The Oude Molen Precinct (OMP) is located within the bigger Two Rivers Urban Park (TRUP) Area. The property is well connected via Alexandra Road to the N2 and M5 to the south, and via Berkley Road and the Black River Parkway to the N1 on the north.
- Visit the official webpage for more information.
Questions, statements, and responses
- What specific plans does the Western Cape Government have for the development of the Oude Molen Precinct in Observatory?
Currently there is no specific plan as the team of built environment specialists are still in the process of investigating development opportunities possible for the property.
- What development is being assessed with the attached notice?
There is no development currently being assessed. The assessment is for the development potential presented by the property, including considering the inputs received from the various key focused stakeholder engagement sessions, previous studies, spatial policies, and legislative frameworks in order to develop proposals for consideration.
- How will the proposed development affect the existing infrastructure and character of the Oude Molen Eco Village?
This will be ascertained through the assessment currently underway; and such assessments will guide the development opportunity of the property to ensure the best possible development potential to serve the needs of the wider communities of the Western Cape.
- Is the proposed development for affordable housing?
The assessment for possible development opportunity is not complete. However, any proposals that are made will be in line with the spatial planning policies of the City of Cape Town, as the property in question is within the Cape Town Metropolitan jurisdiction. The Table Bay Spatial District Plan identifies this property as part of the Two Rivers Urban Park Surrounds/ Salt River/ Observatory/Maitland Garden Village New Development Areas (9) to “Support redevelopment of state-owned land at Oude Molen for mixed use development including residential particular around the Pinelands Station.” As such the assessments includes various housing opportunities.
If so, what measures will be taken to ensure that the development does not overwhelm the existing community and infrastructure?
As part of the assessment, the team will investigate all informants which include legislative and policy frameworks, constraints, and opportunities as well as the inputs from all registered and affected parties. Any adverse impact highlighted through the assessment stage will be addressed by applicable mitigation measures.
- Can you provide details on the assessment process being conducted by the Western Cape Government regarding this development?
The assessment is done in accordance with the National Heritage Resources Act and the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) 16 of 2013 as well as the City of Cape Town Land Use Management; and in pursuit of the 5 principles of SPLUMA being: Spatial Justice, Spatial Sustainability, Efficiency, Spatial Resilience, and Good Administration.
- How will the proposed development impact the jobs, food security, and youth development initiatives currently provided by the Oude Molen Eco Village?
The property is currently zoned Utility Zone, a zoning category which does not allow for any of the activities currently taking place in Oude Molen. The process currently underway is geared towards regularizing this through a rezoning process. Furthermore, the community in Oude Molen comprise of tenants with lease agreements who have been engaged with and are aware of the process the DoI has undertaken.
The investigations and assessments underway will consider the role of the site within the broader contextual location and use the various informants to develop a balanced approach to any future development proposals.
- What consultations have taken place with the local, neighbouring, and outlying communities regarding this development project?
In 2021 the Department of Infrastructure (then Department of Transport and Public Works) convened various public engagement sessions as the initial stage of visioning where the public was presented with the status quo of the property and were asked to make inputs on their history and connection with the property as well as their aspirations for the property.
- Are there plans in place to address any potential concerns or objections raised by the existing community regarding the development?
The public will have an opportunity to comment first to the Heritage Impact Assessment report once it is submitted to and published for comment by Heritage Western Cape. The second opportunity to comment will be once a land use management application has been submitted to and published by the City of Cape Town for public comment.
- How will the Western Cape Government ensure that the development maintains the vibrancy and diversity of the Oude Molen Eco Village?
The assessment underway and directives from mandated authorities in line with the policy and legislative frameworks they administer will inform and guide proposals made for any future development of the property.
- Can you provide information on the timeline for the development project and any potential milestones?
There is no development currently; the process is still at planning or enablement phase where various studies are being undertaken. The next key milestones include submission of the draft Heritage Impact Assessment report to Heritage Western Cape which will be followed by the legislated public participation in line with the National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999; then a submission of the land use management application to the City of Cape Town which will be followed by the related legislated public participation process.
- What steps will be taken to mitigate any potential negative impacts of the development on the surrounding environment and ecology?
The studies currently being undertaken will consider all available studies and assessments done previously, highlight any existing site-specific sensitivities, and propose any mitigation measures for implementation. This will be complemented by directives from mandated authorities where any of the National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999 (NHRA) or National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) listed activities may be triggered.
- The property is being sold:
The Department and professional team is currently investigating and assessing the enablement of the property, which includes baseline investigations and assessments and will result in an application to the relevant authorities for development rights. The process will not address any future disposal mechanism. If the property were to be disposed, the applicable legislation in this regard will be adhered to.
- Previous public participation vs. the registration process
- How does this public participation relate to the 2021 engagements?
- Is this completely different?
- Will the same specialists be involved? The notice indicates a service consultant will “resume with site enablement investigations and assessments and undertake the required statutory processes…”
- The Project has been ongoing and the inputs from the engagement sessions held in 2021 have been considered.
The recent Notice inviting interested and affected parties to register and update their details on the project database was necessitated by the time that has passed since the last engagements with the public.
The inputs shared to date, including the comments received from various stakeholders remain relevant and have been considered during subsequent investigations and assessments.
The reference to “resume with site enablement investigations and assessments and undertake the required statutory processes…” statement in the Notice was to confirm that the enablement work is continuing, it is not a new process being started from scratch. The professional team comprises of new consultants as well as professionals that have previously engaged with the public. This professional team will assist the Department to take the Project into the statutory application processes.
