Affordable plans for development
ROB KNOWLES
A NEW development that promises affordable beachfront holiday homes to the "emerging middle class” was reviewed by the Ndlambe municipality executive committee (exco) on Wednesday.
The land, erven 391/4 and 391/5 (currently portions 4 and 5 of the farm, The Dunes 391) is a 100 hectare plot bordering the Port Alfred municipal boundary and incorporating the dunes to the east of the town, is currently owned by the Cacadu District Municipality.
In a 13-page prospectus the managing director of the Dunes Development Consortium (Duco), Mlungisi Matebese, requested the support of the Ndlambe municipality in his development plans. Duco is seeking a 99-year lease to enable it to develop the area into an eco-tourism centre with both temporary and permanent structures in an effort to attract members of the emerging middle class to the area, provide jobs and teach tourism and ecology skills to the local population.
The proposal is for a total of six themed villages each consisting of up to 100 chalets or rondavels, plus one tent on the beach itself. Each of the villages will provide an inside-outside bar boma with food and drink components. The chalets will be connected with wooden walkways to "limit the ecological footprint”. Aside from a slab of concrete as a foundation, the chalets themselves will be constructed from timber and other sustainable materials, again to limit the ecological impact.
The proposal also states that the chalets could be sold for as little as R200 000 each.
In the document Matebese states, "For people who would like a more permanent accommodation (rather than short-term holiday makers) but cannot afford a holiday home the options are limited. For the new emerging middle class that live more inland and finally can afford a holiday or have a break, there are no permanent solutions.”
The document further states that "restrictions on ownership and opportunities to buy will ensure that the emerging class enjoys a first bite at the cherry”.
However, the sensitive nature of any developments on the beach or dunes system will require a full Environmental Impact Study to be carried out, and the business plan does not provide any details with respect to the steps to be taken in this regard.
The proposal was raised as an issue at the municipal executive committee meeting held on Wednesday. Ward 10 councillor and executive committee portfolio councillor Ross Purdon said he had grave concerns about the proposal.
"Firstly, the land we are talking about is 10ha and not 100ha as stated,” said a disgruntled Purdon. ""The land was expropriated from the Legg family in the 1960s and, if rezoned for commercial use, it is possible the Leggs will have first option to use or purchase it.
"Also, there have been other applications to use the land.”
Holding up a page from a newspaper for the rest of the committee to see, Purdon showed that the Midway Motorcycle Club had made an application to move its clubhouse to the area to alleviate the impact of their motorcycle noises on the town.
"This went as far as a public notice being issued for comments and objections, so this matter really needs to be discussed more fully before any decisions are made,” he said.
"If Cacadu sell or even grant a lease with commercial zoning, then it must be put out to tender. I believe that Cacadu must give us some guidance on the matter.”
Ndlambe mayor Sipho Tandani agreed with Purdon.
"We are simply accepting the application from Duco at this point. We do not own the land and therefore cannot make any decisions regarding it,” said Tandani.
