Heritage Cases

The applicant Cordev Marketing & Corporate Development (Pty) Ltd currently holds an existing Environmental Authorisation (DC21/0023/2011) for the establishment of a retirement estate, the Fields of Gold Village Estate, on Portion 9 of the farm Uplands No. 8567 (Wards 6 and 27) in the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, Ugu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. The validity period for this EA has been extended once (DC21/AMEND/0023/2017). Several attempts to establish the retirement estate have been unsuccessful due to the current economic climate as well as the location of the site. The demand for retirement units is comparatively low and is no longer considered to be the best use for the site. The applicant has therefore investigated other development options that would have a greater likelihood of success. Market research conducted by DEMACON1 indicated that the project’s location and the socio-economic profile of the immediate area make it ideally suited for a GAP housing development. Therefore, the applicant wishes to apply for a part 2 amendment to change the development from a retirement estate to a GAP housing estate. The development will be therefore be rebranded as the Injabulo Estate. The demand for GAP housing is evident when considering Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality’s regional planning. The proposed amendment is expected to have an overarching positive socio economic in that it will provide affordable housing that will benefit the middle-income bracket of the local community. The Injabulo Estate has therefore been identified as a Catalytic Project as it has the potential grow the local economy and significantly alter the unemployment challenges faced in the area. No new impacts associated with the proposed amendments have been identified as the development footprint will remain the same as what was originally approved. The only change to the layout will be the conversion from sectional title to full title and a reduction in the number of units from 260 to 256. Although no additional new impacts have been identified, the significance of some of the previously identified impacts will change. These changes will primarily be a function of the operational differences between retirement estates versus GAP housing estates. The negative impact such as increased water demand has been identified. The increased water demand is unavoidable, however all other impacts identified can be successfully addressed through the implementation of the EMPr. No new impacts are expected to result from the proposed amendments to the layout and changes in the land use. Therefore, provided that all mitigation measures are implemented as recommended, it is the EAP’s opinion that the proposed amendments to the previously approved layout may be authorised.