AN application for rezoning and subdivision of the property on which an exclusive plastic surgery clinic is proposed on the Franschhoek Pass, has been advertised by the Stellenbosch Municipality.

According to the developers of the proposed L'Aubade Mountain Retreat in Franschhoek, the 16-bed plastic surgery clinic and 50-room convalescence section will be geared primarily to the foreign market, offering cosmetic surgery and recuperation services in a single facility.

The proposed development will represent a direct investment of R190 million into the local and regional economy. 

The site that has been identified and purchased by the developers is over 30 hectares in size on the lower slopes of the Middagkrans Mountain on the Franschhoek Pass. Of the total site, approximately 3 hectares will be used for the development of the plastic surgery clinic and convalescence section, together with its related service and amenity areas and infrastructure.

A further 1 ha contains existing buildings such as the bottling plant, stables complex, staff housing, visitor's cottages and related infrastructure. In addition, approximately 2 hectares will be turned into landscaped gardens, using existing vegetation and dams as structuring elements. 

Chittenden Nicks de Villiers (CNdV) was appointed by the developers to manage an integrated environmental planning and management process incorporating EIA and LUPO authorisations. 

The benefit of integrating the environmental planning and design process with the environmental assessment process is that potential impacts can be addressed early on in the process and the design proposal is able to respond and adapt to the concerns highlighted. 

The developers purchased the site for its spacious setting and dramatic view, tranquillity and privacy despite proximity to town centre.

The mineral water content and water bottling plant was an added benefit as it can be used in the hydration of patients and provides an additional income.

"The buildings of the Mountain Retreat aim to sensitively and discreetly 'nestle' into the site to be hidden as far as possible in a forest setting," say the developers. Although the building is stepped to follow the slope, it at no point exceeds 8m or two storeys. 

"The proposed development provides an opportunity to gain substantial socio-economic benefit from a development that will attract discerning 'quality' visitors whose spending per capita is high and broaden the tourism offer the Valley."

Written comments and/or objections must reach the Stellenbosch Municipal Manager by 6 December. For enquiries contact Angelica van der Merwe at the Municipality (808-8255).

THE Paarl "town" farms must not be developed, as they make an important contribution to the character of the town, but their conservation will not come cheap as farmers will have to be compensated for their loss of development rights, according to the draft Paarl Farms Land Use Policy Study commissioned by the provincial administration and Drakenstein Municipality.

According to the consultant, MCA Planners, retention of the farms will only be possible at a price and the Drakenstein community now has to decide what value they place on these farms.

Strong incentives for farming will be required to counter the pressure for development and the success of the proposed policy will to a large extent depend on the willingness of Council to reach binding agreements with farmers that will place them on an equal footing with farmers outside the town.

Farmers are faced by tremendous economic constraints and will have to be assisted in converting to more lucrative wine grapes or other crops to make their farms viable.

Recommendations in the document include:

* Council should offer to purchase the development rights of the farms currently zoned as single residential, based on the difference between the value of the land and the price a developer would pay for the land. In order to finance such payments, Council-owned and provincial land could be sold for development.

* The Council should launch an economic development strategy to assist farmers in making capital improvements to their farms, as well as a targeted tourism strategy aimed at encouraging agricultural tourism.

* Farms should be taxed at the same rate as farms outside the town, electricity should be provided at the lowest possible cost, irrigation water should be available at cost and access should be guaranteed.

* Farmers must have the right to use tractors and spray crops as necessary and Council must co-operate in the control of pests such as fruit flies.

* Farmers may also need funding to ensure the conservation of heritage resources on their farms and should also be encouraged to augment their income with auxiliary uses such as guesthouses and boutique wineries.

* The issue of accommodation of farmworkers should also be addressed, possibly at alternative locations in the urban area. Council must undertake to assist farmers with this process.

* The farms must be proclaimed a special area in terms of the zoning scheme to preserve the integrity of the cultural landscape as a heritage resource in its own right, with conservation guidelines as part of an effective local conservation management system.

* A complete growth management plan must be drawn up as a matter of urgency to promote densification and contain urban sprawl.

* An urban edge must be defined for a set period of ten to fifteen years to prevent valuable agricultural land on the fringe of the town from being developed.

The plan must clearly indicate where the pressure for development in Paarl could be absorbed (which could also lead to reconsideration of the "town" farm policy). Farmers who do not accept the Council's offer of compensation and wish to develop their land will be entitled to do so, but will be faced by an onerous process of which the outcome is uncertain, as it would be in contravention of council policy. Such land application would have to meet with the requirements of the Heritage Resources Act as well as the Subdivision of Agricultural Land Act and the Environment Conservation Act. A heritage impact assessment and environmental impact assessment could be required for each application.

Should the policy not be accepted, the Council would have to deal with the situation on an ad hoc basis again which is likely to lead to wholesale development of the farms over time, according to the study.

