Approval for petrol station
Metro agrees to rezoning of farming land
APROPOSED petrol station development on the N2 Fort Jackson offramp near Mdantsane has received the nod from Buffalo City Metro after council approved the rezoning of farming land for business purposes recently.
The application for the rezoning, which was submitted to BCM in 2015, was finally approved in the council meeting last month.
However, there are conditions which the applicant can appeal at the East London High Court within 21 days.
BCM head of spatial planning and development, Nonceba Mbali-Majeng, told the council that the petrol station would be located on a farm along the N2 Fort Jackson off-ramp, which is currently being used for residential and smallholding purposes and for the sale of sheep and goats.
“Portion 4 of farm 298 is currently zoned for agricultural purposes in terms of the Buffalo City zoning scheme and measures about 9 096 square metres in extent.
“There are no restrictive conditions registered against the title of the property that would prohibit the use of the property as a filling station,” said Mbali-Majeng in her report tabled before the council.
The application was prepared and submitted by Ingcambu Development Planners and Associates on behalf of the registered property owner’s 2KS Construction and Projects CC.
Former town planner for Ingcambu Development Planners and Associates, Phiwe Mhlola, who submitted the rezoning application to BCM in 2015 on behalf of the owners, told the Daily Dispatch yesterday: “The owners were in talks with Shell, Engen and also the new international brand Puma Energy looking for a franchise.
“They wanted to secure the land first for the development and to close the gap they saw on the road, as there are numbers of cars that travel on that road.”
The plans include a filling station consisting of a convenient store and office for bus ticket sales, the council heard.
No objections were received from BCM’s electricity department. The sanitation department recorded no objection to the proposal subject to “the approval for the use of septic tanks being obtained from the BCM integrated environmental unit and city health department and the approval of the use of septic tanks being obtained from the Department of Water and Sanitation as well as the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs”.
The applicant will need to submit a storm-water management plan for the property, designed by a registered professional engineer to BCM for approval before building plan approval.
A detailed feasibility study report to confirm the capacity of the water supply system, to provide for both the fire flow and domestic or retail water demand under peak demand conditions has been requested.
“The proposed development will cater for the diverse needs of the passing traffic by providing a onestop station where visitors and tourists can stop, refill and board at greater convenience and especially for the Mdantsane, Potsdam and Newlands areas,” said MbaliMajeng.
The applicant has two years to act on the approval, otherwise the resolution will lapse, the council agreed. —