Neighbourhood 20 JANUARY 2019
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Life’s a holiday It’s hard to imagine a place where development is more rapidly geared towards catering to holiday-makers than KZN’s Golden Mile, page 2
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SUBURB FOCUS: THE GOLDEN MILE
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PROPERTY NEWS
20 JANUARY 2019
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
The Golden Mile
Durban’s Golden Mile is at the heart of Durban’s reputation as a great beach holiday destination… warm Indian Ocean, surfer’s paradise, legendary promenade, and ample accommodation to suit all budgets WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
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urban’s beachfront promenade isn’t new, but it’s perpetually reinventing itself. The promenade was extended north all the way to Blue Lagoon to connect with Riverside along the Umgeni River. Currently, it’s heading south – then west – from uShaka and the Point development, along the harbour mouth to connect with the Esplanade. Eventually, walkers and cyclists will have an endless, wonderfully paved, safe and secure waterside promenade stretching for kilometres, with harbour, sea and river vistas. There’s little doubt that the promenade has affected – and elevated – every aspect of life on the Golden Mile, from property values to tourism. Durban is increasingly popular as a local tourist destination, and the Golden Mile’s hotels and beaches are the drawcard. There’s a strong drive in KwaZulu-Natal for tourismrelated development, with R39bn worth of developments queuing up, the largest slice of the pie being the Durban Point precinct development, currently underway with the R300m PUBLISHED BY TIMES MEDIA PROPERTY PUBLISHING 1st Floor, Block H, Sable Square cnr Bosmansdam and Ratanga roads Milnerton, Cape Town
*Map not to scale
IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK & GOOGLE MAPS
promenade development. The final product will include everything from hotels, office parks, retail, residential, as well as a new cruise ship terminal, valued at R215m. On the northern side of the Golden Mile, Tsogo Sun’s latest investment in Durban is a complete redevelopment of Suncoast Hotel and Casino at a cost of R1,6bn, destined to be completed by the close of 2018. It includes an additional 8,000m2 of space, a newly located Salon Privé with sea views, eight new restaurants, retail outlets, casino space, parking, a Barnyard Theatre, and a multipurpose event venue for up to 2,000 people.
Property From one end of the Golden Mile to the other, towering blocks of apartments sit cheek by jowl with beachfront hotels. Behind the frontline, there’s another row of apartment blocks, but frontline is prized, because the views are unsurpassable, and the beach and promenade are literally on your doorstep.
Beachfront property has always been a combination of sectional title and shareblock, with shareblock being the predominant model. Many of these blocks are old, and even if they’ve been upgraded, there’s still a dire shortage of parking. Creative parking schemes abound, but the shortage can be a handbrake for purchasers – there is, of course, ample street parking with security, often outside your window. North Beach is considered the upmarket side of the Golden Mile, and there are some sensational apartments and penthouses. In the boom times, property prices rocketed. Today, a luxurious 180m2 North Beach share block, three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with unimpeded seaviews and a single undercover parking is on the market at R5m, while a twobedroom sectional-title apartment with sea views and single parking to rent, is on the books at R1,5m. Some blocks allow holiday letting, others don’t. There are pros and cons to both, depending on whether you’re an investor or a resident.
Schooling
There are few schools along the Golden Mile, but for those who live permanently along this belt, young children can attend Addington Primary, or move further afield by a couple of kilometres to the suburbs of Glenwood or the Berea, where there are numerous primary and junior schools. The Golden Mile has easy access to surrounding suburbs. For senior and tertiary education, there’s the nearby George Campbell Technical High School, George Campbell School of Technology, or Durban University of Technology. Alternatively, there are Glenwood Boys, Berea Girls, or Durban Preparatory High School or Durban High School.
