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EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
Protest against N2 development gains momentum LIZEKA TANDWA
O
VER 500 people have already signed on in a petition against a proposed development by the municipality which will see a new, integrated residential and retail suburb along the N2 in the Hunter’s Retreat area next to the Baywest Development. The proposed development includes retail as well as residential components and accompanying infrastructure in response to the opportunities which are opened by the Baywest Development. Protesters against the new development say it will run through the Baakens River Valley and could cause irreparable damage to one of the area’s crucial ecosystems leading to increased flooding in the rest of Port Elizabeth. The Save the Baakens River Valley campaign was launched in collaboration with the Baakens Valley Preservation Trust with the hopes of having 1 000 signatures before the July 3 deadline set by CEN Integrated Environmental Management (IEM). CEN IEM are the independent environmental consultants who will undertake an independent environmental assessment of the proposed development. Rose Buchanan, who is leading the petition against the development having consulted other environmentalists and doing research in the area through her master’s degree in landscape architecture, said no development at all should take place at the source of a river. “The Baakens River is the lowest point running through Port Elizabeth and thus a large portion of the city’s storm water runs directly into the river. By hardening the surfaces in the catchment, the amount of storm water running into the river increases, thus causing flooding. The development proposal involves a large amount of hardened surfaces which will result in an increase in storm water runoff into the river. “It will also mean that the quality of the water in the river will suffer due to an increase in pollution from storm water run-off. This is very bad news for the fish in the river and in particular for the Red Fin Minnow which is almost extinct,” she said.
According to the CEN IEM, the municipality’s proposal (which is in its preliminary stage) is to develop an integrated residential settlement, and the required services infrastructure and roads. A strip of business uses, retail and showrooms is planned along the N2, between the N2, and along the planned collector distributor, to complement the land uses provided in the Baywest development and to maximise the benefit of visibility and accessibility provided by the N2. Approximately 3 019 residential
units are planned on 71ha of land. In addition to housing, the development will include schools and crèches, businesses and retail facilities, community facilities, churches, and public open space. The development footprint comprises about 52% of the total site, excluding bulk roads and infrastructure. The remainder will remain as open space, which includes the NMBM’s critical biodiversity network on the site. Buchanan said due to this development the whole city will suffer as the Baakens River
runs from the edge of the city right through to the mouth at the harbour. “The impacts will include a decline in biodiversity, extinction of rare fish in the river, the loss of unique plant species and an increase in flooding. “It will also negatively impact on Hunter’s Retreat which is on the edge of the wetland. Their lovely open space will now be replaced with integrated housing,” said Buchanan.
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Kyk so ’n Bok en sy bokkie . . . Die Baai word vandeesweek groenen goud geverf met die Springbokke wat in die stad is. SuidAfrika en Skotland pak mekaar dié Saterdag in die Nelson Mandelabaaistadion tydens die laaste wedstryd van die Castle Lager Inko mendereeks. Teen Maandagmiddag was daar reeds meer as 26 000 kaartjies verkoop, maar volgens Charl Crous, uitvoerende hoof van OPRU, behoort kaartjies goed te verkoop nadat rug byliefhebbers hul salarisse in die week ontvang. “Die publiek kan ’n groot wedstryd te wagte wees,” het hy verseker. Kaartjiepryse wissel van R75 tot R450 en is beskikbaar by Computick et. Die span wat teen die Skotte gaan uitdraf, word vanmiddag om 12nm. aangekondig. Hou gerus ons webtuiste by www.peexpress.co.za dop vir die bekendmaking van die span. Hier maak die ervare Bok, Schalk Burger, nader kennis met die span se naamsgenoot met hul aankoms Sondag in die Vriendelike Stad. FOTO: THEO JEPHTA