Observatory residents to fight R4 billion River Club redevelopment plan

Observatory residents opposed to the redevelopment of the River Club for mixed use have vowed to appeal a decision by the Western Cape government, which approved the R4 billion project.

Last week, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning granted an environmental authorisation for the project. Observatory Civic Association (OCA) chairperson Leslie London said: “What happened last Thursday was an insult to our democracy. “The department issued this authorisation that will destroy the precious heritage use.” London said he believed the process was flawed.

“Our intention is to appeal the matter. The application has been subject to a public participation process under the National Environmental Management Act and attracted multiple objections.” He said the applicant’s proposal failed to meet the requirements of the National Heritage Resources Act, and that despite an online petition being drawn up where over 16000 people signed and opposed the decision, it was still made in the developers favour.

The green light comes after Heritage Western Cape slammed the brakes on a proposal by the First Nations’ bodies and civic and civil society organisations to have the Two Rivers Urban Park at The River Club declared a provincial heritage site. The Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust has proposed the construction of several 10-storey buildings and 11.7 hectares of building in the middle of a 100-year-old flood plain.

Twenty percent of the development will be allocated for residential use, of which one fifth will be dedicated to developer-subsidised inclusionary housing. Estimated to cost R4bn, the project will include residential, retail and commercial components, a hotel, offices, conference centre and schools. Two Rivers Urban Park Association chairperson Marc Turok said: “The site is zoned as a conservation area and should be protected based on law. The development is destroying the park and it is not respecting the heritage.”

As part of the development, the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust said it would install a planned Heritage Cultural and Media Centre to preserve the heritage of the Khoi and San people. Goringhaicona Khoena Council supreme high commissioner Tauriq Jenkins said: “The idea of placing something like that is insulting. There is nothing symbolic about a media centre, it will destroy the area.”

The trust’s Jody Aufrichtig said: “This project will provide a range of socio-economic benefits including 6000 jobs. It will also provide an opportunity for the First Nations people to reclaim, memorialise and share their heritage We have always approached this project with maximum transparency and have remained committed to all planning approval processes as required by law.

“We will gladly make our case in any appeal that may take place.”