Explore The Golden Mile is praised by local residents as a wonderfully safe, well-run amenity to be enjoyed
by everybody. There are a few standout eateries and coffee shops along the length of the beachfront, and they’re busy in the early mornings, and ultra-busy on weekends. Night life is largely limited to the hotels, restaurants and bars within them. The main drawcard is clearly the beach, and with shark nets and lifeguards, on a beautiful Durban day it’s the busiest place in town. Whether it’s swimmers, surfers, body boarders, or paddle skiers in the waves, or cyclists, runners, walkers, you name it, on the promenade, there’s more action on the Golden Mile than anywhere else in Durban. On Saturdays, hundreds of walkers and runners join in the Park Run, and on all other days of the week, there are two municipal outdoor gyms which are well used, yoga on the roof of the Circus Circus Cafe, the lifesaver nippers are being taught their thing, and surfing lessons are underway by Expression on the Beach at Addington. From 0 to 100, no matter your age or stage, there’s an activity for all on the Golden Mile.
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20 JANUARY 2019
Neighbourhood
DO • uShaka Marine World • uShaka Wet ’n Wild • Scuba diving: Vetch’s pier, Durban Undersea Club • Bicycle hire: Bike and Bean • Skate Board Park • Mini Town • Learn to Surf: Expression on the Beach, Addington • Ice rink
EAT • Circus Circus Cafe – family-friendly, breakfast and lunch • Bike ’n Bean – enjoy a great coffee to the sight and sound of the sea • Afro’s Chicken – try the delectable lemon strips • Surfriders Cafe – a favourite with beach-goers, on the southside promenade • Moyo – the prettiest spot to enjoy sundowners • Cafe Jiran – great coffee and breakfast spot; turns into a gastropub at night • Panorama Bar, Elangeni and Maharani – 180-degree views of the ocean and the bright lights of Durban and the north coast • Cargo Hold – legendary seafood restaurant
For sale in North Beach 100%
For a typical property in this area
R1,35m
For a typical property (two-bedroom apartment)
You’ll pay
APARTMENT
Monthly bond repayments
Median asking price:
R13,252 per month
For rent in North Beach 100%
Based on
median asking price
over a period of 20 years at 10.25% prime
Median asking price:
R9,000
For a typical property (two-bedroom apartment)
January weekend special from Per person sharing per night, bed & breakfast
APARTMENT
R1,35m
R810
SLEEP • • • • • •
Suncoast Hotel & Casino Protea Edward Hotel Southern Sun Elangeni Southern Sun Maharani Blue Waters Hotel Belaire Suites Hotel
PROPERTY NEWS
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I was recently widowed, but it’s not possible to be lonely when you live down here. There’s always something on the go, easy to meet up with friends, amble along the beachfront, and I never tire of watching the sea. FAYE STEVENS, RESIDENT
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PROPERTY NEWS
20 JANUARY 2019
Raise the roof Greening up previously unused surfaces like roofs or hard ones like balconies and transforming them from concrete deserts into soft oases has many more benefits than purely aesthetics WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER IMAGES: SUPPLIED
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orldwide, as more people try to access living space near work and play amenities, densification is the buzz word. Smaller spaces, closer together, often leaves little room for that calming green space you’d like and you need for sanity. Greening up roofs or balconies extends living areas and provides an opportunity for connection with the environment. Visual softening of hot, hard surfaces is an important aspect of greening up roofs and balconies. Take a look at commercial office roofs in town centres which have gone green and it’s clear their action has a broader impact than imagined – employees, employers and all city dwellers benefit.
Advantages of rooftop gardens
Creating a rooftop garden needs a professional – consideration of the weight, perfecting the waterproofing, soil depth, irrigation… and more. Justin Sam, Rooftop Landscapes, says, “It’s obviously easier to green up new builds as the building can be designed with the roof garden in mind, but there’s usually scope for some greening on the majority of roofs.” Aesthetics aside, a green growing roof can be highly productive – organic planting can produce lush vegetable and herb gardens, but there are other advantages too.
Beyond aesthetics
A green rooftop has the ability to reduce storm water run-off and its
Neighbourhood
impact, because the water is absorbed and used by the plant life. A green roof also creates an effective sound barrier, and depending on what is planted, absorbs varying degrees of noise. And cooling and heating? A green roof absorbs heat slowly during the day and gradually releases it overnight, which has a positive effect on both cooling and heating systems. Sam says, “Green roofs even out temperature variations, lowering dependencies on air-conditioning. We have systems which allow the installation of solar PV panels above green roofs, and international research has shown that panels installed in this way operate more efficiently as the green roof lowers local temperatures.” Sustainability is key. The reclaimed space naturally becomes a haven for birds, bees and butterflies.
