“Ekurhuleni metro is holding us back,” says Stefano D’Arrigo on behalf of the developers of the new Springs Mall.
He says they are still waiting for the site development plan (SDP) the metro has to issue before they can start with the earth works of the mall.
The building of the mall will start about four to six months after the earth works have been done.
D’Arrigo says metro officials promised that the SDP will be ready by January 12, which did not happen.
He says this plan has several components, such as one that has to be issued by the roads department.
Upon inquiry last week, metro officials promised that the SDP will be ready within the next couple of weeks.
“We hope the metro will keep their promise this time,” he says.
Spokesman of Ekurhuleni Metro Themba Gadebe says the zoning of the land has been approved and the process of re-zoning is in place to accommodate the development of the mall.
He confirmed that the developers submitted a SDP and that it was circulated for comment from the metro’s different departments.
“In terms of the zoning, the developer has to provide parking for the proposed development and the proposals for parking on the initial SDP did not meet the requirements.
“The developer’s architect later submitted another proposal for the parking layout,” he says.
Gadebe adds it is this new proposal that is currently with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Road’s Transport and Civil works department for consideration.
“If the requirements of the department have been met and they submit positive comment to City Planning the SDP can be approved,” says Gadebe.
