R5bn River Club redevelopment comes to an end after tribunal ruling

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Cape Town - An eight-year fight to halt a R5 billion development has come to an end, after the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s independent tribunal dismissed an application to lift a provisional heritage protection for the Two Rivers Urban Park, in Observatory. At the heart of the dismissal is a redevelopment of the River Club that is opposed by groups concerned about the heritage of the Liesbeek River and surrounds. The appeals were lodged last year by the City, the Department of Transport and Public Works, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, and the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust. Last year, at a special council meeting of Heritage Western Cape, a decision to withdraw the area’s protection status was recommended, but rejected. In it’s ruling the tribunal said: “This appeal tribunal finds that the area and resource require provisional protection, and that this will facilitate a better understanding of the heritage issues.” The tribunal states there is growing tension between Heritage Western Cape and the appellants, which are the Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust, the department of environment affairs and development planning, the department of transport and public works and the City, which found a lack of cooperative governance - as well as tensions involving traditionally sensitive issues.

“There is merit in pursuing a structured and formal mediation of the disputes, which will only continue to bedevil and hamstring heritage conservation and sustainable development, if left unresolved,” it stated.

The Two Rivers Urban Park is at the confluence of the Black and Liesbeek rivers, close to the city centre. Because of its environment and history, the area has become ideal for a development to enhance job creation.

The Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust, which owns most of the land on which the conference facilities and golf courses are situated, plans to redevelop five hectares of the site, while the remaining 10 hectares will be landscaped and rehabilitated for recreational use, or for service infrastructure, such as roads and parking.

Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust said they were disappointed with the outcome of the tribunal.

“It is disappointing that the Tribunal appears to have ignored consultation and engagement processes between the First Nations Collective and the River Club owners. This process has resulted in a social compact that records a number of fundamental elements incorporated into the redevelopment proposal, including establishing a Cultural, Heritage and Media centre on site. This will commemorate and celebrate the First Nations history and futures. The details of the engagements and the social compact were presented during the Tribunal hearings, and have also been ignored,” it said. The Trust is now awaiting the Department of Environmental Affairs and Planning to consider its final Basic Assessment Report (BAR),

Chairperson of the Observatory Civic Association Leslie London said: “We hope the developer recognises the need for independent heritage grading of the area. He should not push ahead with the development, which has been his pattern to date.”

Goringhaicona Khoena Council supreme high commissioner Tauriq Jenkins said: “The developer ought to understand that our heritage cannot be sold nor can it be bought. This is a precinct of immense historical significance to our country and the world.”

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