Latest news with #MunicipalPlanningBy-law

IOL News
7 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
How Cape Town is addressing the housing crisis with new planning regulations
Micro-building aims to unlock the potential of affordable rental units Image: Supplied The City of Cape Town has shed more light on its recent changes to the Municipal Planning By-law (MPBL), aimed at unlocking affordable rental accommodation through small-scale, incremental housing developments. On 26 June 2025, Council approved an additional land use right for properties in designated areas, allowing for the development of up to eight small-scale rental units in addition to a main dwelling, or up to 12 rental units if no main dwelling is present. According to City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo, 'The additional right must be exercised in lieu of the existing right to a second and third dwelling and the property owner will need to make a choice between the new and the existing right.' Tyhalibongo explained that this move forms part of the City's broader approach to managing rapid urbanisation and providing more affordable housing opportunities through legal and safe connections to existing infrastructure. 'This additional right is subject to the payment of a development charge and will not drastically change capacity demands on existing services,' he said. He added, 'It still requires beneficiaries to contribute toward long-term infrastructure upgrades.' To assist micro-developers with these costs, the City launched a Development Charges Fund in March 2024. 'This Fund has enabled the City to subsidise 90% of the development charges typically required of small-scale rental unit developments in low-income areas,' Tyhalibongo said. The fund started with R20 million in capital and is already being used to unlock developments across Cape Town. 'This is helping to unlock small-scale rental unit developments on formal properties in historically disadvantaged areas,' he said. 'In some instances, landowners are developing between six and 12 units on a property.' He noted that the City's policies already promote densification and support incremental housing development. 'We are enabling lower-income households to supplement their incomes, while also helping to meet the demand for affordable housing for those who do not qualify for state-subsidised housing or social housing.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Tyhalibongo stressed that all land use and building plan applications are evaluated individually. 'They are circulated to internal engineering departments for comment, and development contributions are calculated pro-rata depending on the scale of the proposed development,' he said. 'Where existing infrastructure cannot support additional development, further services or road upgrades are required to enable the development.' To support micro-developers further, the City is investing in new tools and reforms to make the process easier and faster. These include local planning support offices, standardised building plan templates, alternative building materials, and work with financial institutions to make microbuilding more accessible. 'The private sector—small-scale developers in particular—are critical to solving our housing crisis. Only the private sector has the capacity to build at the speed and scale required. Government will never have enough money to meet the housing demand alone,' said Tyhalibongo. He added, 'The real problem with unaffordable housing is not greedy landlords. It's that there's not enough housing. The way to make housing more affordable is to build more of it. To do this we need higher densities, more mixed uses, and development in existing nodes and corridors where people are close to jobs and public transport.' He said the City is actively working to enable this shift: 'We are optimising our scarce land, electricity and water capacity to achieve long-term sustainability and access for all residents.' He also pointed to the City's ten-year infrastructure pipeline, valued at R120 billion, which includes major upgrades to wastewater treatment plants, sustainable water supply, energy diversification, and waste management systems. As part of this investment, Tyhalibongo highlighted the R5.4 billion roll-out of Phase 2 of the MyCiTi bus service from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha to Wynberg and Claremont. 'This project will bring affordable, scheduled public transport to over 35 communities and catalyse job creation and mixed-use investment in the metro-south east.' He added, 'The City is also pushing for the devolution of passenger rail services and is preparing a detailed business plan to be submitted to national government. 'We are making it easier, safer and more cost-effective for more people to legally develop affordable housing and support backyard rentals.' Weekend Argus

IOL News
02-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Cape Town's township micro developers get the green light as red tape is cut
