Have your say on university at dam
The draft scoping report for a proposed university precinct development at the Garden Route Dam has been made available to the public for comment. This follows the completion of the rezoning of the land - the George Municipality's property - after enquiries from tertiary institutions with regard to the possible establishment of campuses in George.
A campus with a university and/or research institute covering 13,7ha is the main element of the development which will also include a waterfront commercial development (4,7ha), hotel (1,6ha), medium density residential / group housing (5,5ha), apartments / student housing (4,8ha) and single residential (5,8ha) zones.
An area of 67ha (almost 60% of the grounds) will be retained as open spaces and will encompass parks and "natural" spaces.
According to the draft scoping report compiled by Sharples Environmental Services (SES), the plans include a sports oval big enough for a cricket field or athletics track, and additional sports fields with international standard rugby / soccer fields. The residential portions are located on the north-western and south-western boundaries of the site (near the existing surrounding residential area). Student housing is proposed to be placed mostly on the eastern side of the development (towards Saasveld).
Public comment deadlines
Applications for environmental authorisation as well as for a water use licence have been launched. Public comment on the water use licence application must be submitted no later than 19 August, and on the environmental authorisation process no later than 20 July.
Also see SES' reply to Concerned Eden Resident on the letters page.
Proposal 'an outrage'
A resident living on a property overlooking the dam, aired her concern to George Herald and said the development is "an outrage" as it is located right on the city's water source. "I fear for the storm water drainage and sewage that could land in the dam during floods. Our houses will look straight into the housing estate. There will be no privacy. It will become a very noisy neighbourhood because this area is like an amphitheatre - you can hear every single conversation people have walking along the trails here."
‘The development is “an outrage” as it is located right on the city’s water source.’
Water demand
The unhappy resident also questioned water supply capacity with George already enforcing permanent water restrictions. "What will we do if this development and the Sallywood* development go ahead?"
According to the scoping report, the estimated average daily water demand of the development will be 3,06 million litres.
Waste water will gravitate to the existing Glenwood pump station from where it will enter the existing system towards the Outeniqua Waste Water Treatment Works, which is being upgraded to increase capacity. New pump stations will be part of the system that will drain waste water from the proposed development to the Glenwood pump station.
* Sallywood is part of the original Destiny Africa development planned for the space opposite the Garden Route Mall, on the south-eastern side of the N2.