A look at Cape Town’s new multi-billion rand affordable housing development
The Western Cape government has opened bids for a new multi-billion rand development that will completely change the old Conradie Hospital site in Pinelands, which covers 22 hectares.
The site has been zoned for redevelopment for a number of years, but only managed to make headway towards its goal of providing affordable housing in 2017, when the province was given approval to rezone the area (subject to certain appeals processes).
According to the provincial government’s bid notice, the project is one of seven ‘Game Changers’ for the province, titled the Better Living Model, and proposes the development of the 22 hectare site into an integrated, sustainable, and affordable residentially-led, mixed-use neighbourhood.
The development is expected to be built over the next five to seven years.
The multi-billion rand project – which has carried a reported cost upwards of R6 billion – will be developed through a partnership between the private sector and Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town.
Key to the development is the focus on affordable housing, which is something that is scarce in the notoriously expensive Cape Town property market. The city wants just under half of the units being built to be subsidised housing.
The development will feature:
- Up to 350,000 square metres;
- Phase 1 maximum Floor Space of 128,100 square metres;
- Phase 2 maximum Floor Space 121,000 square metres;
- Maximum of 3,605 Units: 49% subsidised rental and ownership + 51% open market. Grant funded housing must comprise: 70% Social Housing; and maximum of 10% Rent-to-buy with the balance comprising Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP);
- Retail space of ±10,000 square metres;
- Commercial space of ±15,000 square metres;
- The sum of Non-residential Floor Space must be less than 20% of the total;
- Minimum 0.5 parking bays per residential unit, and 4 bays per 100 square metres for retail and office uses. Up to 90% of retail and office bays may be shared with residential.
According to the bid call, the project will be delivered over at least two phases, and must include the infrastructure changes included in the City’s plans.
The bidders have until 21 May to submit their proposals, with the Western Cape government saying it expects to announce the winning bid before the end of 2018.
As part of the process, the government provided a few conceptual designs of what it envisions for the area:
Conradie Hospital site
Concept
Layout
Phase development
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