Objections flood in over Hillcrest rezoning

More than 300 objections to the rezoning of the land used by the Shongweni Farmers’ Market to allow for the development of a shopping centre have already poured into the Hillcrest municipal offices.

The objections started to flood in after concerns about the development were raised by the chairman of the Confederation of Mistbelt Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Associations (Conomirra), Lilian Develing, and reported in the Daily News.

Develing called for a public meeting to debate any change of zoning and the various issues that could arise from commercial development of the site.

She felt development of the site could raise many problems, particularly some related to the provision of services.

“The traffic situation is already becoming critical in that area, especially since the Hillcrest Hospital opened across the way from the Farmers’ Market.”

Develing told the Daily News on Thursday night that feelings in the Highway area were now running high over the issue and some major property owners had objected to the rezoning.

She too had objected and believed no further commercial developments should be approved before proper research had been done into the retail and office needs, particularly in the Hillcrest area.

“There is empty space in nearly all shopping centres,” she said. “And Hillcrest has lots of empty offices.”

Develing feared that further commercial development without the guidance of proper research could have a serious and adverse effects on Hillcrest itself.

“It could kill Hillcrest,” she said. “We have to see that we get the right balance between commercial and residential development.”

She felt the application for rezoning of the Shongweni site also lacked sufficient detail about future development proposals on the property.

“You could do almost anything with that site once the rezoning is granted.”

Develing was also concerned about the proximity of the site to a large retirement centre now under construction.

“People who retire there don’t want the noise of bars and restaurants going on right through the night.”

Her concerns were largely shared by attorney Richard Evans, who is submitting an objection on behalf of a major land owner in the area.

Evans did not want to disclose the identity of his client before the objection had been lodged. “One of our main concerns is about the lack of transparency about the project. The advertisement hardly gives any detail,” he said.

He felt an environmental impact assessment should also have been carried out.

“We are very concerned the application is not married to a specific development plan.”

Evans said it was worrying to consider the amount of latitude a developer on that site would have once the rezoning had been granted.

“Once the rezoning is in place there is no legal obligation to develop according to a specific plan,” he said.

“There is a potential for something completely different to come out of it in the end.”

He said the impact such a development could have on traffic in the area was also of serious concern. The traffic problem would be further aggravated if the development’s sewage system had to rely on conservancy tanks.

“The tanks would have to be cleared by tankers, and you have them running up and down Kassier Road every day.”

Evans said the eThekwini municipality’s forward planning scheme had identified a possible commercial development node for a nearby area – between the M13 and N3 highways. “But this property is not in that node,” he said. “It is in the wrong place. It is on the Hillcrest side of the M13.”