Amid waves of speculation, the developers of the proposed township adjacent to the Abraham Kriel Kinderhuis, have cleared the air.
“Under no circumstances, would we as developers do anything to place the child care centre at risk or have a negative impact on Abraham Kriel,” said Gert Hooghiemstra, from ProPlan Technologies. This comes after the advertisement which appeared in the Potchefstroom Herald dated 19 June, giving notice of an application which had been received by the Tlokwe City Council for the establishment of a township.
The newspaper has since been inundated with several members of the public raising their concerns. Terms such as ‘RDP’ and low-cost housing have been thrown about. Some even believe that the child care centre will close down as a result. But Hooghiemstra, whose company has strong roots in town planning and development facilitation in Potchefstroom itself, has set the record straight. Although not in a position to speak on the behalf of Abraham Kriel, Hooghiemstra is more than willing to furnish the public with details regarding the development.
Below are some of the key points:
Location of the site:
Due to the fact that the land falls within the municipal policy and guidelines for future development in Potchefstroom, it made sense to them as developers to choose this specific location. It acts as a gradual extension of the existing neighbourhood which will also be aesthetically enhanced by the new development. This land belongs to the Western Transvaal synod of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk.
Size of development:
The total extent of the development is 25ha. The advert states 35, but that includes the 10ha of the child care centre which will be formalised and given an actual zoning with an erf number. It is currently agricultural.
Market identification:
Before starting with any plans or proposals, ProPlan Technologies decided to first see what was going on in the market. Their minds were made up following an outcry on social media. While busy with their first project in Potch, more and more people from all walks of life raised their concerns regarding the lack of intermediate housing. Hooghiemstra says it’s typically the people who can’t afford R1-million plus housing, but also those who don’t qualify for housing subsidies.
“This campaign was launched on the Potchefstroom Facebook page in October/November last year,” he explained. The company endeavoured to explore this particular market in depth as a result and identified the bulk as the young, working class type of families with one or two kids. Older people wanting to scale down, but who are unable to afford retirement homes are also targeted.
What is being developed:
The housing typology will be a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units with different derivatives. For example, 3 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms, one carport and a double garage, and so on. Intended selling prices will range from R400 000 to R1-million per unit. The bulk of the development, approximately 85%, will be full title, and the remaining 15% will be sectional title. Hooghiemstra says this gives an indication of the calibre of the development.
“The moment I mention ‘sectional’, people immediately think of multiple storeys, high-density flats,” he said. The total development will comprise 573 stands. The full title Res 2 erven will range between 274 and 550m².
Full vs sectional title
To fully understand the differences between sectional title and traditional freehold property ownership, it is important to define them, says Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa: “Freehold or full title describes the transfer of full ownership rights when you own a property, which includes the building and the land it is built on.
These kinds of properties include free-standing houses, cluster houses, residential property used for business purposes, and smallholdings. “Sectional title, on the other hand, describes separate ownership of units or sections within a complex or development. When you buy into a sectional title complex, you purchase a section or sections and an undivided share of the common property. These are collectively known as units.
ProPlan Technologies’ design philosophy:
As part of their professional team, they have also appointed an urban designer to specifically attend to the aesthetics of the development. “We have a strong desire to develop neighbourhoods holistically considering our neighbours with integrated design in mind.” Hooghiemstra labels the units as affordable, good value for money and within close proximity to the CBD, schools, churches and hospitals.
He also appreciates the involvement of the public and their concerns because it shows an active community. “We would like to enlighten the public through the media as we progress with the development.”
As with any new development, the potential for economic growth and capital investment also presents itself, allowing for a positive effect on the greater community of Potchefstroom.
