Mayco backs Lansdowne, Ottery land release for affordable housing development
03 October 2024
Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee has given the go ahead for land release for affordable housing development in Lansdowne and Ottery following public participation. These properties are set to be released via an open, competitive tendering process pending City Council authorisation later this month.
The land has a potential yield of over 680 social housing units across the Ottery and Lansdowne sites, both of which are currently vacant and unutilised.
The Ottery land is located near the key arterial route of Ottery Road, bordering Enslin, Crescent and Sauer Roads. The 1,6ha site has the potential for 375 social housing units in a two to four storey development.
The Lansdowne land is on the corner of Smuts and Ruby Roads near Imam Haroun Road. The 1,4ha site has potential for 308 social housing units in four storeys.
'Hundreds more families are set to benefit as our priority programme for well-located affordable housing land release continues its momentum with these Lansdowne and Ottery sites. In the first two years of our programme, we have already released sites with a yield of over 4 200 affordable units, including in Cape Town's inner city and other well-located economic nodes,' said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
Social housing offers safe quality living environments, giving dignified housing opportunities to economically active households able to pay rent to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the properties.
To help developers viably maximise affordable housing yield, new City guidelines will be used to discount the land sale price. The land has an estimated market value of R56m across the Ottery and Lansdowne sites.
The sale of these properties will also include a clause to ensure the land is used for affordable housing by allowing the properties to revert back to City ownership if this objective is not met.
Besides the legislated public participation period, open days were held on 24 and 31 August 2024 to share information on the land disposal process, the proposed development of the properties, and the City's affordable housing programme.
These sessions were also instrumental in obtaining input from residents, which will be factored into the development planning process.
To prepare for land release, the parcels will undergo a rezoning process, and the public place status of portions of the sites will be closed where applicable to accommodate the social housing development.
Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements Councillor Carl Pophaim said that the City's affordable housing pipeline includes land parcels expected to deliver over 12 000 residential opportunities across the metro.
'We look forward to enabling many more affordable housing opportunities. These have proven to be a game changer for the thousands of families already tenanted at various well-located developments around the metro, including Maitland Mews in the inner city, Bothasig Gardens, Goodwood Station, and the Western Cape Government's Conradie Park development in Pinelands,' said Councillor Pophaim.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