What about maintenance?
“Gardens on roofs are much like their terrestrial counterparts, requiring maintenance such as weeding, fertilising, general plant care as well as irrigation maintenance,” says Sam. But landscapers choose rooftop plants carefully to limit maintenance – water-wise plants such as succulents grow well and are popular, and drip irrigation is usually installed. “Aesthetically, grasses usually provide more height, making the garden more visible from ground level. Our clients delight in their grasses swaying in the wind. Larger plants and trees can provide privacy from neighbours.”
Green balconies
“Green balconies provide useful elevated garden spaces. We build customised spaces that express our clients love for nature, blue skies and the outdoors,” Sam says. Whether you create a fully green space or only partial, it needs planning. You can deck it, create a growing wall, even fully mirror a wall to visually increase the space or reflect a beautiful tree. Greg Mark of Gregory Mark approaches the design of outdoor spaces architecturally, with strong focus on furniture layouts and finishes, much as you would an interior space. “Always start with a to-scale garden plan and clear vison for the space, especially when working within the confines of a fixed space like a balcony or veranda terrace. Scale is everything!” If budget is a factor, he suggests, “Work with existing materials and complement them as best you can. Most of what you see in a balcony space is vertical (walls) and borrowed views over the city or even trees – look carefully at how they affect the space.” For a luxurious sea-view apartment in Umhlanga, Mark says, “Keep it simple – less is more. Clean lines frame – and don’t obstruct – the ocean views. We kept the planting palette simple and uncomplicated. Focal points are always important, so we installed a pair of dolphin bronzes under-planted with grasses which simulated the waves.” Work with the space, not against it and it’s astonishing how much value can be added to an apartment or home.
20 JANUARY 2019
Neighbourhood
ADVERTORIAL
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Rocking the shandy at Lucky Shaker The Angostura Rock Shandy is the ultimate summer refreshment and an iconic SA recipe – the first choice in South African restaurants, country clubs and cocktail bars
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ver the years the original Rock Shandy recipe has taken on many variations across the globe, but no matter where you are in the world, all shandies keep to one key element – those essential few dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters that give it that extra depth of flavour. On home soil, the simple recipe is a combination of lemonade and soda over ice with a few dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters to taste. Offering the perfect serve, Lucky Shaker in Umhlanga is all about providing its patrons with the most delicious seasonal flavours, but the Rock Shandy is a timeless classic that never goes out of style.
Lucky Shaker bartender and winner of the Tequila Patron 2018 Perfectionist Championship Bruce Dorfling, says Lucky Shaker represents a vehicle for a better thirst-quenching experience, creating clean and clear flavours inspired by freshly sourced ingredients. Although you will also find the classics on the menu. “Many years ago, my parents took me out to lunch and ordered a Rock Shandy for me. It was kinda sweet, kinda aromatic and refreshing; I loved it! Of course, at that stage I had yet to learn that Angostura aromatic bitters is the duct tape of drinks, it holds all the flavours together so well. I love a good Old Fashioned or a Whiskey Sour, my favourite being a Dark ’n Stormy with extra bitters,” Bruce says.
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Is economic viability our eco-friendly Achilles heel? It seems like ‘the system’ doesn’t support sustainable living IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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s we’ve turned the page on 2018 and entered 2019, there are three core pervasive themes that underpinned the property market last year, which may have significant implications for future trends. The first of these, says Carol Reynolds, area principal, Pam Golding Properties, Durban Coastal, is that eco-friendly living is becoming more and more commonplace, and indeed necessary, as we become more mindful of reducing our carbon footprint and adopting a more sustainable way of living. According to a recent survey by Sapoa (South African Property Owners Association) on office buildings in South Africa, green certified premium and A-grade offices had a vacancy rate of just 4.9% (compared to 8.3% for premium and A-grade offices without eco-friendly features) and enjoy a premium on asking rentals of 76%. (Sapoa Office Vacancy report, July 2018). This means that eco-friendly buildings are not only in demand from a residential perspective, but also in the commercial space. In South Australia, Tesla has plans to build the world’s largest virtual power plant in a project which involves installing solar panels and a Powerwall battery on some 50,000 social and lowincome homes over the next four years.
