News
from Residents’ Association of Hout Bay
PO
Box 27031, Hout Bay, 7872
rahb@houtbay.org.za
August 2004
Erven 1783 & 8384, Main Road (near Constantia
Nek on Vlakkenberg): Our
Association is unable to support this proposal
which is for a housing development in a nature area. The development
would be outside the Urban Edge on steep slopes that contain an area of high
conservation value due to rare granite soils.
It is also near a major gateway into Hout Bay (Constantia Nek) and
thereby will have a significant visual impact.
The proposed access from the historical Main Road would require
extensive earthworks and will be problematic from both safety and heritage
perspectives. As the property is
outside the Urban Edge, allowing it would set a most unfortunate precedent and
would make a mockery of all the work, time, money and public participation that
went into the Urban Edge Study and the subsequent demarcation of the Urban Edge
and the Policies guiding planning in such areas.
Also very important is the fact that this
proposed development, together with similar proposals for the adjacent Linden
Farm will, if allowed, result in an extra 60 residential units (20 and 40
respectively) with attendant motor vehicles accessing the already dangerous
Main Road. During the development
stage, which would be likely to last many years, heavy trucks are likely to
dominate the traffic accessing the sites, and, during the operational stage, at
least two cars per household (a minimum of 120 cars plus service vehicles) will
use the access several times a day.
This is likely to have a major impact on the safety of Main Road and, in
itself, should be reason enough for the authorities not to support this
proposal as it could leave them open to accusations of wilful negligence.
The
application for Erven 1783 and 8384 is available in the Hout Bay Library or at
the SPA offices in Plumstead (Mr M. Barnes, tel. 710-8202). The intention is (1) to amend Urban
Structure Plan of the Cape Metropole from Nature Area to Urban Development, (2)
to amend Urban Edge Policy to permit development, (3) to rezone from Amenities,
Road and Rural to a Sub divisional Area for Special Residential, Rural, Road
and Open Space purposes to permit a housing development of 20 free standing
residential units, (4) to consolidate erven 1783 and 8384, and (5) to subdivide
the consolidated erf, in terms of the Environment Conservation Act (ECA), the
National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA), the Physical Planning Act, the Land Use
Planning Ordinance (LUPO) and the Council’s Urban Edge Policy. Objections
(with reasons) should be sent to
H.van der Hoven, fax 790-5195, email hendrik@ houtbay.com, and to City Manager, attention Mr
M. Barnes, Private Bay X5, Plumstead, 8701; fax 710-8283; email
moosa.barnes@ capetown.gov.za. Deadline:
Tues 31 Aug 04.
Erf 5149, 8 Meadow Ave: Proposed land use departure to permit yoga
classes between 09h00-19h15 on weekdays and some weekend workshops, with
premises including two therapy rooms and a studio. Deadline for comment:
Tuesday 24 August.
Erven 974 and 3223, Skaife Street: Proposed subdivision of portion of Erf 974 from Public Place (in the Baviaanskloof river corridor) to Single Residential and subdivision and rezoning of a portion of Erf 3223, from Single Residential to Public Place to permit the alienation (sale) of 170 sq.m of public land and the exchange of 31 sq.m of land (at a net cost to the applicant of R21 000). For details and queries: Ms B. Isaacs, Property Management Services, SPA (tel. 710-8283). Deadline for comment: Fri 3 Sept 04. This application requires careful investigation as we are particularly concerned about the significant erosion of public open space that is currently taking
place in Hout Bay and also about the cutting off of access to open space and mountain areas particularly along streams and rivers.
Erf 2848 (portion 1) above Imizamo Yethu: Application by the City to the Provincial Minister of Housing to make land available for less formal settlement, in terms of the Less Formal Township Establishment Act (113 of 1991) so as to develop 172 residential erven, roads and open space in a portion of the erf adjacent to the area demarcated for IY. The application will be at the HB Library and at the SPA in Plumstead (Mr Barnes 710-8202). Objections, with full reasons, are to be sent to the Director: Land Use Management, Private Bag X5, Plumstead 7801 or e-mail: moosa.barnes@capetown.gov.za, and to Chittenden Nicks de Villiers (Nigel Titus fax 461-6466 nigel@cndv.co.za). Deadline for comment: Mon 20 Sept 2004.
This is the second formal application made for the purposes of officially expanding the informal settlement housing area. The first (deadline 16 August) was that for Erf 6355 (parcels 2b, 5a and 8c) much of which, while contained within the original boundaries of IY, was intended as open space (as it was not suitable for housing due to steep and rocky terrain and because of the normal requirement to buffer a high density development close to a mountain nature area).
Of concern in both cases is the ad hoc manner in which these applications are being presented to the Public. While we very much welcome the intention of the City to convert Imizamo Yethu into a “fully fledged suburb of Hout Bay” as soon as is practically possible, we have reservations about how the City appears to be going about this process. We have taken trouble to explain these concerns in our response and are hopeful that the Applicant (i.e. the City) will take cognisance of our request to fully include the Public in the broader process of developing IY (not just the piece meal applications currently being advertised somewhat out of context) as IY cannot be developed in isolation but should be dealt with holistically and in the context of Hout Bay / Llandudno. As such the public at large must be entitled to participate in the strategic planning of the area as the settlement has and will have a profound impact on the Hout Bay and Llandudno area.
Erf 186, No. 9 Victoria Ave: This application, for a departure from the parking requirement for the Victoria Avenue Management Plan to permit 5 in lieu of 10 parking bays, and to wave the 4.5 metre lateral and 6 metre rear space requirements, illustrates a chronic problem with many developers in this area. The Building Line Departures requested will result in a building considerably larger than allowed for the erf, and consequently more parking would be required (as the size of the building dictates the amount of parking required). We believe that parking requirements must be met, as, once they have been relaxed, there is no going back. Also applications must adhere to the Victoria Avenue Management Plan so as to realize the sensible parking arrangements and design for the precinct. We would like all potential developers to understand that this sort of application is not acceptable (letter of objection sent 5/8/04).
BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATION STATIONS
Two telecommunication applications have been received recently. One for Erf 4033, Hout Bay Nek (above Mount Rhodes) and another for Erf 3567, Hout Bay Secondary School, in Hangberg Village. Of particular concern is the one on the school building, as there are already three cell phone base stations situated on the school property. Nobody yet knows the effects of continuous exposure to low-level microwave radiation, especially on children. In many countries schools are specifically excluded as potential sites for such radiation-emitting equipment.
MIN. ERF SIZE FOR SCOTT ESTATE
We
have decided to formally challenge the SPA’s claim that 450 sq.m (and not 650
sq.m) is the minimum erf size for the Scott Estate area. This decision to take legal action was made
at the RAHB ExCo meeting in August after months of fruitless correspondence
with the planning officials. They are
unwilling to accept legal opinion from Senior Council and insist that the 450
sq.m minimum will be applied by
the City for this area. (This has been
an issue of disagreement on a number of recent applications that have not yet
been resolved). It is noted that
Province lost a similar case about a year ago, so we are confident that the
City Council has little chance of success. Legal action shall be taken in due
course.
CORRECTION - Erven 7824 & 1832, Dirty Dicks, Harbour Rd: proposed rezoning and development (The Quays). The proposed building (19.5 metres high) has 7-8 levels (not ‘storeys’ as previously stated) that include a parking basement (partly above ground), ground floor, a further 4 to 5 floors (one side of the building would have 4 floors and the other 5 floors), plus a roof garden (that makes 7-8 levels).
Len Swimmer
Chairperson, Residents’ Assoc of Hout Bay
Tel 790-0268 lens@telkomsa.net
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