After years in a stagnant state due to ongoing court cases, the Bellville Velodrome and surrounding areas may soon get a facelift as the City of Cape Town and developing consortium Devmet have parted ways.
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The last decade has seen the Velodrome become something of a white elephant as the once popular venue has gone underutilised for sporting events and concerts with many citing security concerns.
However, TygerBurger reports that the Velodrome itself will be restored by the City and millions have been set aside for the project.
According to News24, the Devmet Property Development group, a consortium formed with companies including Devmark, won the tender to develop the 11,5 ha area, which includes the Velodrome, in 2009, with big plans to create what it called the Galleria Development.
This development was valued at around R3 billion and would see the building of an upscale mixed-use neighbourhood, with shops, restaurants, a hotel, apartments and more.
The dispute surrounding a R25 million upgrade to surrounding roads Devmark didn’t want to pay resulted in a court case.
The City’s Mayco member for economic growth, James Vos, told News24 that the parties entered into arbitration in respect of the sale agreement.
‘The outcome of the arbitration proceedings concluded that the sale agreement is void.’
Vos added that Devmet then appealed the land use approval granted by the City dated 30 October 2013.
‘This was in respect of the development proposal submitted as part of the tender awarded on 28 October 2009.’
This appeal was dismissed by the Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Western Cape in February 2015.
Then, in August 2015, Devmet approached the Western Cape High Court for a motion to review the decision.
‘The City was not the initiator of these actions, but resolved to settle the disagreement through an order of the Western Cape High Court in 2019,’ Vos says.
‘This was done to expedite the dispute mechanisms provided by the contract of sale. It was the final court action in respect of the subject and no outstanding matters are being considered for litigation.’
Meanwhile, despite the deal not going ahead, the name and word ‘Galleria’ is often featured in the northern district Spatial Development Framework (SDF) approved by council in January this year.
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‘Arguably, one of the most controversial passages in the document mentions the extension and upgrade of Uys Krige Drive to link with Carl Cronje Drive to facilitate development of the University of Stellenbosch Business School site, as well as the Galleria development. This goes hand in hand with the development of the half-diamond interchange on/off the N1 freeway.’
This road would cut through the area, hosting around 300 households with one entry and exit point.
Eddie Andrews, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, told News24 that this must be seen in context and implies the word Galleria is just used as a placeholder.
He further emphasized the importance of noting that the DSDF does not give development rights, ‘neither does it take any rights away. The area around the Velodrome remains earmarked for mixed use intensification, and therefore the underlying support for such a form of development remains’.
Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayco member for urban mobility, said that the Uys Krige extension would not be happening soon but will be required one day.
‘The extension of Uys Krige Drive is on the Council approved Public Right of Way Road Network Plan and will be required in time, but is dependent on future adjacent development requiring it for access, circulation and to distribute the trips generated on the adjacent road network. Thus, simply put, the road will only be constructed as/when traffic demands justify the need.’
The Velodrome itself will be restored, with millions earmarked for the next few years, sources confirmed to TygerBurger.
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Picture: Google Earth