CAPE SEASIDE BACKLASH: ‘Outraged’ St James residents vow legal fight over Prasa’s retirement apartments plan
The proposal for a 1.1-hectare strip of land between Main Road and the railway line has sparked anger among residents, who have vowed legal action over tender processes and the development’s potential heritage and environmental impact.
Residents of St James, Cape Town are outraged over Prasa's proposed retirement apartments development on state-owned land. The 1.1-hectare strip between Main Road and the railway line, which includes the Danger Beach carpark, St James tennis court, historic station master's houses, railway station and old post office, has sparked anger among locals.
They are concerned about the project's potential impact on the environment, traffic, parking, and heritage resources. Community members have joined a WhatsApp group, and a meeting was held to discuss the development threat on 13 November. Intersite Asset Investments, Prasa's property company, has awarded a development lease for the retirement/senior living apartments.
The project is part of a proposed R3.6-billion investment pipeline that includes six sites in the Western Cape. The City of Cape Town has not received any land use application or pre-submission meeting application for the proposed development at St James. The development would need to comply with heritage, environmental, land-use, and fire safety requirements, as well as undergo public participation processes.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
