Draft land use policy opens door slightly for farm owners
2005-09-01
A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY team of consultants appointed by the Drakenstein Municipality believes there should be a detailed investigation into the possibility of “very limited residential development” of Paarl’s town farms - provided that heritage, visual amenity and agricultural resources are not compromised.
The final draft policy compiled by MCA Planners on behalf of the municipality adds that the Municipal Council should urgently implement supportive actions to ensure that the town farms “remain a valuable resource for existing and future generations.”
The final policy proposals recommend:
* No wholesale development of any of the farms included in the study.
* Only tourism related uses such as guesthoues, restaurants, wine cellars and conference centres, subject to guidelines set out in report.
* Small pockets of residential development could be considered on marginal agricultural land, subject to the development being clustered, with a density of one unit per hectare up to ten units per farm. Erf sizes are limited to 500 square metres each (differing from the original draft policy which had suggested larger erven for “gentlemen’s residences” might be considered).
* The yield of such development must be invested in agricultural development on the remainder of the land.
* Any application must be supported by a visual impact assessment, a heritage impact assessment, an environmental impact study and a complete report on the future of agricultural production on the farm.
* Application should be for rezoning to subdivisional area in order to allow the remainder to be zoned for agricultural.
According to Lize Malan of MCA Planners, the policy is based on a similar policy successfully implemented in the Helderberg area.
At a recent meeting between the consultants and the landowers and other interested parties, farmer Derek Clift, on behalf of the land owners, said “sustainability and viability of the farms have not been addressed in the policy. Documentation on each farm individually should be provided.
“The cost implication of the recommendations and restrictions set out in die Final Policy have not been addressed and must be considered.
“The policy ignores economic sustainability of agricultural land and we would like to know where we can apply for funding to make farming on these farms viable.”
Levies
Vincent Bruwer, another farmer, objected to the stipulation that income generated by residential development be used exclusively for agricultural purposes.
The policy also stipulates that transfer of property to new owners is conditional on the farm owner providing proof that the funds have been invested in production.
Levies paid to the farmer by owners of homes in the residential developments, must be invested in production.
Dr Ati van der Leek, representing the Boland Environmental Forum, inquired whether any of the proposals for tourism activities and development made by the consultants were economically feasible.
“Have the economic implications of the proposed policy been investigated? I don’t support residential development on farms, but we have to be realistic.”
Farmer Aat Hoekstra pointed out that farmers in the urban area had higher costs of services like water and electricity than farmers elsewhere and also had to contend with problems like fruit fly infestation and theft.
Meanwhile the affected landowners have consulted a lawyer and have addressed a letter expressing their objections to the limits placed on their development rights, to the Municipality’s Department of Planning.
The policy was accepted by the Drakenstein mayoral committee last week, and will be available for comment at municipal libraries within the next month.
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