A proposal for the upgrade the Strand Beach Market by the City of Cape Town has been submitted to Heritage Western Cape who, in turn, has requested additional information.
All registered stakeholders and interested and affected parties have been given 30 days to comment on the proposal.
According to a Strand Townscape Study, after considering various alternatives and workshopping these with various professional disciplines, a preferred option for the development of a permanent shelter, to replace the ad hoc structures currently used by traders at the site, has been proposed.
The proposal suggests the construction of shelters made of lightweight steel, with steel posts, rafters and lightweight steel “butterfly roofs” with central gutters creating the trading stalls. This architectural language is also proposed for the new fish trading area within the public square.
The site plan suggests that the preferred option will comprise linear separate pavilion structures with separate roofs over the various trading areas.
“The physical layout for the stalls was developed with the indicators related to the visual links to the sea in mind,” the study reads. “Together with the stormwater servitudes and the requirement to get a bulldozer through the area, the plan does create two wide visual corridors between the sea and the parking areas/road edge: one at the vehicular entrance area to the adjacent parking lot, and another about a third further away. The entire arrangement of structures is then broken up into three sections, with clear breaks in-between. The wide visual link at the point where people will drive into the parking area will have a positive experiential impact, and the additional break in the stalls further on will allow visual permeability through the stalls at this key public space.”
It concludes and recommends: “The proposal can be supported from a townscape perspective. However, the following must be incorporated into the scheme to allow for a greater degree of townscape impact mitigation: the existing fish cleaning structure should be demolished to create a better link (visual and physical) to the slipway; a plan for landscaping must be produced to help embed the proposed market pavilions into their receiving environment; and only polycarbonate cladding should be used on edges parallel to the beachfront.”
Market vendors related that they were informed about the proposed upgrades a few weeks ago and shared their excitement, adding they support the project.
“We struggle to trade on days that the wind and rain batter us,” said a trader Alexander Sadick. “I think a proper, secure structure will allows us more days to trade.”
Another vendor, Ben Wachini, said when the wind gusts are above 65 km/h, all traders have difficulty in erecting the poles that hold their structures.
“We mainly trade on weekends, when much more people visit the market, but now in winter it becomes a battle because we lose many days due to inclement weather. We welcome the upgrade,” he said.
According to Ward 83 councillor Carl Punt, plenty of planning and design work went into the project. After a year of meetings, they have a final design plan, which can be implemented it in the next financial year.
“This will definitely be a massive improvement of the existing market and the fish trading area. It will thus improve our CBD and economic growth opportunities,” he said.
Any person wishing to object or comment on heritage grounds to the application must make such comment/ objection in writing on or before Wednesday 22 May.
Once received, comments will be considered and included in the Heritage Impact Assessment, which will be submitted for a Record of Decision to Heritage Western Cape.
- Comments and objections can be sent to emmylou@hearthheritage.co.za.
