• guide significant changes in land use; and
• guide public investment in infrastructure (such as roads, clinics and sports fields).

It matters to our neighbourhood.

The draft documents are attached. Please contact UWRA at committee@woodstock.org.za as soon as possible if you have questions or comments.

• TableBay_Executive_Summary_s
• Table Bay District_SDP_EMF_Aug 09_fin

The committee meets every first Tuesday of the month at 107 Mountain Road (cnr Balfour) at 19h30.

If you want to attend the meeting regarding building/renovation plans, please contact the committee. The committee requests that both designer & client see them together.

Contact details: e-mail aesthetics@woodstock.org.za or phone Till Manecke on 083 2390894.

The Aesthetics Committee can also be contacted regarding any concerns you may have about actual or proposed building activity in the area.

See the Heritage page for more details and information.

In a recent High Court case concerning the construction of a 5-storey house in an area of Cape Town with a 3-storey limit (presumably a loss of sea view was the problem), the Court remarked that you “are required to check actively for building plans every time any building work commences on a neighbour’s property.” Delay may disentitle you not only from having the approval of the plans set aside, but also from stopping construction in the interim.

Having said that, if you are the owner who is building, think carefully about starting work if approval of your plans is in any way open to challenge – take advice on whether you should first get the written consent of all neighbours.

The case in question shows the danger of proceeding regardless. The plan approval followed the granting of departures from zoning regulations and relaxations of title deed restrictions and, although the neighbours only realised that there was a problem after a considerable amount of construction had already taken place (some R13.4m worth), the Court found that the neighbour had given plausible reasons for the delay in acting, and ordered a halt to all building work. Worse, a demolition order is threatened if the plan approval is set aside.

(From newsletter by Maurice Phillips – Wisenberg)

UWRA COMMENT:

Complaints from residents about building work in their area will be taken up with City Council by UWRA and this could lead to work being stopped and/or delayed.

It is always advisable to consult UWRA and the Aesthetics Committee before your start renovations or building work. We can advise you on how to go about it in line with the heritage criteria for Woodstock. And again: if the plans are referred to us by Council at a later stage, it could lead to significant delays.

So consult us right from the beginning.

UWRA has stated in the Woodstock Development Framework that Woodstock should remain a residential area and business creep into the area must be avoided. Rezoning of the above properties might open the door for all kinds of other businesses operating there in the future: totes, workshops, garages, places of assembly.

Some time ago we asked the Woodstock residents for comment and we only received responses, which stated that people were against the rezoning.

UWRA has officially submitted a letter of objection to the rezoning to the relevant council department (see below). The process will now follow its course and we will let you know of the outcome as soon as we hear anything.

uwra-excite-objection

UWRA has made contact with the owner/developer to find out what he plans to do with the plot. We want to establish a positive relationship so that we can give constructive comment at an early stage. The developer has promised that someone would contact us to discuss the plans, but so far we have not heard or seen anything.

UWRA has also kept close contact with the various council departments about future plans for the plot. Apparently plans for a 4 or 5 storey block of flats have been submitted, but not finalised yet. Council officials have assured us that the plans will be send to UWRA for comment.

We will keep you in the loop and let the community know when the plans arrive.

Council has now compiled a policy document with the aim to ensure that zoning and building regulations are adhered to throughout the city in the same way. The policy sets out what must be done by council officials should zoning and building regulations be broken.

UWRA welcomes the policy and the attempts by council to sort this matter out. However, we have one big concern, which we have brought to the attention of councillors and council officials on many occasions: the success of a policy like this depends heavily on the ability to enforce it.

At the moment Council is lacking this ability in a BIG way, simply because there is not enough staff to deal with contraventions. If Council is not going to employ more enforcement staff, this policy will fail and it might as well be thrown in the bin straight away.

Therefore UWRA again strongly urges the Council to appoint the appropriate numbers of enforcement staff. UWRA has submitted this comment to City Council.

