River Club proposal concerns residents

An aerial view of The River Club. Observatory residents fear a proposed R4 billion redevelopment of the club will mean the loss of public open space along the Liesbeek River. File picture: Andrew Ingram

An aerial view of The River Club. Observatory residents fear a proposed R4 billion redevelopment of the club will mean the loss of public open space along the Liesbeek River. File picture: Andrew Ingram

Published Aug 18, 2016

Share

Cape Town - Observatory residents fear a proposed R4 billion redevelopment of The River Club will mean the loss of public open space along the Liesbeek River.

At a recent meeting of residents, concerns were also raised about how flooding would be mitigated for such a big development.

Infamously known as the “River Tub” among residents, those in attendance who said they regularly had to contend with flooded streets, houses and overflowing sewers during periods of heavy rain, appeared sceptical that a new development would be protected from flooding.

Residents said more information was also needed on the heritage significance of the area.

Plans are under way for 15 hectares of private development at The River Club that will include residential, retail and commercial components including a hotel, gym, shopping centre, offices, conference centre and even schools.

A draft scoping report by the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust, which bought the land from Prasa last year, is currently being distributed for public comment.

Residents said they wanted to see a report on a new study done last year that suggested raising the ground surface to above the 100-year flood line to accommodate new developments on the site.

Deputy chairman of the Observatory Civic Association Marc Turok said the detail contained in the report on the actual footprint and mass of the proposed developments was vague at this stage, and that more information was required to make an informed opinion on the proposals.

The River Club currently occupies an area of 20 hectares, including a 9-hole mashie golf course, conference and function venue, restaurant and bar.

The land is currently zoned as open space category three with limited recreational and environmental development rights and would have to be rezoned to allow for the proposed developments.

Developers want to build on 5 hectares of the site, while landscaping another 10 hectares for recreational use that will include a park, walking and cycling paths and an amphitheatre.

The developments would take place over three phases, starting in June 2018 and due for completion by September 2021.

“There is an illegitimate expectation that the land will be rezoned and we have a legitimate concern that this is urban open space,” Turok said.

“This plan drastically takes away from the community that’s been using it as recreational space.”

The River Club property abuts 120 hectares of land owned by the city and provincial government which forms part of the Two Rivers Urban Park (TRUP) initiative at the convergence of the Black and Liesbeek Rivers also earmarked for mixed-use development. Plans are also afoot by SKA South Africa to build an office park and residences at the Astronomical Observatory.

Turok, who is also part of the TRUP association, said the OCA would like to see Liesbeek Park developed into a tourist attraction like Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. “We don’t want inappropriate development inside the park that destroys the park,” Turok said.

“Development should make the park more viable.”

Turok said the association was not against development, but would prefer this occurred on sites around green, open space rather than in it, such as Oude Molen and Valkenberg.

Better linkages should also be created with Langa, Athlone and Ndabeni on the other side of the canal.

[email protected]

Cape Argus

Related Topics: