Ravenswood, the new 1300 section residential community in the heart of North Canterbury, has signed on major retailers as anchor tenants for its new commercial centre.

A New World supermarket, a BP Connect service station with Wild Bean Cafe and a McDonald’s restaurant are some of the recognised brands that will soon be part of the new development.

Paul Croft, Ravenswood Developments Limited general manager, said the commitment of some of the country’s leading retailers highlights the potential for growth and demand in the region.

“It was very important for this new stage of Ravenswood that we underscore the strength of the development by focusing on building the commercial centre alongside our first residential stage,” Croft said.

“This will have an enormously positive effect on the local area, delivering not just greater convenience for the growing local population but also providing more opportunities for residents to work close to home.”

Around 15 hectares at Ravenswood is proposed for commercial and business activity, including cafés and hospitality businesses, a medical centre, childcare, banking services and a range of other retail stores.

Marcus Manning, BP asset manager, said as North Canterbury continues to grow, so too does demand for higher quality and more varied retail offerings.

“We will be using local tradespeople to build our new BP Connect store and we intend on employing up to 20 North Cantabrians to look after our valued new customers in Ravenswood,” Manning said.