‘Hollywood by the sea’ for Durban’s beachfront
IT’S lights, camera, action for Durban’s R7.5-billion film city — a beachfront project that filmmaker and property developer Anant Singh says he will break ground on early next year.
Singh, who battled all the way to the Constitutional Court over eThekwini Film City, said it would include studios, hotel, residential units and a moviethemed retail development.
It promises to attract Hollywood glamour to the Golden Mile.
Singh presented plans to city officials this week.
The development, on what used to house the Natal Command military base, will be anchored by eThekwini Film Studios and will comprise sound stages and production workshops, studios for live broadcasts, editing suites, a walk of fame and a cinema museum.
“The idea is for the precinct to be interactive for the public. It is going to be a multitude of lifestyle and entertainment. Like Universal City in Hollywood, the idea is for it to be a place where people congregate and where creative communities can be housed. There will be facilities where artists can do their craft and be able to sell it. It will be a creative hub with a film school component.”
eThekwini Film City, Singh said, would be a hub for the film industry and potential home for the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, Durban Film Office and other film industry bodies.
Singh, through his company Rinaldo Investments, the property arm of his Videovision film production company, acquired 20ha of prime beachfront land for R15-million in a controversial deal that was challenged by Pietermaritzburg gaming tycoon Sunny Gayadin.
The challenge resulted in protracted court action, with Singh emerging victorious at the Constitutional Court in 2013.
Singh said this week that he would pay the city up to R100-million on top of the original sales price if he used the land for noncore film studio activities.
“All the reports have said we bought this for R15-million — it is actually not true. That would CONTROVERSY: Anant Singh be put down, but depending on what we put on the site, the price will be adjusted accordingly. It is going to be determined by the land usage and it could be R100-million. I don’t know what the exact number would be.”
DA city councillor Tex Collins said he would be watching the development closely.
“That whole deal was a sweetheart deal from the beginning. He bought a piece of land that was at that time valued at R78-million for R15-million . . . That property is probably worth over R100-million now. We heard development was starting five years ago.”
Singh said the project would be independently funded and built in phases.
“The studios will be the first part and the hotel will be simultaneous. The plan is to have a fair chunk of it ready by the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” said Singh.
He said film producers who had been to Durban were excited.
“Right now they come here, shoot, and go back to Cape Town and do the studio and post-production work. Our intention is to be able to give the producers the ability to do everything here. Cape Town gets about R8-billion a year in film production. Not only will HOLLYWOOD SQUARE: An impression of Studio Square STARS FOR THE STARS: The planned walk of fame the city make money, but there’s also knock-on effects for businesses, restaurants, security, et cetera,” said Singh.
In addition to the studio, hotel and movie-themed shops and restaurants, the development will also give visitors a glimpse of South African history, with reference to Nelson Mandela, Chief Albert Luthuli and Mahatma Gandhi. There will be a replica of Mandela’s Robben Island cell and elements of Luthuli’s Groutville home and the Gandhi Settlement in Phoenix.
South African Property Owners Association KwaZuluNatal chairman Edwin van Niekerk said it was great to see progress on the site.
“It will uplift the area and provide a great alternative to the tourism and business offerings in the area. The film industry is the best way of marketing the city and the spin-off and multiplier effects are enormous,” he said.
Like Universal City in Hollywood, the idea is for it to be a place where people congregate and where creative communities can be housed