A controversial housing development in Durbanville in the Western Cape has got environmentalists up in arms because the Mayoral Committee has approved the decision to go ahead with the development of 650 homes on the 127 hectare farm of Uitkamp.
Apparently Mayoral Committee member Marian Nieuwoudt – who approved the development – has been severely criticised for doing so and she has responded by saying that critics do not understand the needs of a growing city that wants to remain globally competitive.
The homes are due to be built in Aurora and the Clara Anna Fontein game reserve.
The land is currently zoned for agricultural use and a report by the city suggested that the council should not approve the plan because it would provide limited socio-economic benefits for the region and was not in keeping with the overall development goals for the area.
Now Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has been asked to intervene to stop the development from going ahead. She is due to meet with the city’s planning and environmental portfolio committee to review the decision.
Meanwhile, the D’Urbanvale Residents Forum has reacted strongly claiming that they feel betrayed by the council and accused the Mayoral Committee of ignoring the “unprecedented and overwhelming” response from the community to prevent the development.
There were further letters of complaint from the Far South Peninsula Community forum, the Glencairn Action Group, the Simon’s Town Civic Association and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.
Meanwhile Niewoudt claims that the development will boost the local economy by almost R6-billion, create more than 12 000 jobs during construction, and increase rates income by R11-million a year.
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Interesting article. As I’m not a member of one of the mentioned organisations and only live in Durbanville proper (and not in the area adjacent), I do not know the intrinsic arguments put forward by them. But as a passionate Durbanviller I do know that this 650 home development on the current farm would impact negatively on the visual attractiveness of the area. Me, as well as hundreds of fellow hikers, bikers and runners, use the scenic Visssershok road (on which the proposed development and Clara Anna Fontein lies) on a weekly basis. We select to live here because of the beauty of the area. Within minutes you are out of the town, and into the country. Between the vineyards and renosterbos-farmland. Remove this and swop it for 650 closebuilt small homes which each look the same as the other, and this whole rationale goes out the window. The same is happening in the Winelands area. Beautiful vineyards are being swopped for housing estates. The very reason why people value these areas, are because of their natural beauty. Replace this with houses, and the raison d’etre of being there changes as well. Please stop this development from happening. - Marnus