More objections to Rage venue
PLETTENBERG BAY - Objections have been flowing in over the proposed venue for this year's Plett Rage at Bitou Municipality's waste water treatment works at Gansevallei.
The new objections included those of nearby resident Doreen Butterworth and the co-owner of the Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park, Christopher Hops.
"My interest in the application is as a concerned neighbour and someone who has been involved in Plett tourism for 31 years," said Butterworth. "My reasons for comments are that you have chosen the worst possible venue to hold an end-of-year music festival, despite what the applicant implies in his motivation report. The only reason why it is considered a suitable venue is that all the other venues have received strong objections. One cannot equate the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens (as suggested by the applicant) with a smelly sewage works."
Butterworth's concerns included that the applicant labelled the site as underutilised and that current legislation does not allow for a temporary land use departure of more than one year.
She also asked who in the Bitou Municipality will approve the sound mitigation measures, conduct the noise impact measurements and calculate sound levels, and what the noise mitigation measures will be.
She sent an email to Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani, who acknowledged receipt but said, as the appeal authority on the matter, he could not be a referee and a player at the same time. "Your email is hereby acknowledged. May I request that you follow procedure as outlined in the advert for public comments. It is clearly stipulated where comments/objections should be addressed to. Instead of copying me and all and sundry, please direct your objection to the dedicated email as per advert," he replied.
"The objection period is open and once closed I will receive a report with all objections which I must consider and make a decision on. Please refrain from copying me on future matters that I have to adjudicate if there is any appeal and or objection, otherwise you may sit with frustration assuming that I do not respond to your emails."
Hops said, "Please understand that we fully support the concept of the Rage and have done so as a resort since the 1970s".
However, he said the application had errors, one of which was the claim that the proposed location had "limited direct neighbours".
A third point he made was that none of the objectives of the Bitou integrated development plan and spacial development framework will be met by granting the temporary land use. Hops said other concerns include the impact of traffic, noise mitigation, health issues and lack of continuity of Bitou officials opposing the use of the sewage treatment works as a festival venue site.
He also refuted claims that the Keurbooms campsite had "fiercely objected" to the Rage being held there in 2016, while at the same time benefiting financially as some of the festivalgoers stayed at the campsite. "No one has ever approached the Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park to be able to make such a statement. It's completely false," said Hops.