Rethink rezoning

IN RESPONSE to the letter “No to racecourse development”, published on June 23.

Some of the misconceptions regarding the rezoning application for a portion of land at the Kenilworth racecourse need to be corrected.

The City of Cape Town does not regulate or evaluate environmental impact assessments. These are undertaken as part of the National Environmental Management Act (Nema), and this legislation is administered and enforced by the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP). The DEADP had confirmed that this proposal does not require an environmental authorisation in terms of Nema.

The City made sure that the requirements for rezoning, in terms of the Municipal Planning By-law of 2015, were adhered to.

As required, notice of the proposed change was, in April last year, displayed on site, advertised in local media, and sent by registered post to directly affected people, the Kenilworth Residents’ Association and the local ward councillors.

Following these extensive notifications, two objections were received.

The Kenilworth Residents’ Association supported the proposed application, subject to some conditions.

There is some confusion in that nearby there is an important conservation area. The Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area is situated in the centre of Kenilworth Racecourse.

However, the portion of land that the applicants are applying to be rezoned does not fall within this conservation zone.

The application was approved by the Municipal Planning Tribunal and is currently in the appeal process.

Thus, to confirm, as the application is to rezone the portion of the property, all previous conditions of the previous rezoning and consent approvals are no longer enforceable. The current application was therefore assessed afresh.

Confirmation was received from the DEADP, who are the competent authority with regard to Nema, as stated above, that no further environmental authorisation was required and that an amendment of the existing environmental approval was also not required. Councillor Brett Herron Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development City of Cape Town