The City of Cape Town has been accused of killing the city’s economy with its plans to extend Dunoon across a national freeway.
The first phase of the multi-million rand plan will see an agricultural underpass turned into a pedestrian subway linking Dunoon to the future development on the Annandale farm (“Plans for Dunoon underpass,” Tabletalk, May 30).
Phase two includes building two bridge underpasses.
“Initially the underpasses will allow pedestrians to cross under the N7, and later they will provide local street access between the existing area of Dunoon and the new housing development on the Annandale Farm,” said Brett Herron, the City’s Mayco member for transport and urban development.
Fleshing out more details at a public meeting in Milnerton last week, he said the mixed-use development would consist of 3 600 houses, sports and recreational facilities, retail, schools, commercial and industrial facilities.
He claimed to not know how much the City had paid for the 71 hectares of land, saying it had “redirected funds” from the Wolwerivier expansion to the Annandale development.
“Mixed use, formal housing and economic activity is expected to yield 3 600 housing opportunities and alleviate housing backlog in the city and Dunoon specifically,” said Mr Herron.
A resident asked if the city had thought the location through.
“At the moment, we have Dunoon on the one side of the N7, which kills the economy of the city because the road gets blocked whenever there are riots, petrol bombings and stone throwing. We are now going to have it blocked even more just like on the N2,” he said.
“We are moving into an era where people who don’t contribute in an area can protest and bring the economy to a standstill,” said another resident.
On Facebook people voiced their concerns about the impact of the housing development on the N7 and Richwood.
Sean Nicholas said: “Maybe it’s time to sell now.”
Alistair Wallis said: “I didn’t even realise there was an underpass. A pedestrian bridge is needed, sure, but this is madness… I can see the riots on both sides already, closing down the N7. This is voter pandering at its worst.”
Mike Clery said: “A perfect example of reactive stupidity. This City administration has no long-term plan to deal with housing demand, and Herron in particular has zero concern for the long-term consequences of short-sighted, short-term ‘fixes’…”
