Rondebosch residents have formed a committee to fight a proposed five-storey block of flats, saying the area has become too densified with several other developments on the cards.
Five Albion Road plots will be consolidated and the homes on them demolished to make way for the block of 38 flats, with 56 parking bays.
After seeing the municipal notice, resident John Williamson distributed pamphlets asking residents to contact him if they were against the planned development.
After getting about 80 emails from concerned residents, a meeting was called, with the majority expressing their dissatisfaction.
“We elected an 11-person committee, which has been divided into three sub-committees to deal with the proposal itself, legal issues and town planning,” he said.
About 100 people had responded to his call to action, he said.
Long-time Rondebosch resident Pnina Woods’s home is next to the planned block. She said there were already far too many developments like it in the area, which is home to four schools, the Kelvin Grove Club and Newlands cricket stadium.
Construction had started on a Campground Road development and another two were in the pipeline for Forth and Rover roads, she said.
“The development is a monstrosity and completely out of context. There is no consideration for the surrounding residents, infrastructure and the size of Albion Road – which does not even have a pavement,” she said.
Ms Woods believes the development would add to existing traffic problems, intrude on privacy, threaten heritage and strain infrastructure.
Resident Pete Lamond echoed Ms Woods’s sentiments. “There will need to be 24-hour security. This would add to noise pollution, and we would be faced with construction vehicles passing in and out of the road on a daily basis.”
Mr Lamond, a plumber, said existing sewerage pipes could not cope with more people moving into the area.
Michael Olden, from Olden and Associates, who submitted the plan on behalf of The Residential Porfolio Trust, said a traffic study by Kantey and Templer consulting engineers showed the proposed development met road access guidelines and Municipal Planning By Law (MPBL) requirements.
The development would have enough parking and would be set back far enough from the road and nearby properties so as to not intrude on privacy, he said.
The application was also in line with the City’s densification policy and development framework plan for the area.
But Mr Willamson said the City’s densification policy had not gone down well in Mowbray and Rosebank.
“This is a residential area and is densified as is. This development will be huge and will dominate the area,” he said.
Marian Nieuwoudt, mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment, said the City had many policies and plans to “ assist in addressing the impact of gentrification”.
Saturday May 18 is the deadline for comments and objections.
These can be sent to comments_objections.southern@capetown.gov.za and should include the case
number, 7044 0239, the resident’s
full name, address and contact number.
