Cape Town - Social housing advocacy group Ndifuna Ukwazi has objected to a large mixed use development application brought by Amdec Property Development situated on what was once Transnet land on the Foreshore.
“The Harbour Arch development is unashamedly exclusive, and will entrench racial and class divisions that continue to suffocate Cape Town,” Ndifuna Ukwazi Attorney Jonty Cogger said.
Amdec intends to use these rights to build the first phase of the Harbour Arch development, a large mixed-use development precinct on Erf 178316, which is roughly 5.3ha in extent.
Once complete, the proposed development will use 198000m2 of approved development rights.
“When broken down by race, a studio apartment would only be accessible to 1.16% of all black households and 1.74% of all coloured households.
“In comparison, a studio apartment in Harbour Arch would be accessible to 17.15% of all white households in Cape Town,” Cogger said.
Harbour Arch will span 5.8ha, with 2500 residential units above an eighth floor public podium, with convenience retail, offices, and two Marriott International hotels. The development is valued at R1.5bn.
“The Harbour Arch development will have a detrimental long-term impact on the future of Cape Town.
“As a result, Ndifuna Ukwazi has fundamental objections to the Harbour Arch development and has recommended that the City of Cape Town reject the development proposal outright,” Cogger said.
The Amdec Group said it was not ready to comment yet and would release their own statement in due course. Mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment Marian Nieuwoudt said it received an objection from Ndifuna Ukwazi.
“The original development application was approved in 2012. The current application is to amend and delete conditions of the 2012 approval.
“The application has not been assessed as yet and is still in the notification process,” Nieuwoudt said.
@MarvinCharles17