No outcome in Makro hearing

Makro is pushing for Magaliessig to be included in the Fourways node of development to build its 20 000m2 wholesale store on the corner of Merrow Lane and Witkoppen Road.

This was revealed in the two-day hearing on the application at City Life Church in Lonehill on 26 and 27 September. The hearing will resume on 24 October.

The Fourways node includes Fourways Mall, Builders Warehouse, Hirsch’s, Lighting Warehouse and other retail outlets, Montecasino and residential areas. Consulting town planner Dirk Malherbe for Makro said, “The Fourways node is in the speculation stage and until the node has reached maturity, development cannot be prevented. There are no reasons why the existing node would be compromised,” Malherbe said.

This node extension has to be approved by the planning department, which previously rejected the application.

The objectors oppose the proposed location of the store which is situated next to residential complexes and the store’s entrance will be 30m from a retirement village.

The Magaliessig Action Forum, leading the objectors, conducted a survey which was answered by residents in Magaliessig, Lonehill and surrounding areas and showed 94.5 percent did not want a Makro in the suburb.

Market researcher Hein du Toit conducted a study on behalf of Makro on households within the general Fourways area and found 80 percent of the primary market wanted a Makro. The objectors’ attorney Patrick Mundell said that percentage represented 242 people. Du Toit agreed the survey was based mostly on people who wanted a Makro store. Du Toit said, “There is a clear perceived need for the store in the area.”

The objectors’ major concern is how the suburb’s already busy traffic will be impacted by customers, taxis transporting staff and trucks servicing Makro.

Gary Hayes, traffic engineer for Makro said a number of road upgrades were needed for the store to be accessible. Merrow Lane will be upgraded but the upgrade of William Nicol Drive up to the N14, Cedar Road and the development of the K56 are also necessary to ensure accessibility.

Consulting traffic engineer for the objectors Rod Strong said, “Operating conditions are already approaching the limits of acceptability on certain elements of the surrounding road network, without consideration of the traffic generated by the proposed store.”