Promise of more housing projects in the pipeline for Cape Town CBD

Construction is observed at Conradie Park Social Housing Project on 8 February 2022 in Cape Town.

Construction is observed at Conradie Park Social Housing Project on 8 February 2022 in Cape Town.
ER Lombard, Gallo Images
  • Two housing projects, modelling the Western Cape Government’s flagship Conradie Park development, are in the works for the inner city.
  • Provincial MEC for Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers said both projects are located in the city’s central business district.
  • The projects would yield a total of 1 526 units collectively. 

Two social housing projects that would yield a total of 1 526 housing units, and help address the housing backlog in Cape Town, are in the pipeline for the Mother city.

This was revealed in a question posed by DA MPL Matlhodi Maseko to MEC for infrastructure Tertuis Simmers.

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Maseko asked Simmers whether the provincial government has more projects that follow the Conradie Park Model.

Simmers said there are currently two projects in the pipeline in the Western Cape Province that follow the Conradie Park Model: namely the Founders Garden Artscape Precinct on the Foreshore; and Leeuloop Precincts located in the CBD bordered by Dorp, Bree, Leeuwen, and Loop Streets.

“The Founders Garden Artscape Precinct: is anticipated to provide approximately 1 185 housing opportunities, dependent on achievable densities. The project is intended to be developed as a residentially led mixed-use development and is currently in its procurement phase for the appointment of a developer,” the MEC said.

“The Leeuloop Precinct is anticipated to provide approximately 341 housing opportunities and is currently in the Land-Use Application Phase of the respective planning processes,” Simmers added.

MEC Tertuis Simmers.

MEC Tertuis Simmers.

 

The Conradie Park social housing project in Pinelands, is the provincial government’s flagship mixed-income, mixed-use housing development.

The R3 billion, 22-hectare development – a partnership between developers Concor and the Western Cape government – comprises more than 3 500 homes. The development caters for all income and age groups.

Construction of the first phase of the social housing part of the project started in August 2020. The monthly rental of the social housing units ranges between R800 and R5 000 per month for differently sized units, according to the provincial government.

About 49% of the residential development at Conradie has been allocated to grant-funded housing, consisting of social housing, FLISP (Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme) housing, and rent-to-buy units. The remaining 51% will be available on the open market.

According to Simmers the two new developments are metro specific projects that will follow the Conradie Better Living Model approach.

Currently there are 568 000 people registered on the Western Cape Housing Demand Database.

Simmers told News24 when he started his term of office, one of his key drivers was to use innovation to address the housing demand backlog in the province.

Simmers said:

With a data backed approach it is important to note that we have different possible qualifying beneficiaries who would qualify for a specific human settlement programme provided by the state.

 

“These projects, therefore, seek not only to assist in addressing the housing demand of our backlog and ensure an integrated community, it [sic] also seeks to address a fair number of those who fall within the affordable housing bracket (R3 501-R22 000),” he said.

Simmers added even though the Founders Garden Artscape Precinct and Leeuloop Precinct projects are both in the metro, they also have projects in key non-metro areas with the same objectives.

He stressed:

The province does not discriminate between metro and provincial solutions. For my department and I solutions are what improve individual lives for the betterment of communities.

 

Simmers added the planning work for both the Founders Garden Artscape and Leeuloop Precincts is, however, being held in abeyance until specific policy and land-use requirements are fulfilled.

“It is imperative to note the scope and size of the two mentioned projects as currently reported are subject to change due to policy and land-use requirements,” he said.

Housing lobby group Ndifuna Ukwazi said it remains concerned about the slow pace of delivery of various forms of affordable and social housing.

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has deepened spatial inequality and refocused the need for shelter and affordable housing for families in the Western Cape. There is an urgent need for the province to prioritise housing, particularly in well-located areas and economic centres.”

The organisation has called on the province to adopt a radical new approach toward the delivery of well-located affordable housing and fast-track delivery.

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