Cape Town - The “inappropriate design” of a Heritage Western Cape (HWC)-approved building on the corner of 1 Railway Street and Albert Road, in Woodstock is at the centre of the Woodstock Residence Association (WRA) and neighbouring civic organisations’ appeal to the City.
The planned development would consist of 377 apartments, 12 shops, about six workshops, and 70 office spaces and the organisations are concerned that the development would overshadow and dominate the neighbourhood, as well as damage the heritage character of the area.
The organisations appealed against the HWC’s decision to approve the proposed building but their appeal was dismissed.
After its survey of the community on whether or not the residents agreed with the development, the residents objected not to the principle, but to the design of the planned development, which it said was regarded as “grossly out of scale” with the heritage resources of the neighbourhood.
WRA heritage and planning subcommittee member Patty Price said feedback from HWC on questions about the reasons for the dismissed appeal haven’t been received.
“The proposed building is three storeys higher than the zoning permits and they’ve given no good reason why they should be allowed to have additional bulk. We maintain that if the developers are given additional bulk, which is going to negatively impact the area and the residents of the area, then there should be payback to the community that’s affected in the form of inclusionary housing and employment opportunities and contribution to improving infrastructure, parking and public transport,” she said.
Price said the dismissed appeal without reasons created an impression that the public participation was only a box-ticking exercise.
“There is another appeal process and we have a petition out and we urge all people who feel strongly about this matter to sign up because that might be a way to get our voices heard and to get our input taken seriously,” she said.
Woodstock Aesthetic Advisory Body member Andrew Savage said there was no other building of the same magnitude in the area.
He said the highest buildings along Albert Road were a maximum of nine storeys high and the residential neighbourhood behind Albert Road was between one and two storeys only.
WRA committee member Ute Kuhlmann said the good news was that some apartments were two-bed, and would be suitable for much-needed family accommodation. However, she said the developer had ignored the association’s queries regarding affordability or inclusionary housing.
Spatial planning and environment mayoral member Eddie Andrews said a report for this proposed development would be before the Municipal Planning Tribunal next month.
HWC CEO Michael Janse van Rensburg said the Appeals Committee conducted a site inspection to review the proposal and subsequently deemed the development as not negatively impacting a heritage resource.
He said the decision may be further appealed to the MEC Tribunal for consideration.