THE Drakenstein Municipal Council has finalised a new municipal edge as part of its Spatial Development Framework which allows for significant expansion outside the current urban area. This could help to address the housing backlog in Drakenstein to a large extent.
The proposal, which must still be referred to the Provincial Administration for their comments, includes the entire east bank of the Berg River south of the Parys sportsgrounds in Paarl as far as and including Drakenstein Prison, and eastward along the Paarl-Wemmershoek Road as far as the Lustigaan Road, as well as the west bank of the Berg River from Adamsvale southwards (allowing for partial development of the proposed Levendal project).
Also included as proposed urban area is the entire stretch between the N1 and the railway line from Simonsvlei winery up to the lion park, and some farms adjoining Klapmuts north of the N1. One of these farms has been earmarked for a container factory.
Other sections now proposed for inclusion in the urban edge are the historic Dal Josaphat farms Roggeland, Non Pareille, Goede Rust and Schoongezicht, a section on the southeastern side of Wellington and a section along the Wellington-Hermon road (R44) destined for residential development north of Wellington.
The latest proposal, which will now be forwarded to the provincial government for approval, is more conservative than the previous proposal approved under leadership of the DA/ID in August.
Not included in the latest proposal is land west of the Simondium road (Santé area), the west bank of the Berg River south of Simondium railway station, and a corridor which was proposed to link Slot van die Paarl with Wellington.
The decision to shrink the proposed urban edge was made after obtaining legal opinion on the Municipality’s rights to unilaterally determine the urban edge without taking the views and guidelines of the Provincial Government into account.
Once approval for the current proposal has been obtained from the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, a public consultation process will be followed before final approval.
The final draft will then be amended by Macroplan town and regional planners.
Development projects will in future still be subject to environmental and other impact assessments and any other investigations or studies imposed by the municipality, a spokesperson said.
- Anne Kruger
