Paarden Eiland is a working commercial node on Cape Town’s northern edge, immediately north of the CBD and aligned with Marine Drive and the port-side movement network. It attracts businesses that need urban industrial access without moving deep into larger logistics parks: light manufacturing, trade counters, fitment centres, showrooms, last-mile distribution and service-led operations that still need staff and clients to reach them from central Cape Town.
The appeal is practical. A tenant choosing Paarden Eiland is usually prioritising road exposure, quick reach into the city, and a location that serves both the West Coast corridor and the metro core. The area suits companies that need roller doors, yard access where available, visible frontage on the right streets, and enough flexibility for office, storage and client-facing space under one roof.
Median asking rent
Asking rent per m² per month, 7-year trend. Based on 365 units listed through Anvil Property Smith.
Paarden Eiland on the map
The defined node boundary and the 215 buildings Anvil Property tracks within it.
Understanding the area
The node is shaped by Marine Drive, Paarden Eiland Road and fast access back to the Cape Town CBD. It serves companies that need warehouse depth, trade access and city reach without moving into a pure suburban industrial estate. Its position between the port edge, Maitland, Brooklyn and Milnerton has kept the tenant base practical: distribution, service trades, building suppliers, light manufacturing, automotive users, marine-related businesses and showroom-led operators.
The mix has broadened over time. Older industrial buildings have been adapted for trade counters, storage-and-office combinations and destination retail showrooms, while larger warehouse users still value the arterial access into the N1, N7 and Atlantic Seaboard routes. Tenants generally come here because the node gives them industrial functionality with better client access than deeper logistics areas.
The core tenant groups are fairly consistent across the node:
- Warehouse and distribution businesses
- Automotive repair, parts and fitment operators
- Building materials and trade suppliers
- Marine, engineering and light manufacturing users
- Showroom and destination retail companies
This gives Paarden Eiland a clear operating profile: it suits businesses that need visible premises, roller-shutter access, yard or loading capability, and a location that sales teams and service vehicles can reach quickly from central Cape Town. The trade-off is that the area remains workmanlike. Tenants choose it for access and utility, not for a landscaped office-park setting.
Why businesses choose this area
The main advantage is the position between Cape Town harbour and Marine Drive/R27, with fast movement to the N1 and M5 without sending staff or vehicles through the CBD core. For a tenant moving goods, running service teams or needing a practical base near the city, that route structure is the reason to consider the area first. It gives a business a central Cape Town footprint with more industrial tolerance than Woodstock, Salt River or Century City.
The area best suits businesses that need access and utility ahead of corporate office environment:
- Light industrial and assembly users
- Trade-counter and showroom businesses
- Logistics teams serving the CBD and northern suburbs
- Marine, building-supply and service companies
- Companies needing offices with storage or yard use
The main trade-off is building condition and street-by-street fit. Paarden Eiland has older industrial fabric, so loading, parking, power capacity and office finish must be checked building by building. Compared with Montague Gardens, it gives a more central Cape Town position; compared with Century City, it offers more functional industrial space and less emphasis on campus-style amenities. For the right tenant, that is the point: route access and utility carry more weight than frontage or image.
Infrastructure and building specifications
Across the Paarden Eiland properties we currently list, the office size envelope is practical for small-to-mid-sized tenants: median 484 m², typical range 232–930 m² (P25–P75), with larger stock extending above 3,000 m² in selected buildings. That gives businesses a realistic spread from compact operating bases to single larger footprints. The main qualification is how much storage, loading or showroom function needs to sit behind the office component.
The stock we cover is recorded as A grade, so due diligence sits in the detail: older versus newer fit-out, refurbished versus original services, and how the building handles deliveries. Recorded eaves across our listings run from 2.0 m to 125.0 m, a wide range that should push any tenant with storage, racking, light assembly or vehicle movement requirements to verify clear usable height on inspection.
