People's Post False Bay - 21 July 2020

Page 1

FALSE BAY

TUESDAY 21 July 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za

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People’s Post

KOMMETJIE

Locals slam new development plan RACINE EDWARDES RACINE.EDWARDES@MEDIA24.COM @RAEEDWARDES

I

mhoff Farm, Ocean View, Kommetjie and Blue Water Estate residents have expressed concern for the inevitable influx of people and the social impact, among other issues, should Red Cliff Property’s plans for a new “sustainable community”, bordering these areas, come to fruition. A statement from Red Cliff Properties explains that a mixed-use development is proposed near the iconic Imhoff Park, and behind the new Waldorf School on the corner of Slangkop and Kommetjie roads. “The proposed development site comprises the remaining 58.63ha of Cape Farm 1529 and will include retirement, residential, retail and educational amenities, with close to 22ha set aside as a conservation area,” the statement reads. The project, which could take 30 to 50 years to complete, is expected to inject R1.56 billion into the area and create more than 6 600 jobs during its construction phase. In addition, the operational phase will contribute R330 million to the local economy and create 604 employment opportunities for the locals. Patrick Dowling, chair of the Kommetjie Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association (KRRA), says their concerns pertain to conservation, traffic and sense of place.

In a letter to the property group, Dowling writes: “Needless to say traffic congestion is a major community concern ... Uncertainty about the condition to do with the dualising of Kommetjie Road between Capri and Masiphumelele is a pressing issue.” To which he added: “New housing developments there will create an increased bottle-neck at that point, exacerbated by any vehicle trips generated by already approved developments as well as proposed new ones.” But Red Cliff Property’s managing director, Gerhard van der Horst, says the development of the approximately 400 residential units and other amenities will generate as little traffic as possible on the main road. “If you look at the whole development, a very large component is retirement-related (about 250 units), which does not create much traffic. With the vast majority being retirement units, and the other education and retail amenities inside, traffic does not have to go out of the area,” he explains. Another issue, according to Dowling, is the width and placement of the biological corridor providing the final natural link between the northern and southern ends of the Table Mountain National Park. “Such a green belt, if of a significant area and sensitive siting, would do much to emphasise the core nature, wildlife and eco-system service celebrating aspects of village life.” He says this delicate balance between the Kommetjie residents and nature is a point of

pride in the community. He adds that the proposed development plan would serve to “suggest elitism, exclusion, privacy, high cost and consumerism”. Furthermore, he says: “All these are typically attended by large carbon, water and waste footprints as well as a widening of social divisions – issues that are already manifesting.” Van der Horst, having completed several smaller residential developments nearby (including Imhoff’s Gift and Bluewater Estate), says he is no stranger to the intricate and fragile nature of the local eco-system in the Peninsula, “(The development) is being done in a sensitive manner. Close to 55% of the development is (planned to be) open space and there will be sufficient mitigation so that it doesn’t cause any detrimental effects to the Wildevoëlvlei.” The Wildevoëlvlei, which is part of the TMNP, is a major issue of contention. “The Bluegreen toxic algal blooms of the late 1990s triggered a response from the authorities that banned future development in this area because of such run-off concerns,” says Dowling, adding: “We would need to be reassured that any new development would not try to skirt this injunction.” Also, he says: “The KRRA has always opposed gated estates irrespective of the alleged market demand. And while we don’t object to reasonable security measures that do not ob-

struct the landscape or inhibit free movement of wildlife in the area – boom gates, sign-ins, and so on are at serious odds with the village ethos that has been celebrated for more than a century.” The association would also like assurance that the new development would assist their efforts to remove alien invasive plant species, both to emphasise areas of natural vegetation and to reduce fire load. “We trust a thorough and regularly followed up eradication of such plants would be part of any new proposed development process, along with restoration and respectful treatment of any remaining lowland, wetland or mountain fynbos elements,” Dowling writes. Overall, the residents who form part of the KRRA feel they “would not like to see a social impact study limited to an inflated assessment of the number of jobs that would be created, but ignored the general well-being of the sub-region in terms of integration, access, nature experience, equitable and sustainable use of local resources and opportunities”. In response, Van der Horst says: “The process we’re going through is to elicit some of these responses and see where things can be refined to minimise the impact.” The public participation process began last week. Residents are encouraged to visit the website at redcliff.co.za to learn more and to submit their comment. V Send your opinions on the development to racine.edwardes@media24.com.

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