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Thursday 4 July 2002 |
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This site will be updated on: 11 July 2002 at 17:00 |
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CONSTRUCTION of the R1,3 billion golf estate Pearl Valley along the Wemmershoek Road near Paarl is on schedule and half of the 18 fairways will be ready for play in August. Construction workers and earthmovers are as busy as bees on the site, while landscaping of the course is also forging ahead at high speed to ensure completion by the end of the year. The first round of golf should be played on the back nine by August. Construction of the infrastructure for the first phase of 194 erven will be completed by September, when the first showhouse should also open for viewing. The golf estate, with a course designed by American golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, is being constructed next to the Berg River on the site of the former Safariland game park. It will be only the second Jack Nicklaus signature golf course in Africa, situated 8 km from Paarl, with direct access to the R303 via a new entrance road. The initial one-off tag for a Nicklaus signature course is $2,5 million, ensuring Nicklaus's personal design of the course and his intimate involvement in the layout and finish of the course. The developer is Novelway, backed by Malaysian Resources Corporation (RCB), one of the biggest conglomerates in Malaysia. The development over 170 hectares will comprise a residential estate of 500 units including 320 homes and 180 executive "lock-up and go" lodges, as well as an upmarket hotel and spa. The first phase of low density residential units includes 67 homes and 127 lodges. All units face either fairways, greens or water features and 34 have already been sold. Prices for the lodge erven (500 to 1000 m²) range from R600 000 to R1,2 million per erf while larger residential erven (1000 to 1900 m²) sell for between R650 000 and R1,7 million. All property prices include membership. Membership is limited to residents, their guests and paying guests of the hotel. The estate will also boast a driving range, clubhouse, business centre, restaurant, health and beauty spa, swimming pool, gymnasium and sauna, floodlit tennis courts, a lake for water sports and sports trails. The sandy soil is being landscaped into fast, soft-moving greens of cool season grasses like Kentucky Blue. Stands of pine trees line the fairways, but indigenous vegetation has been added to integrate with the residential complexes. During one of his visits Nicklaus explained that he wanted "a golf course that looks as if it should be there." "It will be hard from the back, user-friendly but challenging, with distance. "The average golfer is not getting better, so I give them what I like, fairways with bunkers cut into them, not shaggy rough." With 17 hectares of lakes, the 170 hectare estate will offer more water coverage than any other golf residential estate in the country. These lakes will contain permanent running water and will be stocked with indigenous fish species. "With over R50 million being spent on landscaping and the average plot size larger than the norm associated with other golf estates, Pearl Valley is expected to be a South African benchmark for golf estates," says Tahir Salie, executive director of the development. The estate is surrounded by an electrified fence with sensors, monitored by 24-hour security in a security centre at the gate. The project has also triggered the construction of a new water reservoir and sewage plant by the District Council, which will be partially funded by the developer. The civil contractor installing the internal services is Power Construction, with Rea as subcontractor. The greens are being developed by Golf Data.Purchasers are required to complete construction of a dwelling within two years after transfer and it must comply with the architectural and landscape design guidelines. Only preselected and accredited building contractors may be used to build homes on the estate. For more information, phone 867-0442 or visit www.pearlvalley.co.za. |
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The new centre is to be developed on a section of the Langeberg factory proper- ty in Cecelia Street. To improve access to the centre, a new off-ramp is being planned at the Cecelia Street bridge. |
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One of those affected, Fritz Smit, lives at the junction of Nuwe Vlei and Cecelia Street, where the off-ramp is to be constructed. When approached for comment on Smit's problem with access, Colin Tichauer of BKS consulting transport engineers said that the matter "would be sorted out." Property owners in Nuwe Vlei Street were unhappy with the noise that would be generated by traffic using the off-ramp. "The possibility of an off-ramp on our doorstep was never even mentioned as part of the project when we were approached for approval three years ago," said Hannes Wagener. An on-ramp on the New Eskdale Street side of the Cecelia Street bridge will take traffic destined for Cape Town back onto the N1, cutting down on traffic at the Main Road/N1 intersection. The on-ramp for traffic to Worcester at Main Street will be closed and traffic from Worcester destined for the mall will have to take the off-ramp at Jan van Riebeeck Drive, travelling via Arboretum Street. The changes to Paarl's road network will be funded by the developer of the mall and are expected to relieve traffic congestion on Main Street South. The shopping centre of 33 000 square metres on 15 hectares near Paarl station is to be developed on a scale similar to the first phase of the Somerset Mall and is set to open at the end of next year. It represents an investment of R220 million and will include six cinemas and a tourist wine centre. Although retailers have expressed great interest in renting space in the centre, fears have also been expressed that the new development would ring the death knell of the Lady Grey Street shopping area in central Paarl, as has happened in Somerset West since construction of Somerset Mall. Says local architect Christoff Albertyn, "I don't know whether Paarl can afford this mall. It will not really generate new business, but simply move the business out of Lady Grey Street to the mall. "I believe the implications of a regional shopping mall based on the Somerset Mall concept was not thorougly considered by the town council." Consultant town planner Jan Hanekom, who is heading plans to redevelop