GEORGE NEWS - Residents of the King George Park and Die Bult neighbourhoods formed a residents' association yesterday, Wednesday 11 April, to enable them to register as an interested and affected party in an application process for a new development on land in their midst.
They decided to form a unified front after learning that the land, abutted by King George Hotel, Die Bult and King George Park, has been earmarked for social housing.
They fear the effect it will have on the value of their properties. A disproportionate increase in traffic caused by a dense development is also a concern. Traffic flow to and from the neighbourhood is already challenging, they say.
Godfrey Louw, a resident in the neighbourhood who was elected as chairman of the new association, said a concept development application has been handed in at the George Municipality. "We want to make sure that our input during the application process is heard and we believe we should do it as an official association to be more effective."
Method of sale
Another issue they wish to contend, is the method of disposal of the land by the Western Cape Province to Power Construction (Pty) Ltd. The 'sale' was advertised late last year.
The advertisement stated that the erven were disposed of for the purpose of human settlement development. The price was R1 per erf for two erven: 21028 (3,252 hectares) and 21029 (0,857 hectares).
Myron Rabinowitz reported for the George Herald last year that the Western Cape Government identified this as well-located land for "affordable housing".
Muneera Allie, spokesperson for the Department of Human Settlements, told the newspaper at the time,
"The transfer of the property to the developer is needed by the developer as security to obtain a development loan to develop the property. Conditions will be taken up in the title deed that the property can only be used for affordable housing to safeguard the provincial government."
More details about the application could not be obtained from the municipality before the newspaper went to press.
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