Richwood residents have welcomed the proposal to build a storage facility on the open strip between the N7 and Woodlands Drive.
If approved the facility will help to block traffic noise and pedestrians from the N7, said Richwood Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association (RRRA) chairman, Dave Smit, at a public meeting on Tuesday June 4. But developer Daniel Fillipi of Bethel property who proposed the development said at this stage it was only a suggestion and he was trying to gauge if there was support for such a project.“It may well be that the council informs us during the first meeting that the site cannot be rezoned or developed at all,” said Mr Fillipi.
For more than 20 years Richwood residents have pleaded unsuccessfully for a fence to be erected to secure Woodlands Drive between Jonkershoek and Morris Shell drives (“Richwood residents fence off”, Tabletalk, May 31 2017).
Four years ago previous chairman Danny Boltman said pedestrians, motorists and animals had died on the N7 because there was no fence. Government officials, he said, had visited the area and seen the situation for themselves but still the fence had not been built.
At last week’s meeting, current RRRA chairman Mr Smit said the storage facility would mean no more dumping on the land and better security for residents living in Woodlands Drive. “The proposal depends on the Richwood residents and council accepting this proposal,” said Mr Smit. He also updated residents about the extensive roadworks happening in Richwood. At the moment work is being undertaken to link Giel Basson to the Potsdam interchange.
“This is part of the new N7 interchange north of De Zicht that will also link Durbanville and Blouberg to the N7,” said Mr Smit.
The interchange is expected to ease traffic congestion at the Bothasig circle and N7 bridge, he said.
