The City of Cape Town is calling for comments on a proposal to exempt defined development areas within Airport Industria, Atlantis, Flamingo, Kuils River, Mitchells Plain Town Centre, Ottery/Lansdowne, and the Voortrekker Road Corridor from heritage protection.
The proposed exemptions will make it easier for property owners and developers in development focus areas and urban support focus areas as identified in the City’s approved Municipal Spatial Development Framework and eight District Spatial Development Frameworks to alter, demolish, or rebuild properties within these areas, or to consolidate properties for development.
Included in this proposal is also the intention to place certain conservation-worthy properties on the heritage register for protection through the City’s Heritage Protection Overlay Zonings.
“As Cape Town is ageing, many buildings in our city are turning 60 years and older by default. Currently, any person who wants to alter or demolish a structure older than 60 years must first apply to Heritage Western Cape (HWC) for a Section 34(1) permit to do so, regardless of whether the property has any heritage value or not,” comments the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
“Only once HWC has issued the permit can they submit a development application, or a building plan to the City for consideration. Thus, should these proposed exemptions be approved, application to HWC for a Section 34(1) permit will no longer be required, nor will notifications of the intention to develop in terms of Section 38.”
“These exemptions, once approved, will dramatically reduce the regulatory and administrative burden on developers, property owners, the City, and HWC by eliminating unnecessary planning application processes in these areas. It will also significantly reduce the delays in building plan submissions.”
The City of Cape Town’s Urban Planning and Design Department in collaboration with the Environmental and Heritage Management Department and the consultants, has undertaken a National Heritage Resource Act exemption areas investigation in order to pursue Section 34 and 38 exemptions.
“I want to assure our residents that the team did a lot of fieldwork to identify buildings and places that could have heritage value within the proposed seven heritage exemption areas. As part of this application process, we will be informing affected property owners that their property is conservation worthy and provide them with the opportunity to comment on our proposal to include it on the heritage register as part of the submission to HWC,” he concludes.
The City proposes to exempt seven defined development focus areas from heritage protection. The red dots indicate these areas located in Airport Industria, Atlantis, Flamingo, Kuils River, Mitchells Plain Town Centre, Ottery/Lansdowne and the Voortrekker Road Corridor.
Those wanting more information are encouraged to visit the City’s ‘Have Your Say’ page.
Objections and comments must be submitted before the 14th of August 2023.
