Construction of the main structure of the new 2010 Green Point Stadium will soon get under way and rise above ground level, after the City of Cape Town approved the revised final building plans for the stadium.

The excavation of the site is complete and most of the foundations have been poured. This was done under provisional building plan authorisation. But as the final stadium design was altered in order to make it more cost efficient, new building plans were needed.

These revised building plans were made available for inspection and public comment during May and June 2007. This period has now ended, and comments from members of the public who inspected the plans have been submitted.

“The City followed this route to make sure it remained legally compliant as the construction progressed. We have stayed within these authorisations at all times,” Mayor Helen Zille told a special Council meeting.

Council approved the revised plans after the mayoral committee set aside the objections which arose from the public comment period.

These included objections about the size and height of the stadium, which were rejected as the stadium has been reduced in size, as well as objections relating to the aesthetics of the stadium, which was found to be subjective and could apply to any stadium. Two independent property valuation reports found that property prices would not be negatively affected, and in fact, the regeneration of the Green Point Common would have a positive impact on property prices in the area.

The approval also follows the completion of wind tunnel tests, the rezoning of Fritz Sonnenberg Road, and obtaining environmental authorisation for the project.

Zille also said the City is assessing three tenders which were received for the long-term operator of the stadium post-2010.

This operator will be responsible for maintaining the stadium as well as the sport and recreation park on the reconfigured Green Point Common.

Although the 2010 Local Organising Committee has recommended Johannesburg as the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup International Broadcast Centre (IBC), Zille said that Cape Town is already experiencing a steady flow of international journalists, and this will increase after the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “They are showcasing our beautiful and unique city. Cape Town will be a world star alongside the soccer players, without question,” she said.