- Previous studies and their status within this process
The Oude Molen Precinct falls within the bigger Two Rivers Area and is one of the implementation projects that resulted from the memorandum of understanding between the City and WCG as it relates to the policy planning of this Area, viz. the Two Rivers Local Spatial Development Framework (2023). All previous studies and assessments have been considered from the start of the enablement investigations for Oude Molen and the development proposals to be released for public consideration and comments will align with the Two Rivers LSDF (2023), Table Bay Integrated Spatial Development Framework / District Spatial Plan (2023), and Cape Town Municipal Spatial Development Framework (CTMSDF) (2022) and other relevant Provincial and National legislative frameworks including the National Heritage Resources Act 25, 1999.
- Tenants on the site - consideration in future development plans
In 2022, the Department of Infrastructure (DOI, then DTPW)’s Immovable Asset Management unit assisted by its property management agent, MusterProp entered into lease agreements with the tenants. The lease period is for three (3) years with an option to renew. The lease agreements include termination conditions in the event the Department secures development rights and proceeds with development.
- Prioritizing Maitland Garden Village residents for future housing opportunities
During the preliminary engagements, the Professional Team and DoI were asked a similar question and responded that the mandate of this process is to investigate and determine the most appropriate land use mix for this Precinct aimed at potential future development proposals and securing the appropriate development rights to ensure better management of the Property and potential future development.
Any future housing stock forming part of the development; in the form of tenancy, occupation, or disposal, will be managed by the appropriate authority via the relevant policies, legislative frameworks, criteria, and processes.
- Retain the open space / rural / farm ‘feel’ and ‘elements’
Oude Molen is not a ‘farm.’ The property is within a built urban context. Any development proposals will carefully consider the interface between Oude Molen and the Black River Corridor, a property under the custodianship of the City of Cape Town. This will be done to mitigate any potential negative impact; and appropriate open spaces will be included within the redevelopment portions of the OMP site.
- Contribution to various communities
The Department and professional team is aware of the role that the Oude Molen property plays to the wider Western Cape communities; and it is the responsibility of the WCG to ensure that any development proposals address its mandate to serve the needs of the communities of the Western Cape.
The various social, economic and employment contributions that the current function and uses on-site present to the bigger communities have been noted as raised in the 2021 engagements and more recently; and they will form part of the considerations and assessments when preparing development proposals for the site.
- Impact of development on biodiversity and ecology
The Oude Molen site comprises the built area adjacent to Alexandra Road. It does not include the wider open space between the built area and the Black
River which is zoned open space and owned by the City of Cape Town. The Site is not a declared conservation worthy area, and it is within a built urban context.
There are no environmental triggers and sensitivities on Oude Molen as confirmed by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in 2022.
The site has been transformed and therefore no endangered vegetation species are found on-site.
Any development proposals will carefully consider the interface between Oude Molen and the Black River Corridor to mitigate any potential negative impacts; and appropriate open spaces will be included in the redevelopment portions of the Oude Molen site. Policy and legislative prescripts will be adhered to; and mitigation measures will be proposed, where appropriate and applicable. In reference to possible wildlife on the Site such as the Western Leopard Toad, relevant mitigation design measures will be considered in this regard, as appropriate.
- Custodian / property management matters
It was noted that “the precinct of Oude Molen Eco Village was given by the family who owned Oude Molen Eco Village Pinelands to the Province to act as Custodian. Where did province get the authority to sell the ground, the same illegal authority used to sell The Liesbeeck park to Amozon and we are not stopping the fight we are going to as soon as tractors come in we are going to call in our Afrikan kings, queens and chiefs to assist us.”
The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) is the custodian of the property. This matter was raised in the previous consultation process and responded to where the DoI indicated that it is not the intention of this planning process or the proposed development to “sell and remove heritage.” Heritage resources and related matters will be managed as prescribed by the respective legislation primarily the National Heritage Resources Act.
- Conflating the City Urban Mobility proposed road infrastructure upgrades in the area with future development of Oude Molen – Cape Talk interview
The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Department recently (22 March 2024, closing on 30 April 2024) published a notice calling for public comment on the proposed road infrastructure upgrades within the vicinity of the Oude Molen Precinct site, that being the dualling of Berkley Road into the double carriageway between the M5 and Ndebeni/Ryger Streets and realignment of Alexandra Road through the Maitland Abattoir.
The DoI became aware of an interview of the Radio Station with the co-chair of the Oude Molen Eco-village Tenants Association, published on 02 April 2024 that seems to have conflated the two matters. The Notices from DoI and from the City of Cape Town are two different Notices that deal with different issues and are managed by the respective organs of state. The City’s proposed road infrastructure upgrades in the area are linked to their future planning and was not triggered by any development proposals on Oude Molen as no such plans exist.
The Department has been consistent that no development plans currently exist for Oude Molen and the reference made that a proposal was presented during the 2021 engagements and that this has since been sidelined is factually incorrect.
The Notice released by the Department of Infrastructure was to invite interested and affected parties to register or update their contact details on the project database for future communications, it was not linked to any public comment, or documents for comments, or any statutory application process.
The current process is for enablement and planning to secure development rights to a) regularize the current zoning and status quo and b) enable potential future development. The DOI process currently underway will not address potential disposal or end users of the site, these processes will follow the related legislative requirements and public participation if and when required.
The heritage building being referred to is known as and referred to as the old Homestead complex or Miller’s House, and it is a protected heritage resource and asset. The Department is aware of the current dilapidated status and has activated the required processes to protect and save this resource by securing the required budget and procuring the relevant professionals and specialists to undertake the required investigations and assessments and apply for the relevant permits from Heritage Western Cape. This workstream is driven by the custodian representatives, Chief Directorate: Immovable Asset Management and Chief Directorate: General Infrastructure. This work is planned to restore the collapsed wall and other minor works required to secure the building from further deterioration and collapse. The building will be retained in any future proposals due to its heritage grading and it is seen as an important informant.