Nyanga is one of the townships that will benefit small-scale residential developers in providing affordable and formal accommodation. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers The City of Cape Town's ammendment to its Municipal Planning By-law promotes development within city regulations, and has been hailed as "a big step in the right direction" by micro-developers, NGOs, financiers, academia and professionals working in the field. These professionals have long championed for the opening up of opportunities to unlock affordable housing in informal and lower-income neighbourhooods, fighting for the recognition of the up-and-coming township micro-developers. They have been knocking on all doors to ensure the opening of the pipeline for these fast-scale micro developments, which is helping solve Cape Town's housing crisis. "The work in this arena over the past few years between the private sector, NGOs, academia and the City of Cape Town, shows that things can be done when you get all these parties playing a role," says Professor Francois Viruly, who has been playing at a grassroots role in the burgeoning mircor-development in townships. Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews, micro-developer and owner Zandile Nakani, Geordin Hill-Lewis Executive Mayor of Cape Town and uMastandi Portfolio Manager, Nomfundo Molemohi, during a walkabout last year of micro developments in Eersterivier. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers The amendment introduces a new land-use right that allows homeowners in 194 designated communities to legally build affordable rental units on their properties. These areas have seen rapid densification over the past decade, particularly through backyarder dwellings and informal structures. It's a win While some criticise the amendent for further entrenching apartheid spatial development as it relates mostly to townships areas, those in this end of the housing market have applauded it. "This Municipal Planning By-Law Amendment is a major milestone for township development and a significant victory for landlords and micro-developers in Cape Town's townships," says Nomfundo Molemohi, uMaStandi portfolio manager, Eastern and Western Cape. Molemohi was one of the first people to knock on the mayor's door to ask for assitance in unlocking the potential of township micro-developers to help solve the city's low-cost housng crisis. Nomfundo Molemohi, uMaStandi portfolio manager, Eastern and Western Cape. Image: Supplied uMaStandi is one of the property financing companies for micro developers, providing commercial mortgage finance, training, mentorship and guidance to property entrepreneurs wanting to build quality, compliant and sustainable income-producing rental accommodation in townships. "This Municipal Planning By-Law Amendment represents the kind of inclusive, practical policy shift that our communities have needed for years. "This process started several years ago when uMaStandi, as a pioneering financier in this space, went to knock on the Mayor's door literally asking the City to recognise and support the township landlords who were already driving a quiet rental revolution. "What followed were years of technical consultations, back-and-forth policy work and tireless advocacy to get to this point. What it was like before "Previously, most township areas were zoned SR1 or SR2, allowing only up to three dwellings per plot. Any attempt to build more required a costly, complicated rezoning process, a major barrier for small-scale developers. With this amendment, landlords can now submit building plans (without rezoning) to build between eight and 12 units, depending on erf size. "The City has also introduced prototypical plans to fast-track approvals and reduce professional fees, making the process quicker and more accessible. "This change not only opens the door to new rental developments, but also creates an opportunity for existing landlords to formalise what they've built, obtain approved plans, increase their property values, and even unlock refinancing. It's a powerful shift that will transform Cape Town's landscape, particularly in historically excluded areas and a win for both micro-developers and the broader housing sector," she said. Zama Mgwatyu, Development Action Group's (Dag) programme manager. Image: Supplied Development Action Group's (Dag) programme manager, Zama Mgwatyu - who has also been championing the cause for many years - says "amending a municipal bylaw is akin to turning an oil tanker - it demands time, courage, resilience, and collaboration with diverse stakeholders. This milestone follows years of advocacy for recognising small-scale rental housing, a sector that has thrived despite limited government support". Property township micro-developers are addressing the affordable housing crisis. Image: Supplied: DAG The development agency sees micro-developers as addressing 'crucial societal needs ... we tick all the boxes that national government is trying to tick from poverty alleviation, to job creation, to creating asset wealth, safety and security plus more'. He said Dag and its sector partners pioneered an unconventional approach, engaging with a sector often viewed as operating outside the law. "Through persistent research, strategic meetings with CCT officials and political leaders since 2017, and targeted advocacy, our efforts paid off: in 2022, the CCT Mayor prioritised small-scale rental housing, paving the way for city support to scale up micro-developers' work." Asked why the amendments were important, he said