Cape Town - Against the backdrop of a housing crisis in the metro, the public participation process for the release of sections of the land in the King David Mowbray Golf Course for mixed-use development has been given the green light.
The process is expected to unfold pending council approval later this month.
The City said the mayoral committee gave the go-ahead for the initiation of a public participation process for the release of portions of the golf course for mixed-use development, adding that this would include affordable housing.
Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU), one of the organisations challenging apartheid spatial planning in the City of Cape Town, welcomed the process.
NU urban policy researcher Nick Budlender said: “We are very pleased that the City has recognised that inefficient, unjust and exclusive land uses inherited from apartheid cannot be sustained indefinitely. It makes little sense to have 10 golf courses situated on well-located public land in the midst of our extreme housing and segregation crisis, so we welcome this progress with open arms.”
Budlender commended the City on the move and called on it maximise the number of affordable homes to be included in the development as well as to ensure that the project is approached with urgency.
The City said affordable housing, including social housing, is a core objective for developing the land.
Portions of the site have been identified as highly suitable for integrated mixed-use development aimed at driving spatial transformation, increasing affordable housing stock, and enhancing public amenities, the City said.
The King David Mowbray Golf Club’s long-term lease terminated in 2022, and a new 10-year lease was entered into in May.
This agreement, however, contains a two-year cancellation clause “providing flexibility as the City undertakes the necessary planning for municipal infrastructure upgrades, including roads improvements, and enhancements to the electrical and waste water treatment networks”.
The King David Mowbray Golf Club could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “Developing portions of King David Mowbray Golf Course represents a transformative opportunity for well-located affordable housing and economic growth in Cape Town. This initiative will also catalyse major municipal infrastructure upgrades in the area, and stimulate job creation.
“While there is still much work ahead to service the land and plan for its long-term development, the greenlight to initiate a public participation process is a crucial step to release this land for inclusive, sustainable development.”
The identified portions of land, approximately 42.8 hectares, have a market value of R171m (excluding VAT).