GEORGE NEWS - SANParks Wilderness Park Manager Dr Sandra Taljaard provided the following background information to explain the interaction there has been over the past seven years regarding erf 1297 in specific relation to development and the conservation value regarded by SANParks:
SANParks has walked quite a long path with the district municipality on the development of erf 1297.
In February 2015, SANParks' business development manager for the GRNP approached the property management department of the then Eden District Municipality Community Services pertaining to the acquisition of erf 1297 as we regarded it as playing a crucial role in achieving strategic organisational goals.
The indication was that Eden DM needed to "dispose" of some of its properties in order to utilise such cash proceeds to upgrade their resorts, and it suggested that SANParks make a purchase to offer for a market-related consideration before they go out on tender.
At that time the time factor as well as executive input to this matter was restricting.
In 2017, representatives from Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP), George Municipality, SANParks and CapeNature attended a site visit to the Eden District Municipality (EDM) property erf 1297.
This meeting was called to obtain inputs on the concept proposals for the Kleinkrantz property before concluding tenders for the development of the property.
In February 2021, in a discussion document for a parks planning and development meeting for the Garden Route National Park's expansion priorities for 2021-2022, the Kleinkrantz property, erf 1297 of the District Municipality, was prioritised as an important area for the preservation of natural habitat and one of the last natural corridors between the lakes system and the coast within a densely urbanised area.
This 30ha municipal property is an important link between the lakes and the coast, and forms an important part of the overall coastal consolidation process.
Erf 1297 borders the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) along its northern and southern boundaries and is located in a Priority Natural Area of the GRNP buffer zone. Achieving a conservation outcome on this property is important to SANParks.
In addition, the majority of the property is a Terrestrial Critical Biodiversity Area 1 (CBA 1) and a small section to the north of the property is an Estuary CBA 1 in terms of the Western Cape Biodiversity Sector Plan (WCBSP) 2017. CBA areas are defined as "Areas in a natural condition that are required to meet biodiversity targets, for species, ecosystems or ecological processes and infrastructure.'
CBA management objectives are that degraded areas should be rehabilitated and that only low-impact, biodiversity-sensitive land uses are appropriate. SANParks supports the CBA management objectives.
Site visit
In response to the 2017 site visit relating to the conclusion of tenders for the development of the property, SANParks made several comments to this early conceptual planning stage for proposed development at erf 1297.
In June 2021 another site visit was held with the developers and the follow-up concept plan discussed. There was again a lengthy response to that proposal with recommendations and suggestions.
SANParks requested that their inputs be incorporated into the planning and designing of new buildings and infrastructure and subject to proper public participation and formal planning and environmental applications for development proposals - SANParks will participate in and provide inputs and comments on those relevant processes to promote their conservation mandates, with the understanding that proposed developments must be financially viable and profitable to be sustainable.
The development proposal received in March 2022 does not take the last suggestions into consideration and SANParks does not support the latest proposed development.
READ MORE: Kleinkrantz Estate: Economy vs environment
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