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www.thevillagenews.co.za
12 August 2020
Development planned on Southern Right Farm Writer De Waal Steyn
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pre-application basic assessment (BAR) public participation process is underway for a proposed mixed-use development on portions of the Southern Right Farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The proposed development includes farm dwellings, tourism and accommodation facilities, the reestablishment of productive agriculture on the farm, and the development of associated infrastructure. According to the documentation, Legacy Environmental Management Consulting (Pty) Ltd has been appointed by Midnight Storm Investments 295 (Pty) Ltd to undertake the basic assessment process. The proposed development falls within the consent uses for agriculturally zoned land in terms of the Municipal Planning By-law. “The development proposal includes 7 dwellings per cadastral unit (28 dwelling units in total) ranging in size from 250 m² to 500 m². The tourism and accommodation facilities include a farmers’ market, coffee shop, picnic area, a 60-seater restaurant, a 16-room boutique hotel, tourism accommodation (10 cabins), and a micro-brewery. Associated infrastructure includes a helipad, parking areas, 2 or 4 package sewage treat-
ment plants, a reservoir(s), access roads, pipelines (sewer, water and stormwater), and a perimeter fence,” states the report. Approximately 80 ha of the farm is currently cultivated, predominantly to olive orchards, but is not being actively farmed at present. The replanting to more suitable crops (i.e. vineyard) on the farm is also intended. According to the BAR the potential positive and negative environmental impacts associated with the proposed development include the following:
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Visual impacts during the construction phase, related site clearance and building activity, as well as the introduction of new buildings within the cultural landscape/scenic drive. Heritage impacts include the impact on the rural sense of place by the introduction of new structures in the cultural landscape, resulting in a change to the rural character, and the impacts on scenic drive qualities and on the landscape setting of the brick kiln on the property. Impact on freshwater features include temporary modification to the flow of watercourses, water quality impacts and aquatic habitat disturbance during construction. The rehabilita-
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tion of freshwater features and indigenous vegetation within the watercourses are planned. Botanical impacts will include a loss of natural fynbos vegetation due to the construction and operation of dwellings and holiday cabins. The indigenous fynbos vegetation along the south-eastern portions of the site will be conserved as a “nature reserve”.
Agricultural impacts: Given the contraction of the agricultural sector over the past 5 years, the proposed re-establishment of agricultural activities on the farm is considered to be a positive development which will contribute positively to the agricultural sector and the creation of employment in the longer term.
boreholes is anticipated to have a low negative impact on ecological processes, since such abstraction will be based on the sustainable yield of the boreholes.
Socio-economic impacts: A positive contribution to local business opportunities and local spend, and the availability of jobs for people with different skill levels. The provision of tourism facilities will attract tourists to the valley, and Hermanus more generally, which could have a positive knock-on effect for other tourism enterprises. An influx of people and jobseekers to the area can potentially result in an increase in crime (construction and operational phases).
The report states that the identified impacts have been investigated and assessed and the negative impacts are generally of a low significance after mitigation, whilst offering positive biophysical and socio-economic benefits such as the rehabilitation of freshwater features, the conservation of critically endangered vegetation, and opportunities to promote tourism in the valley.
Groundwater impacts: Abstraction of groundwater from
Transport impacts: An increase in traffic on the R320 can be expected on Saturdays when the farmers’ market is taking place.
The following specialist and technical studies were undertaken to inform the development proposal and to identify, assess and mitigate potential impacts associated with
the development proposal: Heritage Impact Assessment, Archaeological Impact Assessment, Visual Impact Assessment, Botanical Impact Assessment, Freshwater Impact Assessment, Fire Management Plan, Civil Engineering Services Report, Electrical Engineering Report, Groundwater Supply Feasibility Study, Traffic Impact Assessment and a Soil Reconnaissance Survey. Copies of the studies are attached as appendices to the pre-application BAR and are also available for comment. Members of the public are invited to register as interested and affected parties and submit written comments on the pre-application BAR to Legacy EMC on or before 31 August 2020. For more information, visit legacyemc.co.za or contact Adri Meyer at ppp@legacyemc.co.za or on 021 887 4000. The IAP registration period will be open until 31 August 2020.
Art in a time of lockdown At a time when some creatives felt as if the muse had totally deserted them, local artist, Charmé Southey took up her brushes with renewed energy. Although she is best known for her delicate water colours and subjects drawn from nature, she decided to use the time to explore other mediums and new techniques. So while she continued to sketch the world around her, she also decided to play around with abstract art, using mainly acrylics – perhaps
in pursuit of freedom in a time of constraint. In May there was a call from the South African Society of Artists (SASA) for the submission of works for an online exhibition in any style, any medium, with Lockdown as the theme. Charmé took up the challenge, producing an abstract work called ‘Emotions of Lockdown’ in acrylic on board. She says, “I was happy with the
piece and thought it might have a chance of a mention, but I was stunned when I received notification at the end of July that it had been chosen as the overall winner.” More evidence that the women of Hermanus are top of their class, whatever they choose to do. Our warm congratulations go to Charmé for this prestigious award (and a shout-out for including The Village NEWS masthead in her painting!). – Elaine Davie
