Multi-million project planned for Knysna
KNYSNA - A brand-new development worth tens of millions of rands is on the cards for lower Knysna Central, just below Waterfront Drive. It could see the building of a new hub that will feature a public park as well as new commercial and industrial space.
The development is expected to come at the hands of Kinetic Catamarans, who were awarded the tender to purchase a portion of Erf 1319, Erf 1316, as well as a portion of New Street during a Knysna council meeting on Wednesday 29 June.
The municipality currently owns the portion of Erf 1319 (which currently houses a driver testing ground), as well as Erf 1316 (which is currently occupied by Sea Cadets whose lease has been on a month-to-month basis since 1 July 2016).
Kinetic Catamarans, a Knysna-based company, was one of three bidders who submitted proposals for the aforementioned purchases and offered R12 075 000 to purchase the property. The other two were SNG Property Trust from Plettenberg Bay who offered R17 250 000 and Deep Blue See Properties from Knysna who offered R6 900 000.
The company is located at 10 and 12 New Street, abutting the properties it wants to purchase. In the bid proposal they stated that the company currently employs 45 people and "with expansion plans for the future, will require 150 staff members". Their proposal for the properties, declared in the tender, is to "marry up the vision of a great, accessible public park with local economy potential next to an established commercial property on the side and an established industrial property on the other, right on the water".
Sea Cadets
As part of the tender, the municipality indicated the successful bidder would need to relocate the Sea Cadets and the driver testing ground before the properties are transferred into the buyer's name. However, Kinetic Catamarans would like to keep the Sea Cadets on site.
"They are of the opinion that the Sea Cadets provide a certain charm to the area and would like to make provision for them in the new development - hence relocation is not necessary, unless insisted upon by the municipality," stated the council meeting's agenda.
They aim to develop the location that currently houses the Sea Cadets into a restaurant, bar and open space. "This is where they would like to create a vibrant link between the commercial property to the north and the park to the west, as well as providing a facility for the Sea Cadets to add to the ambiance of the water activities and scenery," the agenda reads.
The company aims to create a hub for local entrepreneurs to garner tourism exposure, to market their goods and to network.
"The setting will be a downstairs restaurant or coffee shop adjacent to the Sea Cadets with opportunity for small business to rent upstairs offices/shops. They also plan on building one apartment upstairs exclusively for use by [their] international clients visiting the boat yard."
Old driver testing ground
This is where the company proposes to build a new state-of-the-art factory: "The factory will be designed with aesthetics and visually pleasing landscaping so it will become an asset to the lagoon view from Thesens Island and pedestrians using the Lagoon Walkway. As mentioned, they also want to upgrade the lagoon facade of all factories, to beautify the area."
Open ground
The area between the driver testing ground and the Sea Cadets, which currently houses an untarred portion of New Street (which they will tar), will be turned into a landscaped park with public access from the Lagoon Walkway and a parking area in Union Street. "Knysna Central does not have a public park on the lagoon shore. The park will be designed to allow for portable stalls to be erected to create an opportunity for local talent job creation to tap into the tourist potential of Knysna. An open air venue can be created, similar to the Sedgefield or Harkerville markets, something Knysna sorely needs," the bid proposal reads.
They also made specific mention of the African market, currently located at the George Rex and Vigilance drives intersection, which they believe can be accommodated in the park.
Job opportunities and funding
It is estimated that the development will provide jobs for an additional 134 people. Kinetic Catamarans will fund the project themselves, and expect to spend over R40m on the development with the official estimate in their bid proposal currently at R40 387 712,50.