Beachfront property owners play ball
Shelly Beach was the first area to be affected by a national clampdown on admiralty reserve land grabs.
HIBISCUS Coast Municipality is pleased to report that it has received an impressively positive response regarding the ‘repair and remove’ pre-compliance notices that have been served on a number of Shelly Beach beachfront property owners.
In an operation instigated by the National Department of Environment Affairs in October last year, environmental inspectors, including Hibiscus Coast Municipality officials, prepared 28 notices to serve on owners of beachfront properties in Shelly Beach who had allegedly extended their properties into or built illegal structures in the admiralty reserve.
Of these notices, 21 were served over one weekend. The remaining seven, which could not be issued as the property owners were not available, were emailed or posted.
After the notices were served, Department of Environment Affairs spokesman Zolile Nqayi said the Shelly Beach operation was just the start of a massive national clamp-down on illegal beachfront structures, vegetation destruction and admiralty reserve encroachments.
Discussing the generally good response from the affected property owners, municipal spokesman Simon April said the operation was an ongoing process. Many of the property owners had already appointed consultants to assist with rehabilitation programmes. Environmental plans had been submitted for assessment and approval by the national and provincial Departments of Environmental Affairs.
The Hibiscus Coast Municipality has called on seaside property owners in other areas to be proactive and to removed illegal structures in the admiralty reserve before further notices are served. The municipality’s environmental department can offer assistance and advice.
