TWO years later, the metro is requesting residents to submit objections to the Esselen Park Housing Development, even though over 2 000 were already submitted in 2015.
The city planning department’s planning tribunal invited interested and affected parties to attend a tribunal hearing on September 28.
The department also requested the residents, who make up the Concerned Citizens of Birchleigh and Birchleigh North, to bring along 20 copies of their proposals, which include the representation and arguments.
However, this did not sit well with the residents, who have since 2015 been fighting against the proposed development and have already provided the metro with all relevant documents.
“The department officially received 2 624 copies of objections and concerns about the development on April 14, 2015. Since then, residents have not received any response or feedback. However, Deeren Naiker, another department official, confirmed that our objections are still valid,” said Dr Stefan Hough, chairperson of the Concerned citizens of Birchleigh and Birchleigh North.
Secondly, the Gauteng MEC for economic development, environment, agriculture and rural development, Lebogang Maile, officially rejected the residents’ objections to the development in May.
As a result, Hough then questioned where the tribunal fits if the development is to continue.
Furthermore, the residents questioned why the tribunal was being held outside of their town, and on a weekday when most of them would be unavailable to attend as they are at work at that time. Consequently, they were shutting them out of the participation process.
“Why must the concerned citizens attend a hearing in Edenvale and not in the venues that were previously used near the proposed development site? Is this the department’s method of preventing our working members from attending the hearing?”
Hough also proposed an agenda should the tribunal continue, which includes various issues they would like addressed.
• The new development will see 100 000 additional citizens create 1.6m litres of sewage a day. If the current sewage system cannot handle pressure right now, to what extent will you contaminate the fresh water sources with your new development?
• Present the proposed budget for the development and inform the residents how much of their property taxes will be used for the development
• Please provide written proof that the necessary educational facilities will be operational before habitation starts
• Please provide written proof that the police will have sufficient operational staff and infrastructure prior to habitation
• Please provide written proof that additional transport services to cater for the new residents will be provided.
