MORE than 100 residents voiced their collective objection to a plan to develop a portion of the Beachwood Country Club last week at a public meeting.
The development, a multi-million-rand mixed-use development is earmarked for the space and includes a hotel, a health studio and even a conference facility, to name a few.
The meeting, called by the Friends of Beachwood, a coalition of individuals, organisations and NGOs who stand opposed to development of the land, urged residents to stand together, send in their objections and sign a petition to stop any land from being developed.
Residents were addressed by Jeremy Ridl, an attorney as well as a Planning and Environmental Law specialist, and local resident Hugh Crichton, a member of the Ward 36 committee responsible for the Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture portfolio.
Crichton also gave a historical background to the processes behind the development and why residents should oppose it.
Also in attendance at the meeting was ward councillor Shontel de Boer, Janet Simpkins from Adopt-a-River and Vanessa Knight, chairperson of the Ward 36 residents’ association.
Some of the concerns raised by residents included the additional strain a mixed-use development would put on sewerage infrastructure in Durban North as well the potential disruption to the natural environment.
“The municipal wastewater treatment works have insufficient capacity to handle more sewage,” explained Knight. “The residents of Durban North are the losers if this development goes through. The fast-tracking of this type of project is not needed or desirable. We object to any development that threatens the mangrove forests. We need to stand together and oppose this development and, most importantly, ensure our objections are in by December 12,” she said.
Knight said they hoped to get as many as 10 000 signatures on a petition started to stop the development.
The petition is available on the Friends of Beachwood Facebook page.
