TRUPA managed to have a few catch up management meetings recently after the intense period focusing entirely on the pressurizing threats of the Appeals against the Provisional Protection on River Club site as gazetted by HWC.
The Ministerial Appeals Tribunal was heavily swayed by strong legal teams who had argued a case trying to prevent HWC from exercising its duty to grade the site since LLPT is hoping to proceed with its unrealistic expectation to develop the site when they actually have no right to do so! It remains somewhat inconclusive and the directive from the Tribunal suggesting that the parties engage meaningfully and negotiate their differences seems quite unrealistic. Fortunately, the HWC Council decided after hearing the input from all parties, that they will adhere and hold to their decision rather than bend to developer pressure. It gives us some hope!
Last Tuesday, TRUPA hosted an Update event in a powerpoint presentation at the SAAO Auditorium, sharing some of the major factors that we should be aware of, relating to TRUP and the troubling LLPT application on River Club Site. It was well attended and this gives a boost to the preparation period to respond strongly to the “Basic Assessment Report” (BAR) on the LLPT detailed document recently released that needs to be strongly objected to before 16 September.
The various dates of important events have been included in the latest OCA newsletter and TRUPA intend to send out a newsletter of its own fairly soon with more detailed reports specific to TRUP.
We would like other Civics and NGOs to also spread these important dates to their mailing lists.
The only way we may hold out against the extreme massive and destructive development proposal by LLPT by countering it with balanced, we’ll stated opposition expressed broadly by the broader Cape community.
We should all be aware that we are not anti development. What we are saying is that this type of development on this site is unacceptable! We should understand that LLPT developers do not have any legitimate right to develop on the River Club site that is inside the T R U Park, nor to develop on the Flood Plain nor insensitive Riverine environments nor to disrespect highly significant Heritage dating hundreds / thousands of years nor to ignore and go against previously consulted stakeholders who expressed themselves objectively regarding this site and as stated clearly on the joint Draft Manifesto points for the future of the park.
The LLPT proposed development also disregards the zoning of the River Club site that is zoned open space for conservation of the environment and is unrealistically proposing to change it to permit development on the flood plain which we regard as unacceptable to this degree, We know this application is not conforming and is against all existing planning guidelines of the District Plan for Cape Town and does not comply with the Local Contextual Framework for TRUP and surrounds. The site does not permit the type of development as is being proposed by LLPT. There is massive opposition to the proposal, and yet they push on with their self-interested motives disregarding all the above.
It is up to all of us, to campaign with a firm united voice to clearly state that we are all strongly against it and we all say that it is a NO GO place for this type of development!
Clearly, this land must be urgently expropriated and returned to its designated role as being part of T R U Park without further delay!
Let these developers go and develop inappropriate places where this is needed. They must not be permitted to destroy the park or the ancestral and natural places inside TRUP that are sacred and must be protected as a HERITAGE SITE of note that it is and will be soon.
Please note the dates for the various events and show solidarity with our huge challenge as TRUPA and other stakeholders.
Regards,
Marc