RESIDENTS, businesses and other stakeholders along Durban’s Golden mile are delighted to finally start plans to create an Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) along the beachfront.
According to North Beach resident, and board member of Exeter Hall, Mohamed Cotwal, the project was started in August 2015, to band the chairmen and trustees at various beachfront venues to drive an initiative of urban improvement in the North Beach area with the idea of expanding along the whole of Durban’s Golden Mile.
“We linked together with Tsogo Sun, the Durban Ice Arena and North Beach Mosque to have a plan and a structured system such as the UIP to work together with the municipality for better living standards, safety and service delivery. We looked at current and existing models in Florida Road and Umhlanga, as a benchmark to create a similar model in our area,” Cotwal explained.
The reasons behind the project Cotwal said was a noticeable deterioration of the beachfront area, in recent years. “This deterioration has left residents, property owners and the private sector frustrated, especially with litter, urban decay of buildings, drug peddling, prostitution, car theft and other crimes on the beachfront increasing. We hope to have a management team in place to liaise with the municipality, Metro Police, SAPS and all service providers to address these issues,” he added.
Residents and stakeholders supporting the UIP project, Amin Ally and Imtiaz Saib both said they were looking at trying to retain the market value of their property and homes.
Cotwal said the next step in the UIP project was to create a steering committee in the North Beach, Central beach and South Beach to discuss the feasibility study of each sector.
Micke Jackson, operations director of Tsogo Sun KZN, said the UIP project was long overdue on the beachfront. “It’s the right thing to do, we should have started it a while ago but we’re glad to get involved now, Durban beaches are world class and an asset we have to protect. We all need to play our part in enhancing the beachfront,” he added.
Any interested residents, business or building trustees can email: uipnorthbeach@gmail.com for more information or to get involved in the project.
