Camps Bay residents are urged to contribute to a fund started to fight hotel upgrades on the beachfront.
The Camps Bay and Clifton Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association (CBCRRA) plans to contest the City’s Municipal Planning Tribunal’s decision to approve an application for rezoning, consolidation, departures and deletion of title deed restrictions for two adjacent properties at 4 The Fairway.
The property currently houses a hotel and the developer, through town planner, Tommy Brummer Town Planners, has proposed the construction of a five-storey development consisting of 101 bedrooms, a restaurant and 58 parking bays.
The applicant said the development would enhance the area along Victoria Road, and as Camps Bay was known as a tourism asset, the luxury hotel would support the tourist economy.
Developers also believe the proposed restaurant would activate “current dead façades” along street boundaries and that property values would be enhanced.
Camps Bay residents objected to the proposal, claiming that it would have a major impact on the surrounding properties, and the CBCRRA argued that the application was of such an “arbitrary nature” that there could be no coherent basis for it in law or City policy.
They also feel the
the area will not cope with the amount of traffic that such a development would generate. “It will, no doubt, be argued that most guests to hotels use e-hailing services and that therefore there is little actual on-site parking required. This is an anecdotal argument, not backed up by any meaningful research,” the association said.
In a statement released last week, CBCRRA chairman Chris Willemse, said the next step in the process would be to appeal the MPT decision with the executive mayor’s Planning Appeals Advisory Panel (PAAP).
“Now the serious side of this matter starts, if the community is up to it. The CBCRRA would suggest that we start a fund to contest the matter – given that there were over 90 objections to the application and the fact that it will be a monstrosity on the beachfront,” he said.
Mr Willemse added that it would be in their best interest to retain the services of an attorney to represent them on the matter.
“Initially, the fund would only have to cover his costs, so maybe a contribution of R1 000 each to the fun,” he said.