the Lady Grey Street area into a covered pedestrian mall in conjunction with property owners, also expressed serious concern. "If the mall is built, property owners in the CBD will be reluctant to invest more money there. "In addition, the current plans for the mall do not reflect the original intent of the applicant when they applied for rezoning." CBD landowner Dennis Minitzer has spent a number of years consulting with owners and retailers to join in the Lady Grey Mall project, which would include extensive upgrading of properties. "The landowners in Lady Grey Street are all keen to upgrade their properties and the Municipality needs to fast-track this process. This will be good for the landlords and for Paarl, for deterioration of the CBD will mean lower values and rates to the municipal coffers. "But Paarl can't sustain two centres. Upgrading Lady Grey Street, which already has 80 000 square metres available, can be done at a fraction of the cost of the new centre with high rentals. "Any major development in Paarl should rather enhance the existing historical nodes." But one retailer in Lady Grey Street can't wait for the mall: "The CBD is a mess because the Town Council has allowed it to deteriorate. "It is flooded by hawkers and my clients complain that they can't find parking nearby. If the mall comes, I won't have a choice. I will have to move there." According to the developer of the centre, Pat Flanagan of Flanagan & Gerrard, the new centre serves a totally different market from Lady Grey Street, and will bring back the upmarket retail spend that is currently leaving Paarl. "It will create a number of new jobs and be a great boost for the town and surrounding district." Sharon de Gois, chief municipal planner, considers the centre as a welcome addition which could lead to upgrading of a neglected area within the existing urban area, including the Paarl railway station area, without encroaching on valuable agricultural land. * Comments on the traffic proposals should be directed to Doug Jeffery Environmental Consultants at PO Box 44, Klapmuts 7625 or e-mail dougjeff@iafrica.com. For enquiries, phone 875-5272. |
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'n GROEP van 25 derdejaar-argitektuurstudente van die Universiteit Port Elizabeth onder leiding van prof Albrecht Herholdt het onlangs op uitnodiging Wellington besoek. Die inisiatief hiervoor het ontstaan uit die Ontwikkelingskomitee van die Toerismeburo. Charl Tomlinson en sy komitee het die noodsaaklikheid van 'n holistiese benadering tot die opgradering van die dorp uit 'n toerisme-oogpunt besef en die hulp van hierdie groep van Port Elizabeth ingeroep. Op hulle beurt het die Universiteit dit as 'n gulde geleentheid aangegryp om die projek as 'n geïntegreerde deel van hulle kurrikulum te gebruik. Herholdt se opdrag aan die studente was om onder andere 24 historiese huise of geboue op te meet en dorpstudies van Bain-, Kerk-, Hoof-, Voor-, Hoog- en Jan van Riebeeckstraat te doen. Verskeie stedelike ontwerpprobleme en oplossings is geïdentifiseer en opgemete tekeninge is gemaak van die mees prominente geboue in die dorp wat gebruik kan word vir promosie-aksies. Verdere aanbevelings oor die ingange na Wellington behoort aandag te geniet, lui die verslag, en daar moet beter beheer oor aanbouings en advertensietekens in die hoof- en ander strate wees om onder andere die straatbeeld te verbeter. Daar is ook 'n stadsontwerpvoorstel gemaak vir die dorpskern om die samehang van die belangrike historiese en ander geboue te verbeter, aangesien dit verskeie aantreklike geboue bevat wat nie tot hulle reg kom nie. |
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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. |
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A LARGE scale plan to develop part of Lady Grey Street as an enclosed predestrian shopping mall, has been proposed to the Drakenstein Town Council. The scheme is based on the premise that Paarl's Central business district is currently underutilised but viable, and needs to be repackaged as a modern shopping mall. According to planning consultant Jan Hanekom, property owners in Lady Grey Street are enthusiastic about the proposal, based on the closure of Lady Grey Street and construction of a double storey parking garage covering the street between Main Street and Verster Street. This will allow the redevelopment of ground level shop fronts in Lady Grey Street. An additional 5000 square metres of lettable space would be created. Ramps leading to the overhead parking area could be situated in Fabriek and Derksen Street, while atriums and openings between the overhead parking and shopfronts would admit daylight. "We need to give consumers a total shopping experience, so that we can bring them back to Paarl. Consumers want to shop where there is climate control, access control and ample parking," says Hanekom. "The lower section of Lady Grey Street, although not covered, should also be closed to traffic and redeveloped as a St George's Street type open walkway, with stands for informal traders. This could lead to a general upgrading of the area and its architecture, revitalising the Paarl CBD. And if one includes the Wamakersplein Centre (Pick 'n Pay) it becomes a sizeable mall of 30 000 square metres." "We have a large number of property owners and consultants on board, but need an undertaking from the Municipal Council that they would allow such a development." According to the municipal manager, Jacques Carstens, the Council is positive about the project. "However, closure of Lady Grey Street cannot be considered before a study has been done on the impact of the proposal on traffic, informal trade, parking and taxis. A business and development plan should also be submitted and the issue of public competition for the development must be addressed." |
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Kom vergewis uself van hierdie puik waarde vir geld. Die nuutgeboude 3-slpk.woning het 'n mooi uitsig en vloei vanuit sit/eetkamer na groot grasperk. 'n Bonus is die dubbelmotorhuis en stil straat waarin hierdie woning geleë is. Kom maak die woning joune! SKAKEL AGENTE BY ERA PAARL (021) 871-1240 ELFRIEDE 082-778-8011 TITTIE 083-306-8575 ANNEKE 083-461-8656 ALOMA 082-829-5516 ANNALENA 082-951-1414 |
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PROPERTY AGENTS
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SERIOUS concerns about the effect the proposed new Paarl Mall could have on the town centre, have been expressed by local business people.