Blue lagoon set for Blue Bull country

PRETORIA is about to become a coastal city – well almost.

The Jacaranda City has shrugged off its conservative image and is increasingly regarded as a trendy place to live, attracting retirees as well as young professionals and families.

Its Eastern suburbs are in demand with investors, and that is where the first Crystal Lagoon in Sub-Saharan Africa will be built.

Water innovation company Crystal Lagoons has partnered with Balwin Properties to build and operate South Africa’s first Crystal Lagoon, where thousands of homes will have access to a “beach”.

Balwin Properties’s new R4.2 billion residential development, The Blyde in Pretoria East, will feature a lagoon for swimming, kayaking, paddle-boarding and sailing.

It will become one of more than 600 Crystal Lagoons projects – in different stages of development – in over 60 countries.

“At 1.5 hectares (an equivalent to just over two rugby fields), the Crystal Lagoon will be a key selling point to the development, and be the first lagoon to feature our game-changing technology and unique concept in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Alastair Sinclair, regional director for Africa at Crystal Lagoons.

Steve Brookes, chief executive of Balwin Properties, added: “We foresee this as the first of at least six lagoons in South Africa combined with the Balwin brand.”