Residents oppose 103-unit housing complex planned for Voorbaai wetland

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A housing development is planned along the watercourse between Island View and Vogelsang Landgoed in Voorbaai.

This small river runs under the N2 highway and under Louis Fourie Road towards the beach between Bay View and Dias Beach, where it is known as the Twee Kuilen River.

The planned development, called Eagle Creek, will comprise 103 units on the Vogelsang Landgoed side of the small river - opposite Island View, according to Mossel Bay Municipality.

Although approvals and environmental impact assessments have already taken place, the residents of Vogelsang that Mossel Bay Advertiser spoke to, say they were not aware of a public participation process having taken place and they oppose the development.

Some say that according to the municipal Spatial Development Framework, the area should be conserved, not developed.

View documents here: EagleCreekgoedkeuring.pdf
EagleCreek_FreshwaterAssessment_Oct2024.pdf
EagleCreek_WULASummaryReport_Draft_250127_143253.pdf

By today, Saturday 8 March, about 210 people had signed an online petition opposing the housing complex.

Vogelsang residents say that people from Vogelsang Landgoed and Island View have signed the petition.

Concerns about the development have been voiced to Mossel Bay mayor Dirk Kotzé and ward councillor, Stephan Botha, and Vogelsang residents have secured a meeting with Botha about the planned housing development.

Some of the concerns the residents have are:

- The 103 houses will be flooded, should the river come down in flood.

- The area is not suitable for housing because it is marked as a "wetland" on maps of the area.

- Loss of habitat for animals. The vegetation along the watercourse is home to small antelope, mongoose, guinea fowl, pheasants, monkeys and numerous species of birds.

- The vegetation includes protected milkwood trees and other indigenous flora.

- Loss of an important green belt. Island View has become increasingly "built up", with few green belts. The vegetation along the watercourse has provided a green belt.

- Access roads and stormwater, sewage and bulk water infrastructure will disrupt the delicate ecosystem.

- Increased congestion of Voorbaai streets from the 103 extra families that will be using the roads. Mascador, Via Appie and Sioux streets, as well as Bally Crescent, are highly congested. Patrick Street, Bolton Road and Watson Avenue are also already busy roads.

- Vogelsang Landgoed is accessed only via a single-gauge tunnel under the N2 highway.

- Motorists entering or leaving the estate must stop on either side of this single gauge tunnel to let the other motorist drive through.

- With the proposed development there will be more congestion. This is a danger if there is a fire and residents need to evacuate.

On enquiry from Mossel Bay Advertiser, the municipality noted: "The environmental authorisation application for the development was approved by the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.

"Subsequently the town planning application was approved by the municipality. As part of the said application processes, investigations were conducted on the entire terrain to determine its environmental sensitivity.

"As a result, and to mitigate the impact of the development, only pockets of land on the bigger terrain were approved for development. The environmental sensitivity was therefore evaluated during two application processes and considered during the approval."

The municipality noted: "Currently a Water Use Licence Application (WULA) is under way. The application is by the developer and is necessary since the development is in proximity of a river.

"This process was not applicable in the past, however, it is under way and public participation is taking place."

The municipality noted: "The WULA is not a municipal application and the municipality is a commenting authority only.

"Therefore, the municipality is not liable for comment, however, in service of the public, comment is offered as a courtesy as and when enquiries are received in this regard."

Voice concerns by 18 March

A notice has been pegged into the ground within Vogelsand Landgoed by the company, Confluent Environmental, asking for comment by 18 March, regarding the WULA.

It states the following water uses will take place:

1) Impeding or diverting the flow of water in a watercourse:

- Construction of an access road crossing a watercourse.

- Infilling along the embankment of a watercourse for an access road.

2) Altering the bed, banks, course or characteristics of a watercourse:

- Construction of an access road and bridge crossing a watercourse.

- Infilling along the embankment of a watercourse for an access road.

- Construction of stormwater headwall outlets.

- Construction of a sewage pump station.

Comment in writing

Interested and affected par ties are asked to comment in writing about the Water Use Licence Application. Contact James Dabrowski (james@confluent.co.za 083 557 5688) at Confluent Environmental.