Work has started on the reconfiguration of the Green Point Common into the urban park and sports precinct that will surround the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ stadium.

The R113 million contract for the project has been awarded to engineering and construction company Martin & East.

The contract officially began on 12 January 2009, and is scheduled for completion in early March 2010.

According to Francois van Niekerk, project co-ordinator: Technical, the contractor will be involved in every aspect of the reconfiguration of the Common, including the golf course and sports fields.

The City has budgeted R120 million for project, while another R30 million has been set aside for the beachfront and promenade upgrade.

The vision for the urban park is to create a quality multi-purpose open space and sports complex that will accommodate a range of sports codes and sporting facilities. It will also cater for limited informal trading and a range of other recreational pursuits for inner city residents.

The sporting codes include soccer, golf, athletics, rugby, cricket, tennis and bowls.
The urban park is seen as a public amenity of metropolitan significance and a space for intercultural social integration – serving the broader Cape Town community now and in the future.

Work on the reconfiguration of the common was delayed after the former Western Cape MEC for Environment, Planning and Economic Development, Tasneem Essop, ordered certain changes to the final architectural and landscaping design plans that were originally submitted on 6 July 2007.

These included accommodating the needs of the physically challenged, safety measures, natural boundaries around the golf course to maintain the green nature of the precinct, and an appropriate fencing and parking plan. Operational aspects included parking, traffic calming measures, and energy and water efficiency.

These conditions were met, and the MEC duly issued her Record of Decision on 1 July 2008. The City then proceeded with the tender process, which was awarded in December 2008.
The new stadium operator, a consortium of Stade de France and local sports marketing company SAIL Group, will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the urban park and sports precinct on the common.

Essop also stated that the operator must have an urban park operational management plan that is mindful of the surrounding community, and is based on the premise that the area is for the use of all citizens of Cape Town. This includes a permitting system to accommodate the different sporting codes and other uses.