CNdV Africa have made an application to the City of Cape Town’s Development Management office for planning departures to enable a large-scale apartment building construction at 22 Collingwood Road, Observatory (corner of Collingwood and Blake, near the Village Green and the New Apostolic Church).
The proposed plan would entail the demolition of the building currently in this position – a medium-height light industrial Modernist style building from the 1950s – and its replacement by an 8-storey student apartment block with some retail and general rental use.
Last year, the OCA strongly objected to the heritage application that would allow the existing building to be demolished, partly on grounds of the heritage value of the existing building and partly on grounds of the design concept for the replacement building. The heritage application, to the best of our knowledge, has not yet been made.
However, the developers have launched an application for planning permission to allow a building of this scale and bulk to be constructed, in the event that Heritage Western Cape gives permission for the demolition to go ahead (which the OCA will continue to oppose).
WE NEED YOUR VOICE – BEFORE MARCH 17TH!
In our view, this plan is destructive to the character of the surrounding area, and the heritage qualities of the site, with few if any redeeming qualities. This development is not affordable or economic housing for families, or in keeping with the principles of decent, well-located public housing which the city so desperately needs: it is yet another over-developed and exclusive student block. It is also destructive to the industrial heritage so closely linked to the social history of Observatory – there is no reason why a more sensitive, creative and responsive approach could not be taken to the existing buildings on the site using an adaptive-reuse approach. The lack of understanding of the Observatory social and spatial context is clear from the architects’ renderings of the design concept — a contextless mass along a stylised street that clearly has no connection to what Observatory actually looks and feels like, occupied by well-heeled young professionals and shiny cars.
The more individual objections to the planning application, the better!
To submit an objection to the departures application, you will need to do the following:
- Fill in the Land Use Objections Form, available here: https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Claim-or-dispute/Object-to-an-application/Object-to-a-land-use-application
- For your objection/comment to be considered, it must include the following:
- The application number (70523193)
- The details of the person submitting the objection/comment, including the full name, interest in the application, address, contact details and the method in which they can be contacted
- The reason for the objection, including the effect the application has on the person/area and any aspect of the application that you consider inconsistent with policy and how
Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions or if you need further guidance filling in the objection form.
Documents pertaining to the objections
OCA proposed building summary for info pack
Objection_Form
motivation erf 27629
notice to person erf 27629