Green light for Waterfront
2010-08-12
Anne Kruger
FOLLOWING an appeals period, the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning has finally given the green light to the proposed Paarl Waterfront development The redevelopment of the Parys cricket grounds as a business centre with a hotel (80 rooms), conference centre and office park, has already been approved in principle by the Drakenstein Municipal Council. The Municipality can now go ahead with the sale of the site (currently home to five sports clubs) to the developer. The estimated R1 billion Waterfront project on 12 hectares will feature a boardwalk along its entire river front, passing underneath the Market Street Bridge, with the hotel and restaurants overlooking the water. According to Garth Adams, MD of the Paarl Waterfront Development Company, the project will fulfil a long-awaited need in the Boland - that of a multi-use retail and commercial development focused around a high performance sport development centre with related accommodation and medical facilities. “Situated in central Paarl adjacent to the Berg River, it willbridge east and west with its unique mix of commercial, retail, residential and sporting facilities. The Paarl Waterfront is, in fact, the only such combined development in the Boland region. “Secured parking for more than 4000 vehicles and a total lettable/sellable space of approximately 80 000m² is available. Applicable zonings have been obtained for each of the 18 freehold erven within the development. These make provision for riverside restaurants, convenience and retail stores and a four-star business hotel linked to a conference and high-performance centre. “A branded gym will offer membership to the business, commercial and residential components within this upmarket convenience centre, which will house an estimated 3000 residents within this lifestyle domain. “The proposed Paarl Waterfront’s High Performance Centre will be unique to the Boland and will serve as a major draw card to its retail, hospitality and sports components. “The facility will house a Centre of Excellence with a focus on schools, sporting clubs, provincial and national teams and especially the coaching and administrative personnel and will also include accommodation and conference facilities to accommodate the sportsmen and women attending training sessions and coaching courses. “The High Performance Centre is augmented by a sports assessment and rehabilitation facility, and a gymnasium and indoor pool linked to related specialists in adjoining medical rooms. “This facility will be developed in association with South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) and will focus on various codes in the region. “This could lead to the establishment of one of the biggest sports academies in South Africa, with a high performance centre catering for all sport codes, focusing on the youth across the region,” said Adams. The Paarl canoe club will be relocated to the northern side of Market Street, while the cricket club, hockey club and squash club have agreed to relocate to the Zanddrift sports grounds in Paarl North (Boy Louw fields). The Paarl Rugby Club, the only club not to have signed the relocation agreement yet, has expressed concern about relocating to Paarl North, as they are not assured of retaining their liquor licence. As a result, negotiations to buy out the rugby club (which has an existing lease for another nine years) are currently under way. Should negotiations be successful, the club could then purchase private land elsewhere, where a clubhouse can be erected. As part of their commitment to Sport in the area, the Paarl Waterfront Development Company has budgeted R25 million for the redevelopment of these sports clubs and the fields in Paarl North (possibly including land belonging to Boland College Paarl), while the municipality will receive R20 million for the sale of the Waterfront site. It is anticipated that the project will have a huge positive economic impact and will be a catalyst for tourism and the upgrading of central Paarl, says Adams The Paarl Waterfront Development Company is headed by Adams (CEO) with Dr Ernest Messina as Chairman. The development is being financed by local investors (Evening Star), in co-operation with Lancelot, a property development company headed by Alan Marais and Craig Young, who developed the Santé Winelands Hotel. The development must commence within a period of three years, otherwise the provincial authorisation will lapse.
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