Green light for two big tourism-related developments

NELSON Mandela Bay’s Human Settlements Directorate has recommended that approval be given for the development of a hybrid residential area that will co-exist with the existing Kragga Kamma Game Park. It also recently recommended that an application to consolidate four erven at 22, 24, 26 and 28 Cape Road for the development of a boutique hotel be approved.

“These two recommendations pave the way for some exciting new tourism developments in the city,” said Mandlakazi Skefile, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism chief executive. “We are currently poised for a very exciting year – 2012 brings with it the completion of The Boardwalk development and now these two exciting new possibilities. It is hard not to be optimistic about the local tourism industry.”

The Kragga Kamma development has already been issued with a Record of Decision by the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism following an environmental impact assessment.

The total area of the land is approximately 198 hectares of which some 18.2 hectares will be developed, leaving 173 hectares as Public Open Space. The development will consist of a total of 125 units with the gross density of 0.6 units a hectare which is in keeping with the rural management policy. Each site will be between 1 000 and 1 200 square metres with the “maximum footprint” size of the dwelling not exceeding 350 square metres.

About 5.6 hectares will be used for private roads. In issuing the Record of Decision, the Department said that access to the development would be through the existing access to the Game Park where 93 of the units would be located, while entry to the other 32 would be via an existing gate on Horseshoe Drive.

The application to consolidate four erven at 22, 24, 26 and 28 Cape Road for the development of a boutique hotel should be approved, the Department of Human Settlements said.

In terms of the proposed development, that will be carried out in two phases, the two historic double-storey semi-detached buildings will be redesigned internally and refurbished to function as the core of the boutique hotel.

No external changes are proposed and “the outward aesthetics and therefore the architectural integrity and historic significance will be respected and safeguarded”.

Internal changes will be made only where necessary to enhance functionality. Phase 1 of the development that will be restricted to two stories in terms of the Directorate’s recommendation, will consist of a reception area, 25 guest rooms, a breakfast room for hotel guests only and 26 parking bays.

Phase 2 will depend on the availability of land and will consist of another 15 rooms, although this will depend on parking.

In supporting the proposal, the Directorates states that it is not envisaged that it will have any negative impact on the surrounding area be-cause of its medium scale and design principles and that no external alterations will be made.

Author: Patrick Cull / Metro Minutes