A huge luxury housing development in Kuils River that will result in more than 4 000 houses being built is set to unlock a R3 billion investment.
Haasendal Estate, on the border of Kuils River and Brackenfell, will have 4 200 houses and several other amenities.
Mayco member for assets and properties Stuart Diamond said a joint venture was proposed whereby Amphoria will make portions of their land available to the City for the purposes of reconstructing the golf course and to pay for all the reconstruction.
“In turn, the City would sell pockets of the golf course property and underutilised vacant land abutting the golf course, to be included in the existing township development of Amphoria,” he said.
The development will consist of houses, a private medical centre, private primary and high schools, a private golf course, offices and shopping centre.
According to a 2016 report to Sub-council 2, the City owns the land comprising the Kuils River Golf Club.
The City owns portions 60, 64 and 67 as well as the adjacent vacant land portion 62 of the Stellenbosch Farm 222.
Amphoria’s land abutting the golf club comprises portions 1, 11, 26 and 58.
“The golf course is leased to the Kuils River Golf Club on a 99-year lease that commenced in 1994. The proponent (Amphoria) will make available and dispose of its
usable land measuring approximately 17.677 ha to the City for the redesign of the golf course. The land will be incorporated into the lease area and therefore release the land required for the Okavango Boulevard Extension,” the report said.
Sub-council 2 consists of six wards in Kraaifontein, Brackenfell and the parts of Kuils River closest to the Bottelary farms and smallholdings.
The City’s property management directorate decided on this method as it would be beneficial to the City. The council would not make a loss, but would gain a net value of R26 million and future rates and taxes, the report read.
Rights group Ndifuna Ukwazi says the City failed poor residents as it sold state land to ensure the Haasendal Estate went ahead.
But Mr Diamond said provisions had been made for social housing.
“The inclusion of a social component as part of this land transaction was not considered, as the City has already obtained in-principle approval to dispose of the abutting land parcel, Portion 62 of Stellenbosch Farm 222 (measuring 27ha), for social housing development. A tender was awarded in 2006, whereafter the tenderer reneged on executing the project.
“With the completion of the Saxdown Road extension, accessibility to the site has been enhanced and the human settlements department of the City has reserved the land for social housing development, which will coexist alongside the Kuils River Golf Course Estate,” he said.
Milton Koumbatis, a lawyer for the developer, said all was above board. “This has benefited the entire community as it has improved traffic flow immensely. The roads within my client’s development will not be private roads. They will be public roads.
“There will be a shopping centre and, hopefully, a school. In the medium to long term, this development will comprise a healthy mixture of inexpensive to relatively inexpensive accommodation for a whole range of citizens.” – Cape Argus.
