Table View residents and civic groups say their neighbourhood is under attack from developers. Every week, they say, it seems there’s a new development that comes to their attention.
In the latest proposal, there are plans to consolidate Erfs10915 and 10916 at number 10 Arnold Road and number 9 Gie Road, Table View. The plan is to ultimately build a five-storey, 35-unit block of flats, according to the application proposal. Jody Francis of FJC Consulting Town Planners & Land Surveyors applied for this development on behalf of their client, East African Properties (Pty) Ltd. The land is currently zoned as General Residential Zone (GR3) and part of the application requires the floor plan to be increased from 2204m² to 2399m².
Table View residents have already sent through letters of objection, saying that this development would only increase the traffic congestion and increase the pressure on the bulk water/sewage plant.
Catherine Austin, a Table View resident, said she had objected for a number of reasons, one being that residents in affected areas weren’t being given a proper opportunity to give their input or objections.
“Notifications are sent to residents outside of the affected area. This is a deceitful process and needs to be properly rectified before any further action is taken. The infrastructure in the area is currently failing and further development cannot be sustained. A prime example of this is the failing Potsdam Waste Water plant where ongoing issues with environmental pollution are common and evident,” she said.
The application is dated March 8 and residents have until Friday April 16 to give their input.
Ward 113 councillor, Joy Solomon, said that she, as a resident of the area since 1979, had also objected to the application on the grounds that the engineering capacity could not handle any more densification.
“Has a proper traffic impact assessment been done? These residents (of the development) will not all use the MyCiTi buses but their own cars,” she said.
She added that the application was about greed over need.
According to Mr Francis’ application, the proposed development is considered to be compatible with the environment which is characterised by the presence of blocks of flats, group housing developments, businesses, shops, and offices.
“The compatibility of the scale and massing of the proposed building is also considered appropriate for the property concerned and is within the permitted scale and massing for properties zoned General Residential Zone 3,” he said.
“The proposed block of flats development essentially complies with the applicable development controls, save for the mentioned 10% additional floor which has been applied for. This departure in no way threatens the safety, health, or well-being of the surrounding community.”
The Greater table View Action Forum (GTAF), said in their objection letter that “the proposed development would build up to the common boundary”.
They added: “This would negatively impact the neighbouring properties both in terms of the enjoyment of these properties and the value of the neighbouring properties”.
This is similar to complaints residents had about a development on Blaauwberg and Grey Avenue, where they complained about the building intruding on their privacy.
Mr Francis said assessments conducted had determined that a total of 41 parking bays would adequately accommodate the parking requirements of the future owners, should they own private motor vehicles.
“The provision of this parking area ensures that there will not be any on-street parking which would otherwise impact negatively on surrounding property owners and their use of the public road,” he said.
But, the GTAF noted, the applicant indicated in their application that the site was about 100 metres away from the busy Gie Road and Blaauwberg Road intersection. “Had the applicant bothered to carry out a credible traffic survey the applicant would be aware of the heavy traffic and lines of traffic that backs up at this intersection,” GTAF said.
“This is particularly noticeable at peak times. The lines of traffic regularly extend beyond the application site and into Arnold Road. This application would add to the traffic misery that already exists and make the residents prisoners in their own homes.”
The City had not responded to emailed questions about the development and concerns of residents by the time this story was published.
Residents can have their say by visiting comments_objections.blaauwberg@capetown.gov.za. Residents can submit their comments and objections at the District Manager’s office at 87 Pienaar Road, Milnerton.
