Hout Bay developer unhappy with province's 'approval'

the would-be developer of a karbonkelberg mountainside property at hout bay is appealing against the environmental approval given by the province a fortnight ago.

the residents' association of hout bay, which is vigorously opposed to the development of erf 3477, believes that the developer has appealed because the number of houses in its application was slashed.

joburg company elegant square trading 249 cc is one of 12 groups or individuals who had given the province notice of their intention to appeal. among them is the residents' association of hout bay.

but the hangberg civic association, which is embroiled in a dispute with the city of cape town and - until recently - also with sa national parks about more land for housing on the nearby sentinel mountainside, is keeping its distance from the issue.

spokesman greg louw said they did not want to "shoot ourselves in the foot" by opposing development on some slopes of hout bay while trying to get housing approved on another part of the mountainside.

the issue of housing on the mountainside above the valley has become volatile and highly politicised, after violent protests against efforts by the city to remove illegally constructed shacks in and beyond the firebreak on the slopes of hangberg and the sentinel.

the hangberg community says it is bursting at the seams and urgently requires new land for housing.

the province did not approve the full development application for erf 3477, which was for 35 single residential properties and two general residential erven for group houses in a gated community.

in its record of decision on october 12, it turned down approval for 14 erven along the top section of the property, |and authorised only 21 single plots and two general plots for 26 group houses, covering a total of 1.9 hectares. the other 18.52ha will be incorporated into the table mountain national park.

the property is zoned rural, which allows for only one main building and appropriate outbuildings, and a rezoning and sub-division application must still be approved.

the environmental consultant for the developer, de villiers brownlie associates, sent notices to registered "interested and affected parties" last week, informing them of the intention to appeal.

it said the appeal submission would be available for public scrutiny at claremont library until december.

residents' association chairman len swimmer said it might be difficult for residents to access the document in claremont. he asked why it was not lodged in the hout bay and hangberg libraries.