Urban renewal due for Paarl South
2008-09-11
Anne Kruger
THE revitalisation of the area around Paarl Station has been approved in principle by the Drakenstein Municipal Council under the working title “Paarl Hamlet”. The Council supports the Macro Master Plan of the urban renewal project in Paarl South, to redefine the area as an urban development zone, preserve the heritage of the area and address the housing need. Discussions between the Mayoral Committee and the applicant will follow, as the Municipality is considering entering into a public/private partnership with the developer TCN, funded by the Netherlands government. This will allow the claiming of land from Transnet in Tabak and Jones Streets (be- tween Paarl Mall and the railway line) for the construction of affordable (GAP) housing for the middle income group. This will develop an unique mixed-in- come, mixed tenure living style with higher density. Three properties, including the Interna- tional Hotel, have already been acquired by the developers for restoration and development to the satisfaction of the Advisory Committee on Town Aesthestics and Management. The other two properties are the Blue House and the Kaplan building. The buildings on these properties will be increased in floor area as well as in height and will accommodate retail and housing opportunities. The purpose of declaring the area an urban development zone is to demarcate an area where developers can benefit from tax rebates (similar plans are in the pipeline for the Lady Grey Street CBD area of Paarl). With the support of the Dutch housing ministry, they will employ expertise from Dutch housing corporations Ymere (Amsterdam) and Staedion (The Hague) who will also provide the equity, in partnership with a South African bank and the Dutch development bank, with a South African housing corporation SACS as property manager. Says Amor Strauss, CEO of TCN SA: “Southern Paarl has all the elements of a string of pearls that needs to be restrung. Beautiful heritage buildings are flanked by robust industrial buildings that show the rise and fall of the agricultural industry. “The aim is to revitalise the precinct in a sustainable way over the next seven years, to bring life and soul to the area through daily living, recreation, trade, work and social life. The reconstruction of the precinct will be phased, with the most neglected area uplifted first: the station square and surrounding buildings. “They will have commercial functions woven with a strong residential component to foster working and living in the area.” Historically this used to be one of the most prestigious areas in Paarl, but it deteriorated after the enforcement of the Group Areas Act and became dilapidated. TCN is based in the Netherlands and has operations in Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, UK, Austria and Hungary. It is one of the top asset developers, recently voted the 22nd largest asset developer world-wide, distinguishing itself by innovative concepts and creativity in design, management and financing.
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