they empowered small-scale developers to build up to 12 rental units on SR1/SR2 properties without costly and time-consuming rezoning applications, adding, "this change incentivises micro-developers and homeowner-developers to invest in 194 targeted areas with high demand for affordable rentals." Professor Francois Viruly has hailed the collaboration that led to change in the micro-development sector. Image: Supplied The real property market Professor Viruly pointed out that 70 percent of title deeds in the country - about six million - are properties worth under a million rand. "So when we talk about the affordable housing market, it is not just a segment of the market, it is actually the South African property market." He said government housing programmes had slowed down over the past 10 years, and traditional developers left, slowing down delivery. "I think there was a realisation that housing delivery could only take place through the private sector, and in particular, the small-scale developers. "Indirectly, what it also does is promote property entrepreneurship in South Africa." Viruly hailed the alliance that was developed over the past few years between the private sector, NGOs, academia and the City of Cape Town, "which shows that things can be done when you get all these parties playing a role". "Going forward, what will be important is trying to ensure that the particular programme is effective, and I think this is going to be the crux for the next few years, whether we can create the institutions, the offices that can support these small-scale developers," he said. The developments, mostly double-storey homes, can contain up to 10 units, with rents ranging between R1 500 and R3 000. Picture: Rob McGaffin It has been happening for a while: developments, mostly double-storey homes, crents ranging between R1 500 to R5000, have been mushrooming up. Image: Rob McGaffin Scaling faster than the State can During his announcement, Hill-Lewis acknowledged that micro-developers in townships have already been meeting housing demand at a scale the State cannot match. He described the City's role not as one of obstruction, but of enablement: 'Now we are playing our proper role – not standing in the way, but enabling this form of housing delivery, driven by people's own enterprise, ingenuity, and investment.' The amendment's passage was not easy, with the ANC abstaining from the vote, while the Democratic Alliance (DA), which holds a majority in Council, voted in support of the amendment. It faced opposition from several parties, including the EFF, Al Jama-ah, the National Coloured Congress (NCC), GOOD Party, Cape Exit, the PAC, and the Freedom Front Plus. The Good Party's Brett Herron slammed the plan in a TikTok video, saying it achieved what the apartheid achitects never could - enforcing the Group Areas Act in Cape Town. He said the demarcated areas - from Atlantis to Lakeside - closely resemble the original Group Areas Act maps, "but avoids the old white areas, the CBD and well located areas in Cape Town". "It entrenches the densification, the segregation and exclusion of African and coloured South Africans in Cape Town. Welcome to the apartheid city," he said. Responding to Herron's remarks, Mgwatyu said Dag celebrated the milestone, but acknowledged much work was needed. "Over 30 years into our democracy, South Africa still grapples with the spatial planning legacy of apartheid, evident in new housing projects located far from opportunities. While the new bylaw promotes development within city regulations, it alone cannot address these challenges. "We need a collaborative effort from various stakeholders to propose innovative solutions. The approach taken by the Small-Scale Rental Housing sector in engaging with the City of Cape Town to come up with regulatory reforms and support micro-developers is a model worth emulating. The spatial challenges we face demand a solution-driven approach from all of us, moving beyond merely articulating problems." Dylan Walls, COO of Bitprop. Image: Supplied Upbeat Dylan Walls, COO of Bitprop, which invests in rental units on low-oncome areas, is upbeat about the announcement, saying they've been campaigning for this over the past five years. "It acknowledges what's happening on the ground in township development and establishes a formal, accessible way for property owners to engage in backyard rental development legally and according to all regulations. "Township rental property is a huge value creation mechanism in our economy and a crucial source of income and long-term wealth development for families, so this is a huge thing." Walls adds that while the by-law change is a major step, without funding support and education in architecture, town planning and construction expertise, "it will remain difficult for the average property owner to access, so the next step is to secure decent support along these lines." He emphasises, though, that this move is something property owners in such areas have been caling for over many years. "Backyard development has been one of the biggest creators of income and proper wealth in the absence of employment opportunities. The reality is that if you don't have a large enough income (or no income), no savings product that exists will work for you and you will have to live