Before shortlisting, test the actual unit against the operating assumptions that affect daily movement:
- Clear height below beams and services
- Loading-door or roller-shutter dimensions
- Delivery vehicle access and turning space
- Slab suitability for storage or equipment
- Power supply and backup provision
Across our current listings, there are no dock levellers recorded, so tenants with containerised receiving or frequent pallet movement should treat grade-level loading as the working assumption until a specific building proves otherwise. For a pure office user, the sharper questions are fit-out condition, parking ratio, visitor access and whether the building can support staff and delivery flows without forcing operational compromises.
- Building grade
- A-grade (56% of stock)
- Median floor plate
- 450 m²
- Typical floor plate range
- 200–900 m² (middle half of stock)
- Largest available
- 3,000+ m² (top of stock)
- Green-rated stock
- 3 of 215 buildings (1%)
Property rental rates
Across our listings in Paarden Eiland, rentals run from R50 to R150 per m² (10th to 90th percentile), median R100 per m² net asking. On a gross basis, including rates and levies, the median is about R106 per m², so most pricing discussion still turns on the net rental, fit-out condition and how efficiently the space can be used.
The space that tends to absorb fastest is the unit priced near the middle of the band and requiring limited capital before occupation. A business will usually move quicker on clean, functional premises with practical access, usable internal layout and enough parking or loading capacity for daily operations. Higher rentals need to justify themselves through better specification, stronger exposure, newer improvements or a more efficient footprint.
Rental movement in Paarden Eiland is usually caused by a few practical variables:
- Building condition and remaining fit-out value
- Access for staff, clients and deliveries
- Parking, loading and yard usability
- Power capacity and operational flexibility
- Street exposure or signage potential
At the lower end of the range, tenants should test whether the saving is offset by reinstatement, downtime or operational compromise. At the upper end, the question is whether the rental buys a measurable advantage: less fit-out spend, faster occupation, stronger frontage or a layout that lets the company trade more efficiently from day one.
| Monthly budget | Approximate size | Likely property type |
|---|---|---|
| Up to R30,000 | Up to 500 m² | Small workshops & units (158 listed) |
| R30,000 – R100,000 | Up to 1,000 m² | Medium warehouses (136 listed) |
| R100,000 – R300,000 | 1,000 to 4,000 m² | Large warehouses (49 listed) |
| R300,000+ | 2,000 m² and up | Distribution centres (12 listed) |
Key buildings
- 8 Wessex Road3 listings8 Wessex Road, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Multi-storey commercial building in Paarden Eiland with office and warehouse space, wraparound city views and super-link truck access. Suits logistics, trade or back-office tenants needing parking, fibre and generator backup.
- 11 Amphion Street3 listings11 Amphion St, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town, 7405, South Africa
Freestanding two-storey office building just off Marine Drive in Paarden Eiland, with open-plan and private office space, lift access and a balcony. Suits creative, industrial-linked or client-facing businesses needing quick CBD and highway access.
- 67 Carlisle Street2 listings67 Carlisle Street, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Prominent industrial building on Carlisle Street in Paarden Eiland with street-facing access, off-street parking and large warehouse space. Suits logistics, storage, distribution or light industrial tenants needing quick links to Marine Drive, the M5 and N1.
- 30 Auckland Street, Paarden Eiland1 listing30 Auckland Street, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Industrial office and warehouse building on Auckland Street in Paarden Eiland, with yard space, roller-shutter access, 3-phase power and on-site parking. Suits logistics, light industrial and trade-related businesses needing quick access to Marine Drive, the M5 and N1.
- 6 Perfecta Road, Paarden Eiland1 listing6 Perfecta Road, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Large office and warehouse complex on Perfecta Road in Paarden Eiland, with dual access from Perfecta and Industry Road, a secure yard and parking. Suits businesses needing office space with light industrial or logistics support and good N1/M5 access.
