High-rise future for Muizenberg

High-rise future for Muizenberg
2008/04/17

A high-rise future envisaged in City of Cape Town documents for Muizenberg, on the False Bay coast, has caused consternation amongst residents, who fear it will destroy the coastal town's 'sense of place'.
The City of Cape Town's draft coastal development guidelines have been issued for public comment and are currently being discussed at sub-council meetings.
Intended to set a framework for coastal development along the 307 kilometres of coastline that fall under the city, the document notes considerable "inappropriate development" in recent years.
Population growth, city expansion, a development boom and strong national economic growth are identified as reasons for increased pressure on the coastline.
The coast is divided into different categories, including danger areas, new development areas, secondary and primary growth areas.
Muizenberg, along with Table View, Milnerton, the CBD, Sea Point, Camps Bay and Strand are classified as primary growth areas.
All of these areas are identified as appropriate for "significant growth and densification due to their very good access, high amenity value and current or future population concentration".
As such, envisaged development includes a mix of multi-storey flats, limited to 10 to 12 floors along the beachfront, but higher behind this row.
Muizenberg already has one high-rise apartment building in the Cinnabar Building, but many residents view it as an eye sore.
At a public participation meeting on the draft guidelines held at a Fish Hoek sub-council meeting last Friday (subs: 11/04/2008), Muizenberg resident John Cartwright said while "dreadful and feeble town planning" under apartheid had made densification essential, the historic and heritage value of Muizenberg was underestimated.
He said to encourage high buildings would cause "severe damage" to the heritage environment, referring to existing "horrors" such as the Cinnabar Building. Muizenberg was not as obviously special as nearby Kalk Bay, he said, but what there was should not be damaged further.
"It is actually a treasure and something that should be taken more seriously. The principle of densification is good but there should be sensitive ways of doing it."
Bowen Boshier, representing the Zandvlei Trust, an environmental organisation, said Muizenberg had a "tremendous sense of place". High rise buildings would remove mountain views, which would in turn negatively effect the sense of place.
"I hear repeatedly the word compromise, but developers do not compromise. They are compromising our life away and it is not necessary. I call on councillors to put a lot of thought into this," he said.
The document is likely to spark controversy in other areas. Melkbosstrand, Hout Bay, Kommetjie, Fish Hoek and Gordon's Bay are classified as secondary growth areas. This would see three-storey buildings on the beachfront, but higher buildings up to five storeys could be built behind this row. By Patrick Burnett

High-rise future for Muizenberg