Specialist studies to address feedback on draft spatial plan for Big Bay

18 March 2026

The City’s Urban Planning and Design Department will be undertaking specialist studies to investigate the concerns raised during the public participation process about the draft Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) for the Big Bay area. The City received over 700 comments during the 60-day commenting period that also included an open day, and an online public information session.

The draft LSDF proposes a development vision for the Big Bay area, inclusive of West Beach and Erf 1117, which is owned by the National Department of Public Works.

The draft LSDF was initiated through a community-led planning process and was reviewed by the City, and workshopped with the Provincial and National Government before it was issued for public participation. The City published the draft LSDF for public comment on 9 October 2025 and the closing date was 12 December 2025.

The draft LSDF addresses the need for coastal protection; extension of the Blaauwberg Nature Reserve to the south; the creation of continuous biodiversity conservation corridors; the improvement of coastal nodes, fynbos trails and walking routes; and includes proposals for vacant and underutilised land, such as Erf 1117.

A total of 721 written submissions were received during the public participation process, and all of these were considered by the Urban Planning and Design (UPD) Department.

• Following the assessment, the UPD Department will now undertake specialist studies to investigate the main concerns raised during the commenting period, among which traffic impact assessments and the requirements of emergency evacuations of those suburbs within the 0 – 16km zones around Koeberg.
• The outcome of these studies will assist the department in finalising the draft LSDF.
• The department will draft responses to the comments that we have received from the public once these studies have been concluded.

‘There has been robust debate around the draft LSDF for Big Bay and surrounds. Earlier today, the officials briefed the local subcouncil on the way forward. Given the concerns raised about the impact that new developments may have on traffic and evacuations in case of an emergency at Koeberg, we will do further investigations to determine the validity of these and how to address it in the LSDF. I want to thank the community and residents for participating in this process, and making their voices heard,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The City wants to reiterate the following:

• The draft LSDF has not been approved, neither has it been finalised. Further investigations will be undertaken in refining the LSDF
• The draft LSDF does not allocate new development rights to any property or land, neither does it remove any development rights from any property or land
• Some residents have raised concerns about urban growth around Koeberg. City departments have regular engagements with Eskom and the National Nuclear Regulator about spatial planning and land use management and urban growth within the 0 – 16km zones around Koeberg
• All development applications are managed through different statutory processes stipulated in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) as environmental impact assessment procedures, as well as through similarly rigorous public consultation processes administered under the Municipal Planning By-Law (MPBL) for land rights adjustment
• Section 158 of the MPBL stipulates the process for land use and development rights applications for developments located within the 0 – 16km nuclear emergency zones around the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant. Eskom and the National Nuclear Regulator are key stakeholders in the NEMA and MPBL statutory processes that prescribe public engagement processes, decision making criteria, and appeal procedures which offer stakeholders the opportunity for input and for decision makers to be held accountable
• Regarding Erf 1117: the draft LSDF proposes approximately 3 600 residential units for Erf 1117. This site belongs to the National Department of Public Works and has always been earmarked for the development of housing opportunities for a wide range of income levels. The draft LSDF proposes some considerations for this large parcel of land, should development be pursued at some point
• It is important to clarify that there is no existing development proposal or application for Erf 1117 at this point in time
• Any future development of Erf 1117 will have to comply with Section 158 of the Municipal Planning By-Law and other items in the by-law that set conditions for infrastructure capacity in the event of an emergency evacuation; thus, development in this zone must be phased in accordance with additional road capacity to facilitate emergency evacuations

Once approved by Council, the City will use the LSDF for guidance when making decisions about development applications and land use in the area and public-led projects and investment.

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office