Constantia Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association (CRRA)
The planning application by the Cape Academy of Maths, Science and Technology to lease land to Common Ground Church was refused by the City’s Municipal Planning (MPT) Tribunal on Tuesday November 17.
Only one of the four MPT members was in favour of the proposal.
Reasons given for the decision were:
- The negative visual and noise pollution impact of the tented structures on the area.
- Given the nature of the temporary tent structures, it would be difficult to contain the sound even with the proposed mitigating measures.
- The intensity of this development is not appropriate for this site, which is on the periphery of the urban edge.
Biff Lewis and Yvonne Leibman spoke on behalf of the CRRA and Constantia Hills and Nova Constantia residents with convincing arguments regarding the inappropriateness of this proposed “temporary” development. Ward councillor Penny East emphasised that residents’ opinions needed to be given serious consideration by the MPT in making its decision.
She agreed that noise and traffic were major issues which could not just be “brushed off”, and this development was not in the interests of the greater community.