Slow pace in creating heritage zone

THE BO Kaap Ratepayers and Civic Association has been battling property developers, claiming the area’s heritage is at risk of gentrification for several years.

But the civic association has had a meek bite to its bark as it has been unable to enforce heritage protection. It has lobbied the City of Cape Town to assist.

To this end, city officials have proposed to implement a heritage protection overlay zone.

Weekend Argus reported on the city’s plans for this conservation management measure in November 2015.

At the time, the city said the zone would essentially provide a management plan for protecting the Bo Kaap’s historical buildings. Bo Kaap homes and mosques date back to the Cape’s colonial period.

However Weekend Argus this week questioned the city on the zone’s progress and found the process is moving at a slow pace.

Councillor Brett Herron, the city’s mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, repeated the same words the city issued as comment in 2015.

“Work has started on a conservation management plan for Bo Kaap to provide a shared common vision for the future management of the heritage of the Bo Kaap,” said Herron.

“Further action on the zone will follow after the adoption of the city’s revised Spatial Development Framework which is to be issued to the public for comment later this year.”