Other options are to allow limited residential development adjacent to existing urban areas, or allow limited residential development of a rural nature for the high income market. Comments on the draft policy must reach the Municipality by 8 November. The document is available for viewing at the municipal planning department in Paarl (room 301) and on the website www.mcaplan.co.za. For enquiries, contact Bisschof Bosman on 807-4834 or Lize Malan of MCA Planners on 685-1150 or mcaplan@gem.co.za.

DIE pragtige meenthuis-ontwikkeling Welgevonden in Suider-Paarl, 'n sekuriteitskompleks langs De Oude Renbaan, is besig om vinnig uit te verkoop. Daar is slegs 11 van die 41 eenhede nog beskikbaar.

Die ruim enkelverdiepinghuise met twee of drie slaapkamers verkoop vanaf R452 500 op eie titel en die koopprys sluit oordragkostes en BTW in. Erfgroottes wissel van 350 tot 500 vk meter in grootte.

Die huise spog met puik afwerking insluitend sier-kroonlyste, ruim ingeboude kaste, hoë kwaliteit teëls en krane. Daar kan gekies word uit nege verskillende ontwerpe.

Die badkamers is ruim en spog met baddens sowel as storte in alle gevalle. Alle eenhede het dubbelmotorhuise met elektroniese oopmakers en op elke agterstoep is 'n ingeboude braai.

Volgens die ontwikkelaar, Thinus Pretorius, is Welgevonden seker die mooiste kompleks in die Paarl, met sy netjiese tuine en puik afwerking.

Die huise word bemark deur alleenagent Homenet Caprop. Skakel 872-1487 vir navrae.

* Only 11 units are still available at the exclusive new Welgevonden complex in Suider Paarl.

THE proposed N1 off-ramp at Cecelia Street giving access to the new Paarl Mall has received the nod from the provincial authorities as well as the SA National Roads Agency Ltd (Sanral).

The developers of the mall to be constructed on the old Langeberg site in Cecelia Street, have applied for permission to construct the off-ramp at their own cost.

This will entail closure of the Worcester on-ramp at Main Street as it is closer than 1300 metres to the proposed off-ramp.

According to Johan Bielich of the Spire Property Services Group, both province and Sanral have given in principle approval of the off-ramp, but the final decision rests with Drakenstein Municipality.

The Municipal Council will have to consider approval of the off-ramp, probably next month, in the light of a number of objections which were received during the public participation process.

The shopping centre of about 35 000 square metres including six cinemas is to be built on 15 hectares near Paarl railway station, at a total cost of R220 million.

A number of major national retailers have expressed interest in becoming anchor tentants in the mall, Bielich said this week. This includes a Woolworths branch of 3400 square metres.

The outgoing chairman of Paarl Tourism, Mark Duckitt, has expressed his concern over the proposed construction of the Paarl Mall in Suider Paarl.

Addressing the members at the annual general meeting, Duckitt said: "There is great concern over the construction of this big mall, which will sound the death knell of the Paarl CBD."

DIE De Poort museumdorp wat in Suider-Paarl beoog word, gee vandeesweek 'n tree nader aan die werklikheid sedert die Paarl Post 'n jaar gelede vir die eerste keer daaroor berig het. Hersonering van die grond vir die ontwikkeling van dié dorpie naby Paarlstasie word vandag geadverteer en sal na verwagting binne die volgende paar maande afgehandel word.

De Poort se hooftrekpleister sal die uitbeelding van die wamakersbedryf tussen 1875 tot 1895 wees. Dié bedryf het daardie tyd 'n opbloei in die Paarl beleef om fortuinsoekers na die goud- en diamantvelde te dra. La-ter is die waens ook na die oorlogsfronte toe. Dit is hierdie era van ekonomiese vooruitgang van die vallei wat deur De Poort voorgestel gaan word in 'n aktiewe lewendige museumdorpie.  Die waversameling van die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit is in die bekwame hande van die De Poort-komitee geplaas en sal verskuif word sodra gepaste huisvesting in die erfenisdorpie gebou is, waar dit uitgestal word. Die versameling bly die eiendom van die Munisipaliteit. By hierdie spesiaal-ontwerpte gebou word 'n opelugarena beplan waar die vaardighede van die hanteerders van waens, perde en muile ten toon gestel gaan word aan die publiek.

'n Lid van die De Poort-komitee is reeds hard aan die werk om muile af te rig sodat besoekers ritte kan onderneem op replikas van veerwaens en ander rytuie soos wat deur Domingo, Retief en ander plaaslik gebou is.Tydens beplanning is die behoud van die dennebome op die terrein in gedagte gehou. Gevolglik word die meeste geboue op die rand van die grond geplaas.'n Skool, stadsaal, winkeltjies, tipiese huise en menige ander geskiedkundige voorstellings van die era word beplan vir die aktiewe museumdorpie.