- 28 Marine Drive Paarden Eiland1 listing28 Marine Drive, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Industrial-style office and warehouse building on Marine Drive in Paarden Eiland, with yard space for truck articulation, roller-shutter access and 3-phase power. Best suited to logistics, trade-related and back-office tenants needing strong road links.
- 8 Paarden Eiland Road1 listing9 Paarden Eiland Rd, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town, 7405, South Africa
Refurbished P-grade industrial building on a prominent Paarden Eiland corner, with warehouse space and high-spec offices across two large floors. Suits logistics, trade and distribution tenants needing strong visibility and quick Marine Drive access.
- 32 Milner Street, Paarden Eiland1 listing32 Milner St, Metro Industrial Twp, Cape Town, 7405, South Africa
Freestanding industrial building on Milner Street with strong Marine Drive exposure in Paarden Eiland. Suited to warehousing, manufacturing or distribution, with 3-phase power and straightforward port and highway access.
Available properties
PRIME OFFICES
8 Wessex Road
This 377m² modern office space combines functionality and comfort with premium finishes throughout. The layout includes a welcoming lobby...
EJ Durand
Candidate Property Practitioner
1ST FLOOR UNIT
11 Amphion Street
This 597m² first-floor office to let in Paarden Eiland offers a functional, light-filled workspace for professional services firms, co...
EJ Durand
Candidate Property Practitioner
2ND FLOOR UNIT
11 Amphion Street
This 689m² second-floor office to let in Paarden Eiland suits corporate head offices, professional services firms, call centre operato...
EJ Durand
Candidate Property Practitioner
TOP FLOOR OFFICE
30 Auckland Street, Paarden Eiland
Located on the top floor, this stunning 731m² commercial office space is available for lease in the bustling industrial hub of Paarden Ei...
EJ Durand
Candidate Property Practitioner
UNIT 004
6 Perfecta Road, Paarden Eiland
This 900m² industrial warehouse to rent in Industry Park, Paarden Eiland, is well suited to warehousing, distribution, and light manufact...
EJ Durand
Candidate Property Practitioner
LEFT HAND SIDE WITH OFFICES
8 Paarden Eiland Road
This prime 1235m² showroom space is available to let at the redeveloped 8 Paarden Eiland Road Development in Paarden Eiland. Previously o...
EJ Durand
Candidate Property Practitioner
Investments and developments
Capital and infrastructure activity in Paarden Eiland. These are projects that materially change the supply, access or amenity of the node.
- Recently completed2025
Redwood says 25 Hermes Street redevelopment in Paarden Eiland is complete
Redwood stated that the redevelopment of 25 Hermes Street in Paarden Eiland had been completed and tenants had moved in.
Redwood Property Ventures ↗ - Under construction2025
Redwood reports practical completion timing for Maritime Place
Redwood said practical completion for Maritime Place in Paarden Eiland was set for 1 July, confirming ongoing delivery of a new multi-storey commercial building on Marine Drive.
Redwood Property Ventures ↗ - Under construction2025
Redwood updates construction of 12-storey Maritime Place in Paarden Eiland
Redwood said the 12-storey Maritime Place development in Paarden Eiland had reached top-floor casting in January 2025 and was due for completion in July 2026.
Redwood Property Ventures ↗ - Planned2026
City budgets for permanent Paarden Eiland desalination plant
Cape Town’s 2026/27 draft budget lists a permanent seawater desalination project at Paarden Eiland with a total project value of R149.561 million, indicating planned bulk-services investment in the node.
City of Cape Town ↗
As of 2026-06-25
The bottom line
Paarden Eiland’s case is practical. It gives tenants N1 and Marine Drive access, a position between Cape Town harbour and the western seaboard, and premises that can support trading, storage, servicing and office administration without forcing a business into a purely office-led environment. The trade-off is equally clear: this is a working node, so frontage, yard depth, loading, parking and staff access should be tested building by building.
