KFC outlet in Gen Maritz Street blocked

Plans to build a KFC outlet on the stand next to Body Life in General Maritz Street in Bendor Extension 8 will not proceed after Polokwane Municipality’s Land Use Management Appeals Committee recently upheld an appeal against its Land Use Management (LUM) Committee’s earlier approval of the rezoning of the property.
The property is opposite the main entrance to Bendor Village and Bendor Village Home Owners’ Association (HOA) said in a media release that the owners of the stand applied for rezoning of the land to permit a developer to construct and operate a drive-through restaurant in a residential area. “The association objected on behalf of residents in the area against the rezoning and attended a tribunal hearing in November 2016 to state the residents’ case. Unfortunately, the municipality’s Land Use Management (LUM) Committee, who takes decisions on land use applications, approved the application despite the residents’ objection which amongst others included arguments based on the desirability of such a restaurant in a neighbourhood and outside an acknowledge activity node, despite it being in direct contrast to the municipality’s own policies and aspects regarding the negative traffic impact in General Maritz Street which is already very congested and serves as major feeder route to the primary school and the Bendor area in general,” the statement reads.
It further states that the negative precedent set by this approval meant that any drive-through restaurant could now be developed in any neighbourhood outside the recognised activity nodes.
Bendor Village HOA took the decision of the municipality’s LUM Committee on appeal and the Appeals Committee ruled in June 2018 in favour of the residents and the appeal of the HOA was upheld.
“The decision should be regarded as an indication that rationality will prevail and that the interests of residents will eventually be protected against unwanted developments outside the recognised activity nodes. The residents are grateful for this final decision of the municipality,” the statement concludes.

Story & photo: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com