 Zoning and Building Regulations Enforcement Policy

RESIDENTS of Upper Woodstock are determined to preserve the architectural heritage of their area as they remain vehemently opposed to the demolition of one house they feel is a valuable asset to the neighborhood. The future of the sprawling white house, situated on the corner of Vine and Salisbury Roads in Upper Woodstock, now hangs in the balance as residents prepare themselves to convince the City of Cape Town to overrule the decision made by Heritage Western Cape (HWC) in 2007 to demolish the house.

The group of residents, who have gone as far as to rally support by drawing up an anti-demolition petition, are specifically opposed to the plan to develop a block of flats on the spacious corner plot. It is understood that development plans have been spear-headed by the owners of the property, the Bahá’ís of South Africa – a well-known independent religious organisation. Substantial portions of Ward 57, which include Woodstock, Salt River, Observatory, University and Walmer Estates, form part of a heritage protected area.  This status implies that should residents or developers wish to construct or renovate on these protected sites, they are subject to strict and very specific building regulations and guidelines as pre-determined by council. In response to concerns raised by residents about the pending demolition in 2007, Stephen Townsend, chief executive officer for HWC, revealed in written correspondence that the demolition application was consi¬dered by a permit committee on two separate occasions. In the e-mail People’s Post has in its possession, Townsend confirms it was decided that the house did not have enough historical or cultural significance to be placed on the heri¬tage register.

Emil Gertz, a Vine Road resident, says he would rather see a house of solid structure and character remain, than to lose it forever – especially if this decision will allow for the construction of a block of flats.

“There are so many issues around this case that are causing alarm, one being the negative impact more flats will have on the area. In the past we’ve had problems with tenants in other blocks. “Generally it is important that we maintain a balance; we don’t want the area to become a flat land.” Andrew Porter, another resident, says he is particularly concerned about the added strain the development will have on traffic congestion. “On the whole that part of Woodstock is already so highly developed with blocks of flats. If they were planning to demolish a slum and put up a block of flats, it would be a different thing all together.

“But as it stands, this development will only damage the image of the area.” 

Teun Baartman, chairperson of the Upper Woodstock Residents’ Association (UWRA), confirms the association’s aesthetics committee was never consulted around the time HWC gave permission to have the house demolished. “They told us at the time we had not been registered as interested parties. Although they might have a point based on a technicality, it is still not right, because HWC knew we were operational in the area. “This time we will support residents’ efforts.” Similarly Cedric Thomas, ward councillor for the area, strongly lashes out in opposition to the heritage agency.

He suggests the HWC often acted “carelessly” when considering the fate of sites that are of historical significance to the area. “This is not acceptable, because the HWC received a list of contact details for ward councillors so we at least can offer input when important decisions must be made.

It seems they never make the effort to contact me; they are a law unto themselves.” Furthermore, Thomas confirms that while no formal building plans for the proposed new development have been submitted to council yet, the city retains the right to have the final say about the ultimate fate of the building.

“The city has the right to overrule any decision to demolish a building that has been made by the HWC, and council’s approach will definitely have greater public participation involved.”

Woodstock residents find that there is a constant threat from developers and City Council, who have not much regard for what Woodstock is all about. Woodstock is a heritage area and yet, historical facades and buildings are being destroyed. Undesirable businesses are allowed to operate from residential premises.

Therefore UWRA decided in 2007 to draw up a draft Development Framework to be submitted to Council. The principle of the Framework is that the residential and historic look and feel of Woodstock must be maintained, while encouraging revitalisation and development that supports the Woodstock community. 

UWRA drew up a draft Framework which was e-mailed to the community so that residents could comment and make suggestions. UWRA then collated all responses and drew up a final Draft Development Framework which was submitted to Council by late 2007.

City Council is currently setting up a new Integrated Development Plan and UWRA is involved in this process. The aim is to make the Woodstock Development Framework part of the Integrated Development Plan.

Woodstock Development Framework