Southfield residents have until next month to have their say on a proposal for a three-storey block of flats to be built on two erven in Bramley and Sovereign streets.
A Southfield developer, Urban Solution, submitted a land use application to the City of Cape Town to consolidate the two 446m2 plots at 11 Bramley and 21 Sovereign streets.
They want to rezone the land from single residential (SR1) to general residential (GR2) for the development of 12 two-bedroom flats and for relaxation of the boundary setback to 2m instead of 4.5m from Bramley and Sovereign streets.
The application also asks for permission for portions of the block of flats located beyond 18m from the street to be set back 6.42m instead of 6.45m to the top of the roof from the north eastern common boundary with a total height of 10.692m.
Tuesday January 22 is the deadline to submit all comments and objections around the development.
The plots are located within an existing residential block, with business and higher density residential uses to the east. A mix-use three-storey block replaced the old Southfield Lodge on Sovereign and Liberty streets. There is a park to the west, in Van Vuuren Street.
Asked about future plans for the area surrounding the proposed development, Mayco member for transport and urban planning, Felicity Purchase, said a key strategy of the Southern District Plan (SDP) is to encourage economic development in accessible locations, thereby allowing more people to have access to those activities. The SDP encourages integration and mixed-use development along public transport routes.
The site is located 200m from Victoria Road with its taxi and bus routes; and less than 250m from Southfield railway station
It is also less than 1.5km away from Diep River Main Road, which is classified as a district node, and is 1.2km from Prince George Drive.
Bramley Street is a busy road allowing access between Princessvlei Road and Victoria Road.
The New Apostolic Church is almost directly across the Bramley Street plot, which has an existing free-standing house.
The tenant said they have been given three months notice to vacate but will most likely move out sooner.
Dane Leo of Urban Solution, speaking on behalf of the landowner, said the tenants are aware of the development of the property and have agreed on a more temporary rental contract on a monthly basis.
The plot in Sovereign Street is empty.
Mr Leo said the proposed development will be called “11 on Bramley” until such time that the name is finalised.
He said it will be in keeping with the context of the surrounding properties in terms of height, coverage and bulk.
The proposal for the site is for a security apartment complex that will have a strict body corporate for the management of the facility.
Mr Leo said the ground floor of the development will consist of 18 parking bays, which is a rate of 1.5 bays per unit, a refuse and recycling area and the drying yard. Entrance will be from Sovereign Street and the exit on Bramley Street. The first and second floors will have six two-bedroom units.
Mr Leo said indigenous plants and trees will be used.
A condition of approval of the development will most likely request a landscape/tree plan to be submitted at a later stage, which will need to be approved by the City of Cape Town’s environmental department, he said.
Asked what green initiatives have been incorporated into the plans, Mr Leo said they will be solar geysers, rain water harvesting for irrigation, water saving fittings and fixtures, energy saving light fittings and fixtures and a refuse yard to include a recycling centre.
The Bulletin asked immediate residents for comment, as well as Southfield Neighbourhood Watch, Ward 73 councillor Carol Bew and Mark van Wyk of the Plumstead Civic and Residents’ Association, but they did not respond.
The Bulletin also asked the City what its vision is for the long-term plans for the area surrounding this section of Victoria Road, Southfield, especially regarding multi storey buildings, but it did not respond in time. Comments and objections can be sent to Comments_Objections.
southern@capetown.gov.za
