Pursuant to an enquiry made by a Highlands North businessman, Ward 74 councillor David Fisher indicated that the Balfour Park precinct development plan is unlikely to happen, citing lack of funding as the main reason.
Fisher said this plan was proposed to the residents in the Johannesburg north-eastern suburbs in 2017.
The development was intended to be a master plan that links all the elements of urban design into a holistic, sustainable and desirable framework for development.
When it was proposed, Fisher said then, ahead of a meeting held at a local school, that the plan would be a high-level design framework for the area around Balfour Park.
Now, a local optometrist, Stephen J Goldberg from Highlands North, sent an email on 25 June to the North Eastern Tribune team asking about the latest on this development.
“Approximately two years ago, I attended a meeting at Northview High School on the proposed Balfour Park Area revitalisation programme,” said Goldberg in an email.
“To date, we have heard nothing further, other than the proposed Norwood upgrades. I would appreciate any information or feedback regarding the above.”
Responding to this, Fisher said there was no real plan to go ahead with the ‘revitalisation’ programme around Balfour Park precinct.
“This was just a policy and there are no funds and or a budget allocated for this specific development. A meeting did indeed happen and this is where a proposal was announced but could not materialise.”
The suburbs around Balfour Park, Highlands North and its extensions, Waverley, Savoy, Gresswold and Kew, were to attract a new interest because of the currently under construction BRT bus route making access easy and affordable if it materialised.
Details: Ward 74 councillor David Fisher 082 822 6070.
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