Cape Town - After years of neglect and surrounding communities complaining about the poor state of the Strandfontein area, the City is ramping up efforts to develop and rehabilitate the coastal area of the Strandfontein Pavilion.
To this end it has called for public comments on its draft development framework for a possible Strandfontein urban node on the False Bay coastline.
However, some residents felt this call was simply a check-box exercise and their comments would not be meaningfully incorporated into the City’s plans, despite the appeal for input from residents and local communities.
The City said the primary focus area of this development, which was informed by a study that was completed in June this year, was the Strandfontein pavilion.
Deputy mayor and spatial planning and environment MMC, Eddie Andrews, said: “Once approved, this framework will be used to direct future decision-making about the development of this node, including the existing pavilion area, resort and surrounds.”
The draft development framework proposed residential and retail developments, recreational facilities, a public space for hosting markets, and rehabilitation of the natural environment through stabilising the dune area, reinstating the riverbed and raising of the tidal pool wall.
Bayview resident and lifelong rock and surf angler André Arendse has been a champion of the development and rehabilitation of the Fisherman’s Lane area and said all developments in the area were good but remained concerned about public comments being meaningfully considered in the City’s plans.
“They call now for public participation but when we do participate our proposals or advice is never heeded, which is exactly what has happened with the Broken Road upgrade – which is a project with many major flaws in their plans,” Arendse said.
Concerned fisherman Derek Tucker said the framework involved a very necessary balance of various aspects including environment, economic and social concerns but the greatest contestation would come in planning, implementation and construction phases.
“The City often comes with a predetermined agenda which gets approved, even when public participation meetings end up in chaos. Does the City ever take public participation seriously? My experience is that they do not. It is just a box to tick,” Tucker said.
Andrews said this framework was only a proposal and they were now asking for residents’ input and stakeholders’ comments to refine the draft into a final proposal that addressed the community’s needs and aspirations.