Photo: Pixabay. For illustrative purposes.
Mogale City Local Municipality, in conjunction with Metroplan town planners, is planning to build 364 housing units on an empty plot next to the Krugersdorp Correctional Services premises, Krugersdorp News reports.
The development is believed to be low-cost housing, in the form of blocks of flats, three storeys high, with underground parking.
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The address where the low-cost housing is expected to be built.
Image: Google Maps
Although the development is still in its planning stages, it’s important to mention that neighbouring residents have already started raising concerns about the effect it will have on infrastructure.
Thalia Kinnear, a resident of the area, said she is also worried about the impact of the increase in the numbers of people so close to the prison.
The outline of where the municipality wants to build the units.
Image: Supplied
“My concern revolves around the criminal aspect that might be brought into the area because of the low-cost housing,” Kinnear said.
“Dense and poor populations increase the chances of criminal activity,because there isn’t enough work for everyone who moves into these houses.”
The developers anticipate about accommodating three people per unit. The high density of the population in the flats also raises health concerns.
The outline of where the municipality wants to build the units.
Image: Supplied
In the application letter, the developers give the community a chance to object to or comment on the development, until 21 February.
Although the abovementioned objections are all valid, they need to be substantiated with some form of evidence for them to be accepted by the parties involved.
The public needs evidence that the infrastructure isn’t big enough to handle the extra residents. They also need to submit an objection to either one of the parties for it to be considered in the later stages of the development.
Here are some ways to get evidence for such claims:
1. Infrastructure
To back claims that the development will put too much strain on the infrastructure of the town, the community member must go to the Infrastructure Department of the Mogale City Local Municipality and request documentation about the capacity of the infrastructure. Another method is to contact the ward councillor for the area.
The most effective, but more expensive, route is to pay a private expert in the field, such as a city planner or civil engineer to analyse the property and factors, and provide a report.
2. Traffic study
This study is made on the basis of the number of people who are expected to live in the development, how this will affect things like traffic flow. The Mogale City Traffic Department might be able to help with this, but a private expert might be more effective.The best way to substantiate any claims would be to hire a private town/ city planner who would produce specific information substantiating your objection in a formal report.
The report needs to be sent to the Mogale City Municipal offices: 1st Floor, Furn City Building, corner Human and Monument Streets/ PO Box 94, Krugersdorp, 1740, and Metroplan: 96 Rauch Avenue, Georgeville, Pretoria/ PO Box 916, Groenkloof, 0027.
Ward councillor Trudie Naudé will also have a meeting with the public to address concerns over the development.
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