Die winkels wat op die grense beplan word, sal 'n dubble doel dien: na buite sal hulle hedendaagse goedere verkoop, maar aan De Poort se kant moet die winkels, winkelassistente en die ware wat te koop aangebied gaan word, eie wees aan die negentiende eeu. Entrepreneurs kan een of beide bedryf soos hulle dit  verkies.  Om die gebied ten beste te benut, sal parkering op die perseel van Spoornet verskaf word. Dit is in beginsel goedgekeur deur die betrokke owerhede. Sover moontlik is die geboue wat gebou gaan word, eie aan die era en sommiges sal herinner aan ou Paarlse geboue wat gesloop is.

Onder hulle is die ingang in Tabakstraat wat herinner aan die ou Paarl Wyn- en Brandewynmaatskappy, die stadsaal grensend aan Hoofstraat het elemente van die ou stadsaal wat afgebrand het en die ou negosiewinkel van weleer in Stasiestraat is ook herkenbaar. Die projek het die ondersteuning van die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit en Raad en dit is positief ontvang deur die gemeenskap. Dit word gesien as 'n belangrike stimulus vir toerisme in die gebied.

Die loodskomitee van De Poort (almal vrywilligers) het lang ure gespandeer om bande op te bou met 'n wye spektrum van organisasies en instellings sodat die hele poging so verteenwoordigend as moontlik kan wees. Raadslid Herman Bailey, die onderburgemeester, is afgevaardig om namens die Munisipaliteit op die De Poort Raad te dien, met raadslid Johann von Wielligh as secundus. 

'n Lewensvatbaarheidstudie is verlede jaar uitgevoer met fondse bewillig deur die Wes-Kaapse regering. Dit het getoon dat nie net broodnodige direkte werkskepping bevorder sal word nie, maar dat die hele omliggende gebiede finansieel op verskeie maniere kan baat vind by die projek en 'n toename in toeriste.

De Poort word ook beskou as 'n belangrike katalisator om verskillende toerisme-besienswaardighede in die omgewing saam te snoer om toerisme te bevorder: waaronder stoomtreine, Het Gesticht, die Slaweroete, Madiba-huis, die Taalroete en Roete 62. Die twee erwe tussen Turk en Pinestraat (een provinsiaal en die ander munisipaal) gaan saamgevoeg word en sal, na kommentaar deur die algemene publiek, hersoneer word vir spesiale besigheidsregte en toerisme. 

Die Raad het reeds in beginsel die huur van die grond aan De Poort goedgekeur vir 25 jaar met die opsie om te hernu.  Alles dui daarop dat die projek 'n bate vir die Drakenstein-area gaan wees, veral vir die gebied om Paarlstasie waar ou geboue na verwagting opgeknap sal word om in te skakel.  Besoekers aan De Poort sal teruggevoer word na 'n lewendige, aktiewe dorpie eie aan die tydperk van 1875 tot 1895 en getrakteer word op verskeie spesiale ervaringe:

* Werkers in die kompleks gaan in eietydse kostuums geklee wees;

* Orkeste gaan musiek maak soos in vervloë dae;

* Kinders en volwassenes sal kan deelneem en leer van speletjies van ouds;

* Besoekers sal afgeneem word in kostuums van die era;

* Die Kaapse Berede Polisie sal marsjeer en hul passies toon met ou gewere;

* Families sal pieknieks tipies van die era onder die bome kan hou;

* Handvaardighede van die tydperk sal gereeld ten toon gestel word.

* Vir die kooplustiges sal daar unieke eietydse artikels te koop wees.

Vir navrae, skakel Frances Graves by 863-3902 of epos fegraves@mweb.co.za. Kommentaar op die planne moet die Munisipaliteit bereik voor 17 Mei.

* The Municipality has advertised a site in Suider Paarl for rezoning for the purpose of building the proposed De Poort heritage village.

UITSTEKEND GEPRYS: R677 000

Skakel Boland Landmark (021) 871-1020 of Janri Bruwer 082-871-1268

PROPERTY AGENTS

Aida 872-2161 - www.aida.co.za
Alpha 872-4815
Boland Landmark 871-1020 - www.bolandlandmark.co.za
Boland Real Estate 863-2046
Caprop Homenet 872-1487 or www.homenet.co.za
Duvenage & de Villiers 873-3140 or duvenage@intekom.co.za
Era Steer 871-1240
Erica Schell 864-2037
Germacor 873-2269
Joss Eiendomme 872-2007/9 - www.joss.co.za
Newdor 862-5877
Nr 1 Properties 872-1140
Private Seller 872-8600
Pam Golding 871-1480 or www.pamgolding.co.za
Protea Estates 872-6611 or protea-paarl@new.co.za
Remax 863-2046 - www.remax.co.za
Samuel Benans 083-261-9011
Seeff 872-1997 - www.seeff.com
Tony Ward 872-8004
Western Properties 872-0899