Industry eyes Compensation

Tongaat Hulett Development’s Compensation Industrial Estate is poised to take growth on the North Coast to a whole new level.

The estate, on Compensation Flats on the R102 between Umhlali and Tongaat, will offer 213 hectares of platformed, developable land for general industrial businesses. This will open a new market as early as the first half of next year for general industry and large-scale warehousing around Ballito, which is a first for the area.

The R6 billion development dwarfs the 45 hectare Ballito Business Park, which spear-headed growth in Ballito around four years ago. The Compensation estate will be four times bigger.

The zone is situated in what is very much the “logistics corridor” from Durban to the north of the country. The EIA for the estate is nearing completion and large plots, ranging from 20 to 65 hectares each, will be a major draw-card for industrial and logistics businesses.

The estate, along with Zimbali Lakes and Tinley Manor developments are just a part of several Tongaat Hulett developments in KwaZulu-Natal.

Tongaat Hulett development executive Dayalan Chetty told the Courier that the combined projects will convert about 8 300 hectares in KZN into zoned land for use in the future.

Chetty highlighted that around 467 hectares of active developments are ready for use and over 1300 hectares are in the process of getting development rights. The Dube Tradeport has been a catalyst for growth in the area.

“The impetus around the Dube Tradeport has been critical in unlocking and driving value along the growth corridor south and north of the new airport, with major investments in infrastructure and important collaboration with government taking place,” he said.

Chetty believes the Compensation development will boost employment in the area.

“With the momentum of the new dug-out port, King Shaka International Airport and Dube Tradeport, it is easy to see the spill-over benefits into KwaDukuza,” said Chetty.

“Success in unlocking and attracting investment into KZN can only be done with a strong, robust and trusting relationship with all stakeholders, particularly the local and provincial government structures,” said Chetty.

Ilembe Chamber of Commerce CEO Trenley Tilbrook shared Chetty’s sentiments.

“An industrial development of this nature will create a number of permanent jobs. Timing is crucial as industrial land of this nature has filled up in eThekwini and if we hope to capitalise on the current demand it is essential that we get the planning approvals,” said Tilbrook.

The scale of the development should draw investors to large development packages that were not available in the area before. Tilbrook also has plans to help encourage investment in the area.

“The Ilembe Chamber is in the process of developing a strategy which sees us playing a very active role in facilitating investments of this nature into our area. We aim to engage the relevant authorities early in 2014 to see what we can do to assist.”

Sales of the industrial estate are expected to start in April next year and the completion of various platforms will depend on the sale of the plots.