Howick development lures buyers
NOT for nothing is this bustling little town known as “the hub of the Midlands”. There is constant movement here, new businesses popping up all the time, “townies” moving here from the cities, and visitors from around the country as well as overseas visitors passing through.
In a good month, visitors to the historic Howick Falls number anything from 12 500 to 24 000 (figures from March). Foreigners from between 40 and 60 different countries are included among their number.
Apart from the Falls, Howick is also famous for being home to the largest retirement community in South Africa.
There are about 4 000 houses on the famed Amber Valley Estate – with neighbouring Amberfields, Amberglen and Amber Ridge also part of the retirement haven.
Yet, despite the town bulging at the seams with gated communities and fine estate living, there’s still room for more among the vast tracts of verdant hills and green pastures.
The latest development (estimated to have cost R3 billion to R4bn by the date of completion) is the new St John’s Village, on the Karkloof Road.
The visionary trio of developers has come up with something completely out of the traditional box – an estate that, unsurprisingly, is selling up a storm.
And, if initial demand is any yardstick, it is likely to become the estate on which to buy in this region.
Unlike the majority of retirement villages in town, most of which compel new purchasers to buy a fat “rule book” before moving in, St John’s offers a more relaxed lifestyle.
It has fresh, appealing architecture, vineyards and fruit orchards. But more appealing is the lack of stringent regulations – you can have a braai, you can install solar heating, you can own pets, and you can build your own home.
St John’s Village offers a family lifestyle opportunity where families and retired people can live together in a vibrant community.
Certain areas of the estate allow families with children to build homes while a number of villages are devoted to over-55s: one of these, The Orchards, is a sectional title village of one-, two- and three-bedroomed semi-detached houses, with an outdoor heated pool, eightbedroom stepdown facility and entertainment area.
The finished homes are selling fast – priced from R945 000 for a onebedroomed to R1 495 million for a three-bedroomed unit.
The Arboretum is a freehold “pocket village” exclusively for the over-55s, where you can buy a site, design and build a home within the Natal Veranda architectural guideline – all sites overlook the magnificent Arboretum Gardens, where you can hire a small allotment and plant veggies or flowers, and potter around in the potting shed.
The Vineyards village has architecture incorporating elements of popular Cape Dutch design. Cultivars of sauvignon blanc and shiraz will be planted here and families can enjoy beautiful north-facing views across the vineyards to the distant forests. This village is open to families as well as golden oldies and is proving very popular, with only 25 sites remaining out of initial 80 put up for sale.
The developers and architects have left 65 hectares of open space between and around the different “villages”. Cattle will graze peacefully on some of this land and orchards are being planted on the rest.
Nearly 500 trees have been planted, including 200 unusual ethno-medicinal trees, and various shrubs, herbs and plants.
“St John’s Village is based on the innovative concept of agri-urbanism, developed in the UK and pioneered by Prince Charles with his visionary Poundbury Village in England,” said Lucy Blackman, who, along with Gerard Robinson handles sales for the development.
“Emphasis has been placed on a sustainable green way of life, with solar geysers, rainwater harvesting tanks and organically fresh produce planted in communal garden areas.”
A major drawcard will be the shopping village at the entrance of the estate, where boutique shops, restaurants and medical suites will be established.
Prices vary, depending
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on whether buyers want a vacant stand or a completed house.
The Orchards Village sectional title units for over-55s – for a compact 93m one-bedroomed unit – cost R945 000; a freehold site in The Arboretum “pocket village”, measuring between 330m and 444m2, is priced from R410 000, while plots on The Vineyard lifestyle village for families (as well as retired people) go from R465 000.
The units are all north-facing and measure about 445m
“St John’s Village offers a rural lifestyle for families and people looking for a safe, comfortable and convenient place for their retirement,” said Blackman.
“It really is idyllic – and it’s no wonder we’re seeing such interest from investors.”