Speaking during a public meeting at the old Boksburg City Hall on November 1, Ward 32 Clr Marius de Vos said Human Settlements MMC Lesiba Mpya had tasked him with updating the public on the outcome of the application for the establishment of a township in Parkdene Extension Seven.
According to de Vos, the report details a list of recommendations along with all the conditions the council imposed on the development in order for it to go ahead.
Considering the prospect of a dramatic population increase in Parkdene, these conditions include the provision, installation and upgrading of basic systems and services such as roads and stormwater facilities, power and water supplies, sewerage infrastructure, and construction of a new school, health centre, parks and other public facilities.
The applicant must also see to it that the establishment of the township complies with all town-planning and townships ordinances, as well as with the protection of heritage sites and the environment (oak trees, dam, wetland).
Proof must be provided that the service right permit for the mining hostel has been cancelled, and a clearance certificate must be obtained from the National Nuclear Regulator.
Furthermore, the construction is also subject to conditions pertaining to building density and height, parking spaces per dwelling, and business areas, building lines and zoning.
- Summary of the metro’s application
In its application, the Ekurhuleni metro said it wanted to establish a mixed-income integrated housing development in order to cater for housing needs in the metro by creating 3 983 housing units in Parkdene.
These will include 3 677 units built on 27 erven, 291 units built on individual erven, as well as further supportive economic and social erven.
The site, according to the metro, is ideally placed for integrated housing because it is a sizable land parcel within walking distance of Boksburg CBD and existing commuter railway stations. It is also located close to economic opportunities and next to Rondebult Road, which is set to become a future bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor.
The development will include affordable homes for people in the R20 800 income bracket, ‘gap housing’ for people in the R15 000 income bracket, social housing for people in the R3 500 to R7 500 income bracket, and subsidised housing for people in the zero to R3 500 income bracket.
The units in the development will be made available as both freehold and rental.
The metro added that the development would have a direct and indirect positive impact on the local economy during construction and during the operational phase. It would also transfer wealth to beneficiaries and buyers by providing them with a fix asset.
The development is expected to give lower income residents adequate access to economic opportunities, to integrate previously excluded groups into the city, and to provide a range of housing products to meet various affordability levels, thereby addressing the problem of informal settlements (squatter camps) and backyard dwellings.
Objections from some residents of Parkdene:
Some of the received objections are as follows:
- The amount of stands or units is too high and the stands are too small.
- Increased traffic and pressure on municipal services.
- Pressure on the environment and wildlife.
- Insufficient schools, hospital and clinics.
- Earth tremors.
- Flood lines.
- Health effects from mine dumps/slimes dams.
- Backyard dwellings.
- What will happen to the Cinderella community in the old mine hostel?
The metro indicated in its application that it has since taken all the concerns raised by residents into consideration and has already devised many ways of addressing these concerns and overcoming future problems.
The Leeuwpoort project consists of three integrated residential development areas – in the North (Parkdene Ext 7 and Reiger Park Ext 19) and the South, Sunward Park.
Thousands of other housing units are set to be built on vacant pieces of land in Reiger Park and Sunward Park.
The process to get the Sunward Park and Reiger Park housing development approved, according to Ward 43 Clr Bruce Reid and Ward 34 Clr Charlie Crawford, is still under way. -@FanieFLK
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