Educational land swop questioned
Community members and ward 37 council members protested that townhouses be built on property zoned for educational purposes.
ALBERANTE – In 2010 a land swop in Diepsloot and Alberante took place between the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) and a developer…but Ward 37 committee protested.
The swop took place on the grounds that the Erf 279 Alberante would be used for long term educational purposes seeing that the schools in the surrounding area are already inundated with enrolments. One school is already declining any further enrolments for 2014.
The protest from the ward committee and many community members arose when the owner of Femtospot decided to go ahead with building plans for 231 flat units to be built on land zoned for educational purposes…a building which would be three storeys high.
The biggest concern is the volume of children attending these schools, although that is not the only questionable argument that the committee brings. Gene Fivas (a committee member) told the RECORD, “The traffic study which was done, accompanying the application, was highly questionable as it was based on a traffic count taken one day before school holidays when traffic was only a fraction of the normal volume.”
An argument was also made stating that there is a piece of land close to the property (often used for overflow parking during school functions) which was said to be a park. However, this piece of land was also zoned for educational purposes.
The ward committee is insisting on a proper investigation into the sewerage system in Alberton as it already poses a huge problem with many home owners furious to find their properties flooded with sewage.
The question then comes, “Would the system be able to handle another minimum amount of 200 people in these units…if there is one person per unit?” The development plans stated that the units would accommodate three people per unit.
Fivas also stated that building these units would have a huge impact on traffic, recreation, rainwater, sewage, power, water pressure and most importantly, the overflow of learners in the schools.
The ward committee has also made it very clear that no building should commence before all parties involved, including the ward committee and community members, have agreed to any plans for the development of educational property.
Further research will be done and we will keep our readers updated.