paycheck to paycheck, or on a pension. "But if you do have a property, using the latent value in that property gives you a way to create income and inheritable wealth for your children you would otherwise not be able to achieve. "...Given the growth in population and urbanisation globally and especially in Africa (South African cities not excluded from that trend), densification will happen everywhere, whether formally or informally, and we can only hope it will be formally, which is what something like this new by-law intends to guide," Walls said. It's the groundwork Walls added: "A city like Cape Town in 30 years might be like a very dense city like São Paulo is today, and the by-law lays the groundwork to ensure that densification happens in a sustainable way that can serve all citizens now and in the future." Deon van Zyl, chairperson of the Western Cape Property Development Forum. Image: Supplied Deon van Zyl, chairperson of the Western Cape Property Development Forum (WCPDF) said the law change was welcomed by the property development and construction industry which has long called for clarity on zoning, the need to reduce red tape and providing critical support for small-scale residential developers. Van Zyl said a number of benefits would result, including recognition of these small-scale developers - a first for the country. "Land use and building plan applications can now run in parallel with administrative penalty processes, which should relieve officials from some administrative bottlenecks and, in turn, hopefully result in quicker and more efficient decision making. This is sorely needed. "Changes in the by-law now give greater certainty to both micro developers and funders. The door has been opened for the next step: the formalisation of pre-approved building plans allowing small-scale developers to break ground much quicker. We trust that the banking sector will now provide the much-needed support based on the platform created by the by-law," he said. On criticism of the amendment, Van Zyl said that although it was not perfect, it is a substantial step in the right direction, arguing that, "micro-developers are the ones who are basically very pro-active in solving the problem around, and providing, affordable housing much faster than government is able to do". "We call on all other Western Cape municipalities to follow the lead of Cape Town and to look at ways to support small-scale residential developers and continue to work on simplifying and reducing red tape caused by their respective land use bylaws," he said.

IOL News
27-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
New by-law aims to loosen building regulations for 'micro housing developers'
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis Image: Supplied The City of Cape Town yesterday passed a major amendment to its Municipal Planning By-law, aimed at unlocking affordable rental housing in informal and lower-income neighbourhoods — a move Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis described as 'a watershed moment.' The amendment introduces a new land-use right that allows homeowners in 194 designated communities to legally build affordable rental units on their properties. These areas have seen rapid densification over the past decade, particularly through backyarder dwellings and informal structures. While the Democratic Alliance (DA), which holds a majority in Council, voted in support of the amendment, it faced opposition from several parties, including the EFF, Al Jama-ah, the National Coloured Congress (NCC), GOOD, Cape Exit, the PAC, and the Freedom Front Plus. The ANC abstained. In his address to Council, Hill-Lewis stressed the scale of the challenge: '1.2 million of our fellow residents live in informal structures in Cape Town,' he said. 'For those of us who did not grow up in townships, or in a backyard, it is hard to imagine what that means. To live with bitter cold and constant damp in winter, and scorching heat and constant threat of fire in summer.' Hill-Lewis criticised the national government's free housing programme, known as Breaking New Ground, for failing to meet rising demand. 'Budgets are simply too small, the need too vast. Only a lucky few thousand per year, those waiting the very longest, will get a totally free house, while hundreds of thousands remain on the list. It is important that the public understand that.' While acknowledging that economic growth and job creation remain the only sustainable long-term solution, Hill-Lewis emphasised the need for action now: 'We also can't wait for a faster growing economy. While that is undoubtedly the only sustainable long term solution, we also need a plan now.' That plan, he said, is the by-law amendment. