Companies / Property City of Joburg orders Century to stop building student accommodation BL PREMIUM

Century Property must stop developing a controversial student housing development in Auckland Park, Johannesburg or face the wrath of the law, according to the City of Johannesburg. Director of building development management at the City of Johannesburg Patricia Mazibuko said if the company continued to build, "disregarding the authority, they do so at their own risk" and they should not "cry foul" as they would have been served with legal notices that would "stand up in court". The city said Century was building the 200-bed student housing project on Streatley Avenue without authorised plans, but Century wants the city to provide reasons why its plans were not approved. A group of Auckland Park residents has been trying to halt the development for months, arguing that it is inappropriate for the site and that it is being built without plans approved by the city. They say it will lead to a drop in property values in the suburb.

At the end of May, the city told Century to stop ...