Residents firm against Arum Road plan

Residents have opposed high-density development in Arum Road, Table View.

Table View residents say they will not budge in their opposition to a six-storey development in Arum Road until their voices are heard.

According to City documents, there were 10 appeals against the City’s decision to give the development the go-ahead.

Thedocumentswere obtained by Tabletalk from Rudi Aucamp, the attorney representing Little Learners daycare, one of the parties that appealed the approval of the application.

However, Brett Herron, the mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, says the “application is still in the process and no decision has yet been made.”

The plans refer to the consolidation of erven 3739 and 3740 at 85 and 87 Arum Road, and rezoning from single residential to general business to allow for a six-storey mixed-use development.

The application was made by Elco Property Developments (“New bid for Arum Road,” Tabletalk, September 20, 2017).

Little Learners owner Chantelle Dammarell says she is worried about the safety of the children in her care.

“If this construction goes on, there will be constant overhead operations for about two years. The noise will be a major issue as well, as we are running a daycare over here,” she said.

On Wednesday and Thursday June 6 and 7, Mr Aucamp, residents and ward councillor Joy McCarthy met to discuss the development.

“There are many reasons why this can’t go on,” Ms McCarthy said of the development she has opposed from the start.

“For example, the daycare, the increased traffic and most certainly the pipes, which I don’t think can handle something like this.”

Mr Herron said a notice for the development application had been sent out to interested and affected parties and comments and objections had been sent to the applicant for a response.

“The response from the applicant is currently being reviewed by the planner who will obtain further input from the relevant departments, if needed, prior to starting the assessment report,” said Mr Herron.

Residents commenting on Facebook said all of Table View should be notified about any development proposal for the suburb, not just those living nearby.

Greater Table View Action Forum chairwoman Karen Davis said she was unaware of the Arum Road application. She said many more people had objected to the development than what the City claimed.

“It is my understanding that people have receipt notices for the objections sent in, so this will most certainly be very interesting as to how this plays out. The residents of Arum Road are being pushed out of their homes and many have lived there for decades,” she said.

Bill Martin, a Table View resident, says he’s upset his name isn’t on the list of people who appealed.

“I received a document from the City about the approved plans and the list of appeals, but I don’t appear there, and many other people, who I know appealed, don’t appear,” he said.

Table View residents had until Wednesday June 13 to comment on the appeal against the approval of the Arum Road development.

Tabletalk called Elco Property Developments on Wednesday June 6, but the woman who answered the phone said they did not have anyone who dealt with the media.

We emailed questions to the firm the following day but did not get a response by the time this edition went to print.

Tabletalk spoke to Elco Property Developments director Eldred Smith, on Friday June 15.

He said he would respond to our questions on Monday June 18, but did not do so.