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'The amendments to the Municipal Planning By-law that we will vote on today will do more than any other programme, in any city, to help many more people make the leap from informal housing to dignified, affordable homes.' The by-law now enables homeowners in selected communities to build rental units legally and safely, with connections to municipal water, sanitation, and electricity. These developments will also need to meet National Building Regulations. Hill-Lewis acknowledged that micro-developers in townships have already been meeting housing demand at a scale the State cannot match: 'The fact is that micro-developers in lower-income communities are already getting on with meeting housing demand by building many thousands more units every year than the State could ever possibly hope to deliver.' He described the City's role not as one of obstruction, but of enablement: 'Now we are playing our proper role – not standing in the way, but enabling this form of housing delivery, driven by people's own enterprise, ingenuity, and investment.' The by-law also includes support measures, such as: Pre-approved building plans and development charge discounts; A pipeline of 12,000 affordable housing units on well-located land; South Africa's first Land Discount Guidelines, allowing for discounted city-owned land to be used for social housing; Utility discounts for approved social housing projects. While praising the amendment's potential, Hill-Lewis also raised a broader point about transformation in the housing market: 'For so long, property development has been an industry dominated by wealthy established developers who mainly develop in expensive suburbs… but today we are also blowing open the property development industry for thousands of new entrants – new property developers in the townships and in so many other areas.' He also committed to streamlining approval processes and clamping down on unlawful construction. 'This amendment also empowers communities, by greatly improving public participation in planning applications, and giving the City real teeth for the first time to stop illegal building work.'

IOL News
10-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Transformative vision: multi-use precinct plans unveiled for Strand Street quarry
Residents have submitted their comments on the land use application for the Strand Street Quarry. Image: supplied Plans to redevelop the Strand Street Quarry into a multi-use community precinct have reached the public feedback assessment phase, following the closure of the official comment period on 30 May 2025. The proposed redevelopment—initially presented for public comment on 17 April 2025—aims to transform the site at the corner of Strand and Hudson Streets, and 101 Vos Street, into a hub of sports, tourism, and community activity. The plans include a multi-purpose practice sports field and additional sports courts, the reconfiguration of Metro Police facilities, new tourist attractions such as markets and restaurants, and associated parking infrastructure. The proposal stems from a vision that has been developed in consultation with the community and local stakeholders since 2023. Eddie Andrews, the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, said: 'Currently, the Strand Street quarry is underutilised, and in fact, often occupied by illegal dwellings and used for anti-social behaviour. Thus, the proposed development will in fact improve the general surroundings in terms of safety, cleanliness, aesthetics, and so forth. 'The intention is to transform the quarry site into a multi-use community precinct that integrates sports, culture, economic activities and tourism in a unique setting. Once fully developed, the site must benefit the local communities and Capetonians for generations to come.' Andrews confirmed that the project is still in its early planning stages. 'We are not nearly at this point yet,' he said in response to questions around the budget. The land use application includes the consolidation, subdivision, and rezoning of certain City-owned erven to obtain the necessary development rights. The City will now assess the comments received in terms of the Municipal Planning By-law (MPBL) and relevant policy. 'The comments received will now be assessed in terms of the Municipal Planning By-law (MPBL) and relevant City policies, and if there are objections, a report will be compiled for consideration by the Municipal Planning Tribunal,' Andrews explained. 'Save to say, the application makes provision for phased implementation over time, and by different role-players.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Andrews added that residents and stakeholders have been involved in the process for over two years: 'Residents and stakeholders have been engaged for over two years, and participated in several forums.' Ahead of the public comment period, the City undertook a series of public engagement and regulatory steps, including: A due diligence and concept design process initiated in March 2023 in partnership with local representatives and stakeholders. Public advertising of the first draft concept in November 2023. Environmental and heritage assessments, including a Heritage Impact Assessment tabled with Heritage Western Cape in January 2025. A Living Heritage investigation conducted in unison with the concept design, recording oral histories and the cultural connections of Bo-Kaap residents to the site. 'The application is still being assessed. The City will be able to provide more information once the application process has been concluded in terms of the MPBL,' Andrews concluded. Ossie Shabodien, former chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Ratepayers Civic Association, acknowledged the potential benefits of the redevelopment but raised questions about implementation.