For companies that need the city within reach but still require operational space, Paarden Eiland remains one of Cape Town’s useful compromise locations. The closing comparison is simple: the CBD buys client-facing office convenience; Montague Gardens buys deeper industrial scale; Paarden Eiland buys near-CBD access with property that is still built around movement, dispatch and day-to-day operations.
Frequently asked questions
Paarden Eiland mainly offers light industrial warehouses, workshop space and trade-counter units, with many properties combining roller-shutter access, small office components and practical loading areas. Along Marine Drive and the arterial routes into the CBD and port, tenants also find showroom-warehouse formats suited to building suppliers, motor-related businesses, contractors and last-mile distribution. The area suits companies that need central Cape Town access without moving into heavier industrial nodes further from the city.
Across our listed To Let units in Paarden Eiland, warehouse and industrial rentals run from R75 to R130 per m² (10th to 90th percentile), with a median of R110 per m². Smaller or better-positioned units with stronger access and usable yard or loading typically price toward the upper end, while more basic space trades lower within that band.
Yes. Paarden Eiland is well suited to logistics, distribution and light manufacturing, particularly for companies that need quick access to Marine Drive, the N1 and the port while still servicing Cape Town’s central and Atlantic Seaboard markets. The main trade-off is that parts of the node are older and space-constrained, so tenants should check yard depth, truck circulation and loading access carefully before committing.
Across the Paarden Eiland warehouses we currently list, recorded eaves run from 2.0–125.0 m, which is too wide to treat as a normal specification band. Inspect height property by property. For loading, these listed properties have no dock levellers, so tenants should expect on-grade roller-shutter loading and confirm yard depth, truck turning and container access on site.
Paarden Eiland typically competes on central Cape Town access and shorter routes into the CBD, port and Atlantic Seaboard, while larger nearby industrial nodes tend to offer broader warehouse campuses and more conventional logistics layouts. Across our listings, asking rentals are R75 to R130 per m² (10th to 90th percentile), with a median of R110 per m², positioning the node for businesses that value location efficiency over yard-heavy space. The trade-off is tighter circulation and older industrial fabric in parts, so it suits light industrial, trade counter, showroom and last-mile users more than companies needing large-volume distribution infrastructure.
In Paarden Eiland, three-phase power is generally common in warehouse and light industrial units, especially along Paarden Eiland Road and the main industrial blocks. Capacity varies materially by building, so tenants running machinery, cold storage, charging infrastructure or high-load production should verify the available amperage before committing. Do not assume upgrade capacity; confirm the existing supply, metering arrangement and any municipal upgrade process during the offer stage.
Paarden Eiland generally works well for truck-based operations because Marine Drive and Paarden Eiland Road give direct industrial-road access without routing through residential streets. Yard space is uneven: older industrial sites tend to offer better hardstand and loading depth, while smaller units often rely on shared yard areas or tight forecourts. For heavier vehicles, check gate width, turning radius and whether loading happens off-street, as articulated truck access can change materially from one property to the next.
Paarden Eiland gives an industrial business direct access to the N1, Marine Drive and the M5, with quick movement into the Cape Town CBD, the port and northern suburbs. The area suits distribution, light manufacturing, trade counters and service businesses that need industrial functionality without being pushed to the outer logistics nodes. It also offers strong main-road visibility on routes such as Marine Drive and Section Street, which helps companies that rely on client access, supplier movement and signage exposure.
Paarden Eiland’s main constraint is limited yard depth on many sites, which can make truck staging and container handling difficult for heavier industrial users. Access can also slow at Marine Drive and Section Street, especially where port, CBD and West Coast traffic overlap. Much of the stock is older, so tenants should check roof height, power supply and loading carefully before committing.
Contact an Anvil Property Smith broker who works the Paarden Eiland industrial node and can line up viewings based on access, yard requirements, loading, power and proximity to Marine Drive or Section Street. A local broker can also help compare available units against your operational brief before you commit to inspections.
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