The City has already rezoned the Eastridge property in 2017 for mixed-use development to unlock economic and social value in the area.
 
The National Government previously expressed no interest in the property when consulted by the City on 16 January 2015.
 
However, the National Human Settlements Minister yesterday, 1 Feb 2022, wrote to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis indicating that the HDA had done an assessment on the Eastridge property, among others, and may be prepared to make a formal offer.
 
The City has since responded to indicate that the Eastridge property can be withdrawn from auction on receipt of a formal expression of interest from HDA. After that letter is received, the City will withdraw relevant properties from the auction while the respective officials further engage on the terms of potential sale to HDA.
 
The HDA has further conducted an assessment pertaining to two small adjacent sites of 725m2 each on College Road, Claremont. Both the City and HDA have reached the conclusion that these sites are too small for viable state-subsidised housing developments. The national government expressed no interest in the sites when notified on 1 February 2019. There is also no pending restitution claim in the area for which the sites could be purposed.
 
A further small property in Newlands (1000m2) currently has a 3-bedroom Heritage building on-site, which cannot be demolished, and a portion of the site is below the floodline. Due to these constraints, this small site is not deemed viable nor suitable for state-subsidised housing. The City will await any further correspondence regarding these small sites, which as it stands, are due for auction.
 
Other residential properties on auction are zoned single residential, and are only immediately suitable for individual family homes, of which there is a great demand in Cape Town.
 
Opportunities for real estate acquisition and development underpin so many elements of the city’s economic recovery. Release of land not suitable for municipal purposes is a key means by which the City stimulates the local economy and creates jobs through construction, generating revenue for municipal service delivery at the same time.
 

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