Fifty one people attended the open house meeting hosted by the City of Cape Town about the Strandfontein coastal node development plan last Wednesday, April 17.
The community engaged with the City of Cape Town officials and environmental impact professionals.
Eddie Andrews, the City’s deputy mayor and mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment, said it’s impossible to give a timeline for the project as they’ll still need to conclude the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in terms of the National Environmental Management Act given that the coastal site and proposed development falls within 100m of the high water mark.
Once this process has been finalised, detailed land use applications to obtain the necessary land use rights will have to be submitted and approved. Only thereafter the timelines can be determined for the physical construction process, he said.
“The City is looking forward to concluding the required statutory processes, amongst which the EIA, so that we can move forward on the proposed development plans for this coastal node,” he said.
The Strandfontein coastal node is located on the False Bay coastline at the southern end of Strandfontein Road, to the north of the tidal pool and pavilion, and east of Fisherman’s Lane. It is approximately 26 hectares in extent.
The suburbs of Pelican Heights and Strandfontein are to the north of the site. The City plan proposes high-density development on the western and central parts of the site with a 50m-wide ecological corridor between Baden Powell Drive and the proposed development, (“Comment on Strandfontein coastal node draft framework”, Plainsman, November 16, 2022 and “A new vision for Strandfontein”, Plainsman, December 19, 2023).
The proposed framework for the Strandfontein coastal node development will include building homes, picnic areas, hotel facilities, retail opportunities, walkways, a market space, retaining wetland areas and rehabilitating dune areas, to name a few, said Jason Love, executive support officer to Mr Andrews.
“The proposed development will occur mainly on the northern, western, and central sections of the site; the eastern section is preserved for biodiversity and the southern section includes the Strandfontein Pavilion and tidal pool,” said Mr Andrews.
The City appointed an independent environmental consultant to undertake the EIA related to the proposed development and required statutory processes, said Mr Andrews.
Operations director of Strandfontein Agricultural, AquaMarine and Boating Association (SAAMBA) and chairperson of StrandBay Business Development Forum, Igshaan Carstens, who attended the meeting on Wednesday, said they engaged with stakeholders on the Strandfontein coastal node development and confirmed applicants were assisted “very well”.
“We must make sure we have the interest of the community at heart during this project and represent the needs, wants and wishes of the community,” he said.
This a colossal project; a community, public and private collaboration is needed to make it a success on par with the V&A Waterfront and similar developments, he said.
“Our Mitchell’s Plain and coastal communities must be shareholders in all future ventures and projects,” said Mr Carstens.
The closing date for comments is Monday May 6.
For more information, register as an interested and affected party by sending an email to comments@infinityenv.co.za or WhatsApp 060 524 7676.
