CURRENT PROJECTS AND PUBLIC DOCUMENTS

ROUEN FARM HOUSING PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT – 16/3/3/6/7/2/A3/6/2143/24

DRAFT SCOPING REPORT – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED ROUEN FARM HOUSING PROJECT – DEA&DP Ref: 16/3/3/6/7/2/A3/6/2143/24

The Information Sheet is a summary of the Draft Scoping Report and is available at the hyperlink.

INTRODUCTION

The City of Cape Town’s (CoCT) Department of Human Settlements has appointed The Environmental Partnership as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for a proposed housing development in the Gordon’s Bay / Strand area, Cape Town. The proposed development is located in Gordon’s Bay, abutting the Strand area in Cape Town, Western Cape Province (see locality map below). The site is approximately 98ha in extent on erven 5100, 5101, 5109 and Erf 33683 Strand, Ptn 1 of Stellenbosch Farm 922. A draft Scoping Report has been compiled and is available for comment. This Information Sheet provides a brief summary of the scoping phase, with information on where to access draft Scoping Report.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

The proposed development entails the following:

Construction of approximately 4600 residential sites.
Three (3) primary schools.
One (1) High school.
Two (2) sites along the river for sports fields.
A large commercial site for private sector investment.
A cluster of local business properties.
Four (4) Community sites for use as libraries, clinics, halls as required in the future.

The Eskom powerline servitudes will be zoned public open space, as will the required stormwater infrastructure along the western boundary. Access into the project area is limited to (a) Bloubos Road, and east west route, (b) Albertyn Road, connecting from Vlakteplaas in the north over the future N2 and (c) a subservient local road across the canal in the south.

Two alternative layout designs have been formulated, along with the “Do Nothing” alternative. Essentially one alternative includes a commercial precinct and freestanding dwellings nearest to the river on the southern boundary, while the second alternative does not include the commercial precinct and includes “row” housing (wherever possible) to minimise the ability to create backyard dwellings.

LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

The National Environmental Management Act (107 of 1998), and the 2014 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, as amended, apply to the proposed development and necessitate a full EIA. The proposed development includes activities listed in Listing Notice 1 (GNR 983 of 2014, as amended), activity 10,11,12, 19 & 28; Listing Notice 2 (GNR 984 of 2014, as amended), activity 15; and Listing Notice 3 (GNR 985 of 2014, as amended), activities 4 and 12.

The National Water Act (36 of 1998) is applicable to the proposed development will result in the infilling and altering of wetlands. Therefore, Sections 21 (c) and (i) of the Act are applicable, necessitating an application for a Water Use License to the Department of Water and Sanitation.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS IDENTIFIED

The Draft Scoping Report (DSR) provides details on the proposed project and alternatives, the outcomes of the Scoping Phase, and the intended methodology for EIA. The potential impacts that were identified, for Construction and Operational Phases of the Rouen Farm Housing project identified during the Scoping Process include:

Planning and Design Related Impacts

Disturbance of natural ecology
Impacts on heritage resources
Disturbance to aquatic features
Traffic Impacts
Visual Impacts
Impacts relating to services required
Socio-economic impact of providing top structures and formal services to the recipients of the housing opportunities

Construction Related Impacts :

Disturbance of natural ecology.
Soil erosion.
Impacts on heritage resources.
Construction-related employment opportunities

Operational Related Impacts :

Social impacts associated with relocation to plots that do not include formal shelters.
Positive socio-economic impacts of job creation and investment in socio-economic development of the Helderberg District.
Provision of formalised housing opportunities for informal dwellers.
Optimal use of available land earmarked for urban development.

The EAP has made every effort to identify all the potential issues and impacts that could arise due to the proposed Rouen Farm Housing Project in the Scoping Phase. However, the Impact Assessment phase may uncover additional impacts that need to be considered. The site does contain sensitive aquatic and botanical ecology, heritage aspects, and sensitive socio-economic aspects, which will be given due consideration in the Impact Assessment Phase. Required specialist studies will be included in the Impact Assessment phase to identify and evaluate all potential impacts Where possible, proposed avoidance, mitigation, and/or management measures related to the proposed Rouen Farm Housing Project will be offered.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Public participation is a key component of the environmental assessment process as it introduces the proposed activity to the public and provides an opportunity for comments and concerns to be raised. Public participation will be undertaken in terms of Section 41 of the 2014 NEMA: EIA Regulations, as amended.

The Draft Scoping Report will be made available to the broader public, identified Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) and Organs of State for their perusal and comment from 25 November 2024 until 17 January 2025 by the following means:

The Information Sheet will be distributed to via email or hand-delivered to the following identified I&APs: occupiers of the site, directly adjacent landowners/occupiers and key I&APs such as the Ward Councillor and any local Community Organisations e.g. Ratepayers Association.
The Draft Scoping Report and more information sheets have been placed at the Gordon’s Bay Library and will be available for the public to read.
The Draft Scoping Report and all appendices are available for perusal at enviropart.co.za.
All comments and concerns raised by the public in this commenting period will be addressed. A revised Scoping report will then be made available to the registered public for a further 30-day commenting period.

Comments on this report may be submitted on or before 17 January 2025 to:

The Environmental Partnership

Tel: 021 422 0999

Email: comments@enviropart.co.za