NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                  7 June 2002

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN WINGFIELD NAVAL BASE DEVELOPMENT STARTS THIS MONTH

The development of a vast tract of vacant land at Wingfield Naval Base in Goodwood comes a step closer in June with the start of the public participation process.

Some 54,8 hectares of land are earmarked for resettlement by displaced families, and the development of another area of about 45 hectares will depend on a proposal call that will have to be compatible with the Wingfield Spatial Development Framework.

Councillor Brian Watkyns, the City of Cape Town’s Executive Councillor for Planning and the Environment, says the target date of March 2003 for the occupation of the land by the claimants is unlikely to be met, although the City supports the resettlement and three planning studies are on track.

“We are keen to move the process along as fast as possible, but there are complex negotiations between the City, the SANDF, the Commissioner for Land Claims and the Department of Public Works,” he said.

He said the City was waiting for the Land Claims Commissioner to set up a meeting he had promised some time ago, to arrange between the commission, the claimants, civic organisations and councillors to discuss settlement of the claim.

Three studies are being undertaken concurrently by the Council and it is expected that a draft Wingfield Contextual and Spatial Development Framework  will be in place by July 2002 to guide development of the greater Wingfield site.

One of the studies concerns the extension of Frans Conradie Drive from Vanguard Drive to Sable Road at Century City. The extension will cut across Wingfield and is essential for access to future development on the site. 

“The main development constraint at Wingfield is the lack of bulk infrastructure,” said Councillor Watkyns. “There will have to be a full investigation into the services required and how much they will cost.”

Notices on the public participation process will be published in the press.

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