Blow-up over demolition
With Deer Park Café building in their sights, developers have occupants blowing a fuse
ANOTHER heritage site is under attack from developers and this time the iconic Deer Park Café building in Vredehoek is set for demolition if their application succeeds.
It is a provincial heritage building, but an application has been made to demolish it and build a high-rise apartment block.
The proposed demolition is being opposed by residents of Vredehoek, who are worried about the impact on the nearby Rocklands Park and the greenbelt running through the area.
A notice was issued in September about plans to demolish the building . The property houses three restaurants and a convenience supermarket. But the owners of the restaurants said they were not consulted.
“It was so shocking that nobody told us. No one was aware of this until
we saw the notice on the gate. When I called the landlord they told us they knew nothing about it, but I’m wondering how true that is,” said Vanessa McNab, the owner of Con Brio Bistro, a restaurant in the complex.
This latest encroachment of developers comes after Bo-Kaap residents fought off a developer to protect the heritage of their suburb.
According to the restaurant owners in the Deer Park Café building, the landlord of the property, the Liad Property Trust, is working closely with Signatura developers who want to build a four-storey-high apartment block along with basement parking. In order for them to build the apartment block, they would have to demolish the building completely.
“I live in the area and I’ve seen the plan,” said McNab. “We don’t need another block of flats. There are flats across the road from my block
from where I stay. There are units that are empty and they want to put up another 30.”
Another owner said that they are not sure what would happen if the demolition process went ahead.
“Our business has been around for 16 years. We are very upset about this,” said Carin Louw, the owner of the Deer Park Café, situated adjacent to the Deer Park building.
The matter is expected to be tabled in front of the Heritage Council today. Some business owners are worried that building a new block of flats might diminish the allure of the area,
“We took over the restaurant a year and half ago. This restaurant had such a great legacy; it’s been around for over eight years. This has become such a historic part of the community, and this is a very tight-knit community,” said Santini Mateo, owner of Woodlands eatery.
He said the area was rich in culture and that the little complex was a gem.
In a letter objecting to the demolition, residents said: “As local residents we are also extremely concerned that the proposed development – which from what we understand is intended to be a large four-storey, 31-apartment building – will not fit in with the surrounding built and natural environment.”
They also said a large, imposing, monolithic new block of flats in the area would be an eyesore and out of place in the beautiful, historic neighbourhood.
Chief executive of Heritage Western Cape Dr Mxolisi Dlamuka said: “The matter will be heard by the Built Environment and Landscape Committee of Heritage Western Cape on November 28. There is nothing much to divulge until the committee has made a decision.”