Cape Town - The Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Traditional Indigenous Council is in the process of appealing the decision to approve the rezoning of the River Club.
The rezoning application was unanimously approved by the Municipal Planning Tribunal (MPT) on Friday.
Goringhaicona high commissioner Tauriq Jenkins said: “The MPT hearing seemed betwixt and between the contradictions of the City and the pressures of a big-monied development.
“This soil and soul of our humanity is under imminent threat. Perhaps a rethink (in terms of) transforming the entity into an interdisciplinary structure that’s capable of addressing the fuller range of pertinent processes including heritage and environment is one of the remedial options.”
Spokesperson for the Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust, Jody Aufrichtig, said they were pleased with the decision.
“This is a major milestone in a comprehensive, open and transparent development approval process for the planned mixed-use development that has spanned four years. This catalytic and world-class project will convert the current underutilised private golf driving range, with limited public benefit, into a sustainable, inclusive and publicly accessible space for all to enjoy.
“The project will provide a range of socio-economic benefits for surrounding communities including the creation of 5 239 critical jobs during the construction phase and the provision of developer-subsidised inclusionary housing. It will also see the major rehabilitation of the currently degraded, inaccessible private space, including the rehabilitation of the water courses, and will include 8.4 hectares of publicly accessible open areas - the equivalent of 13 soccer fields - and 6km of safe running and cycling pathways.”
The City was not able to respond by deadline yesterday, but said it would do so in due course.
Cape Times