Cape Town - Major new development is on the cards for the V&A Waterfront with plans for Granger Bay already at the public participation stage, and possibly including land reclamation, new luxury housing, a hotel and the connection of the Waterfront pedestrian routes with existing city walkways such as the Sea Point promenade.
Although tight-lipped about the specifics, the V&A has admitted that a zoning application for the Granger Bay precinct has been submitted.
They have promised that other Granger Bay operators, who have in the past clashed with Waterfront owners over the future of the precinct, will be filled in on all the details if the plans are approved.
Waterfront spokeswoman Carla White confirmed they were at the “public participation stage”.
The goal was to improve the area, improve access to the Waterfront, and “stabilise and reinforce the dynamic coastline”, she said.
While the plans of previous owners, first mooted in 2005, included reclaiming huge chunks of land from the sea, creating man-made islands for the super-rich and closing the Oceana Power Boat Club, it is understood the new plans might include the reclamation and reinforcement of the bay area near Granger Bay.
The mixed-use plan would include development on Beach Road with MyCiTi bus stops and the possibility of connecting the Waterfront’s pedestrian routes with existing city walkways.
Of the 660 000m2 of land owned by the Waterfront, about 200 000m2 has yet to be developed and plans for the Granger Bay precinct currently include a mixed use development of about 34 000m2.
Its development by previous owners of the Waterfront ran into controversy eight years ago because they required the removal of the Oceana Power Boat Club which has been in Granger Bay for more than 30 years.
The club’s commodore, Colin Wolfsohn, said this week he was aware of the new plans, but was unable to elaborate further except to say that details would be revealed at a later stage.
Waterfront business development manager Mike Brokenshire said they had got the ball rolling in the long process of gaining permission to develop more land, with a view to improving the Granger Bay precinct.
But the development was unlikely to take place in the “short to medium term”, he said, adding that Granger Bay had always been listed in the development framework as “primarily residential” – which could include a hotel and/or small-scale retail or commercial opportunities.
The V&A Waterfront had already applied for approval of a broad precinct plan, which formed part of the “overarching V&A Waterfront development framework”.
Brokenshire said it was too early to determine the impact the approved plans would have on other operators in the area.
If the plans were approved, he said, “all information will be shared with these businesses”.
The Waterfront did not respond to questions about the costs associated with the expected development.
Cheryl Walters, the director of planning and building development management for the City of Cape Town, told Weekend Argus in April that no plans for development of the Granger Bay precinct had been submitted by the Waterfront but a “precinct plan proposal” had been submitted in terms of the “package of plans for the V&A Waterfront”.
This proposal detailed a “waterfront residential marina”, with a total floor area of 34 000m2. The envisaged land uses included residential, hotel, office and retail land uses, Walters said.
The city has not responded to further questions on the plans.
Meanwhile, Jane Lello, the marketing manager for The Grand Beach restaurant, said that despite persistent rumours of their closure, they had not been served notice. Their lease runs until 2017.
She believed the proposed developments would benefit the business.
Anya Ponton, the general manager of the upmarket apartment and yacht harbour complex, the Water Club, which is next to undeveloped Waterfront land extending to the seafront, said the Water Club could to an extent be affected by any potential developments.
She confirmed there had been discussions.
Brokenshire said that the impact of development at the V&A Waterfront had always been positive “in terms of value-add and job creation”.
When the PIC and Growthpoint bought the Waterfront in 2011, the R9 billion deal included all the undeveloped bulk, which at the time was more than 200 000m2, with flexible rights for use.
Since taking ownership, the new owners have focused heavily on development, investing in the Clock Tower, the Silo Precinct as well as the redevelopment of the food court.
The Silo 1 building, a commercial office space, is under construction and will house Allan Gray as the main tenant. The Silo 2 project will be a residential development, while the announcement for the use of the actual grain silo, a heritage building, has yet to be made, with construction on that building starting next year.
“The Clock Tower precinct currently houses No 1 and No 2 Silo respectively, and completion of these two projects is imminent,” Brokenshire said.
Focus would then shift to the Portswood Building, which was set for a residential development.
Work was likely to start around September.
The Cape Argus reported on Friday that the City of Cape Town had heeded concerns about the proposed development of the Clock Tower Precinct and its historic grain silo complex, by laying down strict conditions.
Many of the 30-odd objections lodged about the development, it said, referred to fears that additional buildings would obscure the grain silo complex.
The Waterfront confirmed that they were currently exploring a number of ideas and options for the grain silo and surrounding areas.
Weekend Argus