Enviroment studies complete for R 1,4 bn Knysna project!

earthworks on a 612 ha site will begin by the middle of the year at the exclusive r1,4-billion pezula estate development near knysna, western cape.
independent project manager peter rimbault tells engineering news that all necessary environmental-impact studies have been completed, and that the developer – pezula investments – is now awaiting the relevant authorisation by local and provincial government.

once these have been issued the construction at the development can begin.

approvals have been granted for the first phase of pezula consisting of 18 ha of land, which has been zoned for six exclusive residential stands sandwiched between sparrebosch golf course and the indian ocean.

civil works have begun and the first homes should be complete within the next nine months.

a total of 630 ha of land has been acquired by the developer, on which 250 residential estates will be built.

"of the total percentage of available land only 10% will be be built upon," states pezula estate md clive venning.

the land available is large enough to accommodate more than a thousand houses, but the developer aims to keep the natural surroundings as intact as possible.

keeping this in mind, houses built will have to be constructed with certain requirements such as: structures can not be higher than between six and eight-and-a-half metres (depending on location), and all plaster must blend in with the surroundings and roof slate tiles and natural stone will have to be used.

the 612 ha section of the estate consists of pine plantations and large areas of indigenous forest and fynbos.

the forest will be left intact, but the majority of the pine plantation will be removed to create approximately 250 stands, between 4 000 m2 and 30 000 m2 in size.

the adjacent sparrebosch golf club has also been acquired by pezula investments, which it intends to incorporate with pezula estate.

the course was opened in 2000 and was developed under stringent conservation measures, and all construction work was monitored by the department of nature conservation.

the sale of residential estates will be focused on the international market.