Mammoth battle over Crawford land

Residents hope their objects will prevent development

A PLANNED multimillion-rand property development, including flats and a supermarket, is at the heart of a dispute between a rich landowner, the City and residents of upmarket Crawford, next to Rondebosch.

The Lansford (Lansdowne and Crawford) Ratepayers Association is battling to prevent the development, believing it will encroach on the peace and quiet of the suburb.

They appointed their own town planning experts, Green Rock Town Planning Consultants, who lodged an eight-page objection with the City and landowner stating why they believed the development on the 2432m² space should not be allowed.

According to them, this objection and appeal were both lost during the time of Dan Plato’s mayorship. According to the City, the residents’ appeal was rejected nearly three years ago.

The disputed development involves vacant land, comprising five separate properties, along Lawson and Rokeby roads in Crawford. The properties are owned by Argento Property, a company owned by property mogul Ismael Ebrahim.

Last week, one resident received written notification from the City and Argento Property of their decision to close and dispose of City land, specifically a portion of a public street along the corners of Lawson Road and Jan Smuts Drive.

In the letter, they stated the area indicated in their notice was to be made into a parking zone, and the resident had until April 15 this year to respond.

For more than four years, the Lansford Ratepayers Association, together with more than 70 residents, have been rallying against the City and the property owner.

Plans for the disputed development include a three-storey building to be built across the properties, including a supermarket at ground level and 24 residential units on the upper floors.

It will also have a basement and street level parking, while the residential units will incorporate balconies along Rokeby Road, on the eastern boundary.

The City told Weekend Argus that the residents’ appeal was rejected. “The matter relates to a land use management application, for the development of the subject properties,” it said.

“The owner(s) have submitted the relevant site development plans and subsequent building plans for approval. The building plans are still being processed, thus the developer still intends to develop the property.

“The attached document you sent us (town planner’s report) is one of the objections received against the application, which was served before the Municipal Planning Tribunal (MPT) on 13 July 2021, and was approved, subject to compliance with conditions of approval.

“The decision was sent to both the applicant and the objectors, and appeals against the decision were received from some of the objectors.

“An appeal report (inclusive of the original MPT report and appeals received) was submitted to the Planning Appeals Advisory Panel, whereafter the then mayor, in his capacity as the appeal authority, duly considered the matter and appeals, and subsequently dismissed the appeals on 3 November 2021.

“The final decision was sent to the appellants on 10 November 2021, indicating the finalisation of the application.” Yesterday, the City said it could only comment further on the planning and approval once they had received feedback from the town planner’s office.

Also yesterday, when Weekend Argus contacted Ebrahim about the development, he declined to comment, saying that was for the City.

Aneesa Sedick, one of the objectors, who received a request to comment on the parking zone near the site and her home, said she was in the dark.

“What about my privacy and safety? One day we just saw someone digging in the soil and he said it is for development’s testing for the environment.

“What about the traffic and the congestion, no one talks to us. In the past they asked me if I wanted to sell my property because my home is the only one (on) this side. I did not respond.”

Imaad Toffar, of the Lansford Residents Association, said their rights were being taken away as owners.

“At the time I counted over 70 objectors and the City wants to come and say they follow a process of public participation … we had no choice but to go to the media.”

Malika Ismail, another resident and member of the association, said they do not stand in the way of development, but another shopping centre and rental flats would bring congestion.

Mark Kleinschmidt, the former ward councillor, said all processes had been followed and he could not comment further on who the owners were and what had happened thereafter.

Zahid Badroodien, who is the current ward councillor, said he had not been part of the process at the time of the appeal and objection.