Homeowners will not be charged for the installation, which will be financed through the sales of electricity generated by their newly installed solar panels. In the USA and UK battery storage of homes with “time of use” tariffs are highly appealing to homeowners, as instead of paying more at peak times, they can draw power from their batteries powered up by solar panels during the day. When prices fall overnight, they can use the grid to charge up their electric vehicles. “Secondly, as illustrated by initiatives such as these, the economic landscape has resulted in consumers reducing expenses and finding more cost-effective ways to live. Finally, finding solutions to housing shortages across South Africa is an ongoing need,” says Reynolds.
Sustainable building
“Within this context, unique and sustainable building methods may provide an all-encompassing, broadsweep solution to address all three issues. There are several companies that have taken the initiative, specialising in smaller repurposed accommodation at a fraction of the cost of standard building methods. Umnyama Ikhaya manufactures off-the-grid, selfsufficient container homes which are transportable to any address within
the country. These homes are essentially 30m2 pods, which can be designed to accommodate either two-sleeper or four-sleeper floor plans. Customised homes can also be created by stacking units on top of each other or side by side,” she says. The standard 30m2 units cost R400,000 and come fully equipped with off-thegrid solar panels, batteries, inverters and gas appliances. They also have rainwater tanks, solar pressure pumps and waterless, extracting dehydration toilets. The result is a low-cost and environmentally-friendly housing solution which can be adorned to create a funky, fresh look. Says Reynolds, “Indeed, Australia pioneered container homes and many have become part of a growing architectural trend. Ironically, what began as an affordable housing solution, has mushroomed into a growing design trend, with world-class architects incorporating containers into their design language. “At face value, pre-fabricated, container homes would appear to be the perfect solution for South Africa. So why has this trend not gained traction?” The issue might well be that banks have not yet embraced this building philosophy.
Nedbank, for example, would look at a mobile home financing package as follows: the land cost, which would be subject to standard mortgage financing criteria for vacant land, and the “container” home cost, which would be viewed separately. Thus, the land financing would require a loan-tovalue ratio of 50%, which would mean that buyers would be required to raise deposits of 50% of the value of their land. The homes would then be regarded as “mobile” and so the banks would need to get creative about financing same.
criteria, e.g. the container home is to be fixed to a normal foundation footing/slab; the building needs to have complied with national building regulations and municipal bylaws; and they will also assess the costs and benefits of using alternative building methods versus conventional ones. FNB will also consider developments provided that all banks work together and jointly approve the product in the proposed development. Comments Reynolds, “The rationale behind these somewhat unusual lending criteria, is that the banks may be unsure about the longevity of these housing solutions.”
One innovative suggestion could be that banks consider financing containers along the same lines as vehicle financing. Another is that in order for the banks to overcome the issue of “mobility”, they would be stringent about the “permanency” of the container, e.g. is it embedded in concrete, so it cannot be easily uplifted from the land?
Creative solutions needed
According to Linda Rall of ooba, based on feedback received from the banks, both Standard Bank and Absa say they are not currently able to bond these structures as they fall outside their acceptable security requirements. FNB is open to considering financing options, but they have several strict
“In addition to the limitations imposed by the banks, our municipalities do not appear to condone unusual building methods, and as a result, town planning divisions often fail to pass plans for projects that propose more environmentally sustainable, economically savvy, building options. “Perhaps the solution lies in government endorsing some forward-thinking, progressive developers to take the lead and roll out projects that make modular homes funky and functional and most importantly, financially viable, by having end-user financing options prepackaged by the banks from the outset,” Reynolds concludes.
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Last few luxury apartments for sale. Show apartmen 8555, is available daily for viewings. WARREN BECKER 082 302 3004 | warren@thehoughton.com ASHLEIGH SMITH 073 220 7357 | ashleigh@thehoughton.com Houghton on 12th, 53 Second Ave, Houghton | Show apartment 8555