The building of an SM branch in this city has been delayed after the country’s largest mall chain decided to redesigned the establishments from a “hypermarket�? to a “full mall�?.

Glen Ang, assistant vice president for SM South Region, told the local Sangguniang Panlunsod that the change of design conforms with their expectation that city stands as the center of trade in the province.

Ang explained that the original hypermarket designed for Naga City branch would have carried 10-20 percent nonfood items with the balance being food items.

But he said that, upon review, it was decided that the hypermart be redesigned into a “full mall�? where the establishment is divided into separate sections for food, non-food items, furniture, accessories and other items.

Ang revealed that the Naga SM Mall, which will start construction in the fourth quarter of 2008, will be a two-story building with a total area of 46,000 square-meters.. detailing further the actual floor area of the mall, he said the first and second floors will have an equal floor areas of 21, 000 sq. m. each.

Ang added they would also construct a separate building at the back of the mall, which is an 18, 000 sq. m. carpark. He said the establishment will occupy a total area of 61, 000 sq. m. in a leased lot of Central Business District II. Engineer Anthony Paule, chief designer of the SM for 45 years, said it would take 10 months to complete the construction of the building, in addition to three months spent for the preparation of documents and permits for its construction.

Paule said the change of designed of the proposed SM branch here came after top management saw the need to provide complete services to the city like the branches in Davao, Lucena, Lipa and Batangas.

Ang did not give specific months for the construction and completion of the mall. Meanwhile, Tarlac City Mayor Genaro Mendoza has denied reports that the construction of an SM Mall on a 33,996 sq. m. lot in Barangay San Roque in this city is already a “done deal�?.

The project is facing opposition from various sectors which claim that the giant mall’s entry in the city would threaten local establishments, and that its construction on the proposed site would cause flood and traffic problems.

“If you look at the records, there is no mayor’s permit yet and the business application is not yet approved because we are still consulting to the people,�? Mendoza said.

He said before the business can issued a mayor’s permit to operate., the management of SM should first secure important requirements such as an environmental clearance certificate from Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

What the city government has, Mendoza said, is an application by the Chinese-Filipino owner of the proposed site for its reclarrification from an agricultural to a commercial area.