City breaking ground in 2025

Cornubia is the first proposed sustainable and fully integrated human settlement in the region and has been declared a national priority project. It comprises 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres), with 80 hectares (200 acres) earmarked for industrial development and the remainder for commercial, housing and other social and public facilities including schools, clinics, police stations, post offices and multi-purpose halls. The projected completion date is 2030. ^[3]

Geography

Cornubia is situated approximately 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) north-west of Durban and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of the King Shaka International Airport, neighboured by Verulam to the north, uMhlanga to the east, Mount Edgecombe to the south and Phoenix to the west.

Retail

Cornubia Mall

Cornubia Mall, developed by Investec, was officially opened on 28 September 2017, at  a development cost of R1.8 billion. It was developed as a regional shopping centre at a size of 65 0000m² GLA with approximately 110 tenants. Furthermore, the mall has space to further expand with plans to expand the centre by 20 000m². ^[4]

Anchor tenants within Cornubia Mall include:

• Checkers
• Clicks
• Dis-Chem
• NuMetro
• Pick n Pay
• Truworths
• Virgin Active
• Woolworths

Food Lover’s Village

On 28 November 2024, Food Lover’s Market opened its very first retail village in Cornubia, adjacent to Cornubia Mall on the corner Allamanda Road and uMhlanga Ridge Boulevard. The R60 million development comprises a 2800 m² Food Lover’s Market as the anchor tenants supplemented by the Market Liquors, VetSmart, and Seattle Coffee Company. ^[5]

Leroy Merlin

French home improvement retailer, Leroy Merlin recently announced in November 2025 that it would be constructing a new 10 000 m² outlet in Cornubia at a development cost of R220 million led by the Fundamentum Property Group. Expected to open in November 2026, the Cornubia outlet will become its first outlet in South Africa outside of Gauteng. ^{[6] [7]}

Transport

Roads

Cornubia is bordered by major arterial routes, including the N2 to the east, M41 to the south and the R102 to the west:

• The N2 freeway connects Durban to the south with King Shaka International Airport and KwaDukuza to the north.
• The M41 freeway connects uMhlanga to the east with Phoenix to the west.
• The R102 (North Coast Road) connects Verulam to the north with Mount Edgecombe to the south.

Additionally, the M47 (uMhlanga Ridge Boulevard) offers a direct connection between Cornubia and uMhlanga.

Zones

Currently Cornubia comprises: ^[8]

• A general business zone to the south near the M41 (including Cornubia Mall and Food Lover’s Village)
• A general business zone to the east along the N2 (including Makro, Retailibility and Dromex)
• Residential zone to the west near the R102
• Cornubia Industrial and Business Estate (CIBE) to the west, near Ottawa, Verulam.

According to its master plan, Cornubia is expected comprise additional zones in the future such as a future high density residential zone, a future general business zone, a future residential zone and two future industrial zones.

References

1. "A brand-new city is being built outside Durban". 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017.
2. "Cornubia Integrated Human Settlement". eThekwini Municipality.
3. "A Look At The New R25 Billion City Being Developed Outside Durban". BusinessTech. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
4. "New Cornubia Mall to act as positive link between Ethekwini's communities – Property Wheel". propertywheel.co.za. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
5. sirshinmoodliar (4 December 2024). "Food Lover's Market opens groundbreaking Food Lover's Village in Cornubia". Rising Sun Newspapers. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
6. "Leroy Merlin to invest R220 million in new store in Cornubia, boosting eThekwini's economy". IOL. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
7. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/investing/property/leroy-merlin-to-open-first-durban-store-at-cornubia/
8. "Precinct Maps". Cornubia CIBE. Retrieved 12 December 2025.