NEW SITE FOR ROYAL SHOW AS SALE LOOMS
It’s the beginning of a new era for the Royal Showgrounds as the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) has accepted a proposal to redevelop the grounds into a multi-use zone.
The developers, Vu-Tact
Trade and Invest (Pty) Ltd, a consortium of developers, including Pietermaritzburg property developer Robert Alexander, are planning to turn the showgrounds into a mixed-use development including retail, office space and residential property.
RAS CEO Terry Strachan said, while the offer they have accepted is still “a work in progress” and subject to a number of studies that need to be done, such as traffic and rezoning, as well as an environmental impact assessment, the sale of the Royal Showgrounds has been a long time coming as Royal Show has outgrown the space.
“We have been here for the past 115 years. The premises no longer fits our purpose, which is agriculture. It’s become more and more challenging to manage livestock in the middle of town. Restricted parking and traffic congestion has also become increasingly challenging. These challenges aren’t going to get easier,” Strachan explained.
He said the RAS has been on the market for the last decade, and made the strategic decision that if the right proposal came along, they would consider it.
The sale of the premises is by no means an end of the iconic Royal Agricultural Show, and RAS is in the process of looking for a new site, out of town, to relocate the annual event to.
“We are looking at a number of sites around Ashburton. We want to go outside of the city to allow for more space, but still stay in Pietermaritzburg,” said Strachan, adding that the move will only be in about three years.
Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business (PMCB) CEO Melanie Veness said while it will be sad not to have the Royal Show in the city, the sale of the show grounds was “inevitable”.
“The area has become more commercial, so it’s a natural that the development and land use would change to suit the city’s needs, especially with the land being so close to town. It also creates an economic boost and employment opportunity for the city, which is always welcome.
“Hopefully the RAS will find a suitable piece of land close by, just outside the city centre.”
Commenting on Robert Alexander’s interest in investing in the city, Veness added that it is encouraging that, especially in these economic times, Alexander is still choosing to invest in the city.
“In these economic times, you don’t often see investments of this magnitude, so it’s very welcoming to see businessmen investing in the future of Pietermaritzburg,” she said.