Greenwood Mews development along N2 draws flack
Category What's happening in Plettenberg Bay
The Bitou Municipality is considering a rezoning application from agriculture use to general residential development for land, at the intersection of the N2 and Piesang Valley Road, to build 168 "flats" and a creche.
So far nine objections and comments have been received by the municipality against the application on Erf 8725, which is 3,2ha in extent, according to Bitou Municipality Town Planner Adel Stander. The intention is for the flats to be rented out to tenants.
Stander said the applicant now has an opportunity to respond to the objections before a decision is made by the municipality, through the Planning Tribunal to consider the application, grant it with conditions, or reject it. Objections closed at the end of August.
While the municipality's Notice Letter refers to 168 flat units, the submitted proposal refers to 165 units.
In 2008, the vacant piece of land was granted approval for rezoning to General Residential to develop 126 "middle-income" flat units. This approval lapsed subsequently.
It is now the intention of the owners to develop rental (social) housing consisting of 165 units in 20 blocks of flats "which will cater for a much needed segment of the population". In addition, a creche will be provided to cater for the children residing within the development "as well as from the surrounding area", according to the application.
The development is directly opposite the "Bossiesgif/Qolweni development to the east of Weldon Khaya and will be known as Greenwood Mews, The entrance to the development is in close proximity to the Castleton entrance.
In terms of the development the applicants seek approval to build 17 Bed Sitter units, 17 One Bedroom units, 12 Two-Bedroom Units and another 119 (slightly smaller) Two-Bedroom units.
In addition it provides for 390 Parking Bays at 2,36 bays per unit.
In its motivation for the desirability for such a development the applicant refers to a letter received from the Bitou Municipality dated 22 May 2020 that "confirmed ' that the property has been identified as a future development area in all the strategic planning policies and documents of the Municipality, with the focus on aspects such as integration and densification. These policies/strategies include the Bitou Spatial Development Framework (SDF), the "Coming together" urban development/ integration initiative and the Integrated Development plan of the Municipality'.
Author: Helen Ward