| Illegally stored containers removed from site in Lakeside | Illegally stored containers removed from site in Lakeside | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/City%20news.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <p>The City’s Building Development Management Department confirms that all of the containers which were illegally stored along Main Road in Lakeside have been cleared. The City ensured that Metric Storage Containers, who had been operating an illegal storage facility on this site, cleared all of the remaining containers. Read more below: <br></p> | <p>During mid to late December 2023, Metric Storage Containers started to install shipping containers on a property in Lakeside and leased them out. By 11 January 2024, 120 containers had been set up on the property. The City of Cape Town applied for an urgent interdict after the respondents failed to comply with the Notice that required Metric Storage Containers and the owners of the Riverview Church of Christ to remove the storage containers by 19 January 2024.</p><p>The City took action as the property was zoned Single Residential and could not be used for business purposes.</p><p>The City launched an urgent two-part High Court application against a number of respondents including Metric Storage Containers. According to the Court Order for Part A, dated 12 February 2024, the respondents were interdicted from operating the storage facility, leasing the containers to the public for storage and from entering into any further leasing contracts until all approvals had been obtained. All people who stored their goods on the property had to remove it before 31 March 2024 and complied.</p><p>On 16 May 2024, the City successfully obtained a final order in its favour from the High Court, after engagement with Metric Storage Containers. The Court Order interdicts and restrains the owners and occupiers from using the property as a warehouse or container site, without the necessary approvals and authorisations from the City. They were ordered to remove all the shipping containers, caravans, boats and other vehicles stored at the property by 31 May 2024. Metric Storage Containers was further ordered to pay the costs of the High Court application on an attorney and client costs scale. All containers and materials were removed by this date.</p><p>Metric Storage Containers removed approximately 40 containers by 25 March 2024, after which the remaining containers were removed by 31 May 2024. </p><p>'We hope that this sends a very clear message to all residents and businesses that the City will take all the necessary steps, including instituting High Court proceedings against any person who operates an unauthorised activity or builds illegally without having obtained the necessary land use and building plan approvals. In the event that High Court proceedings are instituted, the person will have to bear the costs of this litigation.</p><p>'Each parcel of land in the City is zoned for a particular use, and there are required processes that need to be followed, including a public participation process, to allow surrounding residents to submit comments where, for example, there are applications for temporary or permanent changes to these zones. The Municipal Planning By Law, 2015 (as amended) does not permit a person to use land, unless the use is in accordance with the zoning or approval has been granted,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.</p><p><strong>End</strong></p> | 2024-06-18T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#40a3fc81-398b-4b43-9ae5-09062453094e;L0|#040a3fc81-398b-4b43-9ae5-09062453094e|planning;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#633591e2-ed41-4816-9750-3d5f5090deda;L0|#0633591e2-ed41-4816-9750-3d5f5090deda|illegal activity;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#b7c7baa8-61c4-4f25-96b8-3bb6a5aba069;L0|#0b7c7baa8-61c4-4f25-96b8-3bb6a5aba069|container site;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
