HUSTLE BUSTLE: Malls can be a one-stop shop but you have to battle the crowds for the convenience.

Christchurch is "undersupplied" for shopping malls by international standards, researchers say.

In the United States, there is at least 2 square metres of mall space per person - nearly four times the shopping available in Christchurch.

Researchers Jones Lang LaSalle say Canterbury and New Zealand's population growth means there will be significant demand for more malls.

Large markets like Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are undersupplied by international comparisons.

More than 0.5 million square metres of additional space could be needed to meet this demand over the next 18 years, the real estate agency says.

New Zealand malls have 1.9 million square metres of net lettable area.

The amount of space has grown by 3.6 per cent a year since 2006, although the figures dipped a little after the Canterbury earthquakes.

The agency says New Zealand has only 0.4sqm of mall space per person, which is low by international standards.

The US market has more than 2sqm of mall space per person, but it is oversupplied.

"Canada and Australia are largely seen as mature markets globally for enclosed mall space,'' the agency says.

"Closer to home, Melbourne has 0.88sqm of mall space per person, whereas Sydney has 1.07sqm per person, well ahead of the levels we see in New Zealand's largest markets of Christchurch and Auckland."

Jones Lang LaSalle says Canterbury has 0.64sqm of mall space per person, and a strong projected population growth in Christchurch would probably lead to demand for an additional 70,000sqm of mall space by 2031.

Wellington director Andrew Brown says Wellington's 24 enclosed malls compete vigorously with Wellington's inner-city retail offering, but he believes there is room for more mall space.

"Looking at Wellington's projected population growth, this should provide demand for a further 37,000sqm, or another Westfield Queensgate," he says.

By comparison, the agency estimates that Auckland will need 357,000sqm of extra mall space, the equivalent of nine Westfield St Lukes malls, in the next 18 years.

Auckland has 0.6sqm of mall space per person, more than anywhere else in the country, but that is "significantly lower than we would expect for a growing city of 1.5 million".

Waikato has the most mall space per person in New Zealand, with 1sqm per person.

Justin Kean, director of research and capital investment, says that while there is a strong demand outlook, there are barriers to development.

Issues include achieving rental levels that justify new builds in untested provincial locations and community opposition to new development.

There is also a low penetration of national retail brands across the country and a lack of depth in capital markets to fund new mall development.

Urban areas need a certain population density and size to support a large mall, and areas with lower populations tend to leak retail spending to larger centres, Kean says.

"Tasman and Marlborough, for example, see a considerable amount of high-end retail spend leak south to Christchurch, while Otago residents drive north,'' he says.

"Those in the Manawatu are drawn into Wellington's catchment, and Northland residents tend to see Auckland as a destination for purchases that sit further up their hierarchy of needs."