GEORGE NUUS - Die voorgestelde residensiële ontwikkeling op erf 157 oorkant die Congregational Kerk in Missionweg, Pacaltsdorp, se ontwerp sal plaaslike argitektoniese elemente moet weerspieël waar prakties moontlik en slegs enkelverdiepinggeboue mag opgerig word.

Dit is volgens die aanbevelings van die erfenisspesialis, Stefan de Kock, gemoeid met die erfenisimpakstudie wat onderneem is.

Dié studie is een van die voorwaardes vir die ontwikkelingsaansoek wat tans deur die George-munisipaliteit oorweeg word.

Plaaslike inwoners en sekere Khoisan-stamme het onlangs 'n protesaksie by die grond gehou om hul teenkanting teen ontwikkeling van die grond te demonstreer. Hulle glo daar lê moontlik geskiedkundig waardevolle grafte van hul voorsate.

Marlize de Bruyn, stadsbeplanner van Marlize de Bruyn Planning wat die aansoek namens die ontwikkelaar hanteer, het gesê die ontwikkeling bestaan uit 24 meenthuiserwe.

Volgens die erfenisspesialis se aanbevelings in die erfenisimpakverslag, mag die mees suidelike punt van die eiendom nie ontwkkel word nie en enige grondwerke op dié gedeelte sal toestemming van Erfenis Wes-Kaap (EWK) vereis. Enige ondergrondse uitgrawings op hierdie gedeelte moet ook argeologies gemonitor word en indien enige ongemerkte grafte of oorblyfsels oopgemaak word, moet werk op hierdie gedeelte dadelik gestaak en EWK in kennis gestel word.

Die eiendom se grenslyne mag slegs met visueel deurdringbare strukture omhein word. Die ontwikkelaar moet ook inligtingsborde aan die noorde- en suidekant van die ontwikkeling aanbring met 'n kort geskiedenisbeskrywying van die historiese belang van die grond.

Volgens EWK se rekord van besluit, kon die argeologieseimpakstudie nie ondergrondse versteuring op erf 157 identifiseer wat konsekwent is met versteuring eie aan grafte nie.
Die grond was die eiendom van die kerk van 1969 tot 2004 (volgens die aktekantoor se rekords) toe dit aan 'n privaat eienaar verkoop is.

Below is a summary of the heritage impact assessment process on erf 157 provided by town planner Marlize de Bruyn:

* The land use application submitted for Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp, was subjected to public participation during August / September 2018. Due to the extensive process in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act 25 of 1999) (NHRAct) that took more than 18 months, the public participation of the land use application had to be repeated.

* The development proposal for Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp consists of 24 town housing erven.

* When the land surveyor went to measure the property earlier in 2018, a resident from the area came to him and said there are graves. The land surveyor asked the gentleman to show him where the graves were. He pointed out unmarked graves outside the boundaries of Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp.

* The 1876 Surveyor-General Diagram for Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp also indicates ‘burial ground’ outside the boundaries of the property.

* The first title deed for Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp was granted in 1879.

* Following the notification of intent to develop in terms of the NHRAct, Heritage Western Cape requested the submission of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA).

* The HIA included an extensive public participation process. The Heritage Practitioner approached the Pacaltsdorp United Congregation Church to discuss and answer possible questions regarding the HIA. No meeting could be secured. Proof of said communications dated 19 November 2018, 15 January 2019, 22 January 2019, 25 January 2019, 1 February 2019 and 14 February 2019 are on record.

* The HIA notes that Erf 157 Pacaltsdorp has always been in private ownership except from 1969 – 2004 when it was owner by the Congregational Church Pacaltsdorp.

* Dr. Lita Webley (historic archaeologist) undertook an archaeological impact assessment (AIA) to determine potential impacts to buried archaeological remains through the development of Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp.

* A ground penetrating radar survey (GPR) was done and is part of the AIA. Two off-site graves on Erf 325 Pacaltsdorp was scanned to obtain comparative data for the on-site survey. The scan revealed that the graves were between 0.5m - 0.8m deep, approximately approximately 0.8m wide and 1.6m in length. The GPR survey failed to identify a pattern of sub-surface disturbance consistent with graves on Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp. Some sub-surface anomalies were found close to the southern boundary, but the depth thereof suggests that they occur beyond the depth of a grave.

* No historic evidence could be found that buildings have ever been constructed on Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp – it seems to have always been an open piece of land used as a sports field at times.

* The AIA concluded that no archaeological impacts are expected on Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp as a result of the proposed development.

* Per letter dated 11 September 2019, Heritage Western Cape stated that the southern triangle of Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp must be monitored if any below ground excavations are to take place here. The corner of the property is excluded from construction and will be retained as an open space for the development. At the same time Heritage Western Cape requested that a landscape plan must be submitted for their consideration. Subsequently a landscape plan prepared by a landscape architect was submitted and accepted by Heritage Western Cape.

Heritage Western Cape 'satisfied'
* Per letter dated 28 May 2020 it was conveyed by Heritage Western Cape that the heritage impact assessment for the development proposed for Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp satisfies the requirements of Section 38(3) of the NHRAct. The landscape plan was also accepted. Conditions of approval includes archaeological monitoring of the southern triangle of Erf 157, Pacaltsdorp for any below ground excavations and that it must be retained as an open space.
The land use application submitted in terms of the municipal planning by-law can now be finalised.

• To view the Heritage Western Cape Record of Decision, click here.
• To view the proposed landscape plan for erf 157, Pacaltsdorp, click here.
  

'Ons bring jou die nuutste George, Tuinroete nuus'