Important precinct plan meeting tomorrow

SPARKS could fly at the second Alamein Precinct Plan public participation meeting at Uvongo Library on Wednesday, January 20, at noon.

Hibiscus Coast Municipality invites Uvongo and Masinenge residents to attend the meeting to discuss the formation of the precinct plan, a project that has not been without controversy.

At the packed initial public process meeting in October last year, Alamein Avenue enclave residents voted unanimously in support of a proposal by Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, George Henderson, to ask the municipality to allow them to opt out of the plan.

Those at the meeting were told that the Alamein Avenue area had been identified as an area that required more detailed local planning via a precinct plan. Hibiscus Coast Municipality was concerned about problems like non-conformity of land use, damage to roads and uncontrolled industrialisation.

However, some residents voiced their suspicions that the precinct plan was just a ruse to legitimise the illegal industrial activity taking place on an Alamein Avenue property, Lot 1959. The Hibiscus Coast Municipality town planning team giving the presentation emphatically denied this was so.

Residents were also concerned that, according to the proposed boundaries, the precinct plan would straddle the R61, without including the interchange that would connect the sections on either side of the road. To the west of the R61 the proposed area includes Masinenge and the established Uvongo industrial area stretching to the quarry. East of the R61, the proposed boundary encloses a broad swathe adjoining Alamein and Peter Street. Residents said that, with no access between the eastern and western sections the precinct plan would be unworkable without including the nearby R61 interchange.

Questions were asked about the rights of residents of the eastern section who might be forced out of their homes through rezoning. The town planning team tried to allay their fears by pointing out that the precinct plan would not override the town planning scheme. It was a guideline, not a regulatory document. There was also concern that not all residents of the proposed precinct plan were aware their streets fell within this boundary

When the meeting was held last year the project was still at the initial stage. Meetings had been held with management, the project boundaries had been identified, a site inspection had been carried out and a project steering committee had been formed. An inception report had been completed and portfolio and ward committee meetings had been held. Environmental, traffic and bulk infrastructure studies were still to be done but an environmental consultancy had been appointed.

According to Hibiscus Coast Municipality the comments and input already received from the public was being considered to ensure a successful formulation of the precinct plan that would respond to the aspirations of the Uvongo and Masingenge residents.