IOL News
09-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
City faces backlash over Lansdowne mixed-use development
City of Cape Town faces backlash over mixed-use development approva Residents of the Lansdowne-Crawford community express strong opposition to a newly approved mixed-use development, citing concerns over traffic, noise, and the impact on their residential area. Image: supplied The Lansdowne-Crawford community is strongly opposing a mixed-use development on Rokeby and Lawson Roads, arguing it clashes with the residential area and will cause major traffic, noise, and spatial issues. They have expressed their dissatisfaction with its approval by the City of Cape Town despite their appeals. In an open letter addressed to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, the ward councillor, mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment Eddie Andrews, and the developers and architects involved, the residents cited that the size, height, and the proposed business development, namely a supermarket and residential units, would cause traffic and noise congestion. The site has since gone through the process of clearance by heavy-duty construction trucks in preparation for the development. Despite objections, including a town planner's report citing zoning issues, their appeals failed. The Lansford ( Lansdowne and Crawford) Ratepayers Association, via the appointment of their own town planning experts, lodged an eight page objection with the City. They are now questioning the City's approval, why the entrance is on Rokeby instead of Jan Smuts Drive, and whether residents' concerns are ignored in favor of developers profits. The City maintains the application followed due process and access from Rokeby Road was deemed necessary. The development is set to take place on a vacant piece of land where five separate properties are situated, which belongs to Argento Properties, who previously said they would not comment, while another request for comment has been made. The City said in their response to the approval of the development that the residents' appeal was taken into consideration and that the Municipal Planning By-Laws were adhered to. 'The land use application went through the proper land use application process as prescribed by the Municipal Planning By-law, and was considered appropriate in its location,' said the City. 'It should be noted that comments and objections form part of the consideration of such an application, but taking various factors into consideration the application was supported and approved. 'Note that where there are objections received against a land use application, it does not necessarily mean that an application will be refused. 'The application was assessed as prescribed by the Municipal Planning By-law, taking various aspects into consideration and the application was supported." The residents said they would continue to show disapproval for the approval of the application. 'On behalf of the community of the Lansdowne-Crawford area, represented in part by the persons attached, we hereby wish to loudly declare our ongoing objection and vehement disapproval of the planned mixed-used development on the corners of Rokeby and Lawson Roads,' the residents said jointly from the Lansford community 'Not only is the development not in keeping with the existing, mainly residential make-up of the area, but the retail/commercial nature will seriously impact the entire residential area. 'The size, including the height, of the development, as well as the nature of the proposed business, namely large supermarkets and smaller shops, will have major traffic, noise, and spatial impact. 'Delivery and shopper access is planned to be on Rokeby Road, meaning that, daily, there will be dozens of trucks and hundreds of cars entering Lawson, into Rokeby. 'This will further choke up an already congested primary road, used by the community.' City of Cape Town faces backlash over mixed-use development approval Residents of the Lansdowne-Crawford community express strong opposition to a newly approved mixed-use development, citing concerns over traffic, noise, and the impact on their residential area. Image: supplied They added that existing commercial developments along Kromboom Road, such as a supermarket on the corner of Kromboom and Sunnyside Roads, were already a significant inconvenience to the community, which brought constant traffic congestion. Videos of how the construction impacted their daily lives were shared with the Cape Argus, showing pots and pans rattling in kitchen cupboards. The City explained why the entrance would be along Rokeby: 'As part of the processing of the application, it was indicated that access to the site would only be permissible from Rokeby Road, due to the class of road (Jan Smuts Drive) and also the permissible access distances permitted from the intersection of Jan Smuts Drive and Lawson Road. ' Ward 60 councillor, Mark Kleinschmidt, who was included in the correspondence, said: 'The development is in ward 48 and when the area was in ward 60, I advised the developer to meet with local residents because if they were going to be neighbours it should be amicable. "That was the last I heard. 'Neighbours must be consulted and the issue falls in ward 48 currently.' Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus