Of the 3 419 Durbanville residents who have signed a petition against the proposed development of Durbanville Racecourse, a total of 34% mentioned infrastructure capacity and 28% traffic congestion as their main concerns.

According to Richard Downing, a resident who started the petition, the petition includes more than 600 pages of comments by the residents who have signed it.

In a summary of the objections, he said other common concerns were loss of open space and environment (24%), the effect on the heritage and the character of Durbanville (18%) and rezoning and title deed restrictions (8%).

Outlines objections

“This executive summary outlines the primary objections raised by residents regarding the proposed development of Durbanville Racecourse. The concerns reflect widespread opposition across multiple categories, highlighting risks to heritage, infrastructure, traffic and community well-being,” Downing said.

The proposed development application is for the removal of restrictive conditions, consolidation, rezoning, the approval of street names and the approval of a development framework for Erven 458, 4627 and 4658, commonly known as Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse.

The application by Urban Dynamics Cape for the development of 980 residential units includes 310 single residential units, 210 sectional title units and 20 apartment units. It also includes retail and office space, tourist facilities, a place of assembly, a place of entertainment and utility services for racecourse-related amenities and facilities, as well as a clubhouse and a private stormwater attenuation pond. The deadline for objections and comments was on Monday 6 April.

Besides the petition, a total of 123 individual objections and four late objections were received, as confirmed by the City of Cape Town, Downing said.

“The racecourse is regarded as a heritage site and integral to Durbanville’s identity. Residents fear the loss of the ‘village feel’ and transformation into a dense urban environment. Many invested in Durbanville specifically for its rural charm and open spaces,” Downing said in his summary.

Traffic congestion

“Roads such as St Johns Road, Bowlers Avenue and Aurora Street are already gridlocked during peak hours. There are concerns about road safety, speeding and congestion around schools. The development will worsen traffic volumes and increase risks for pedestrians and children,” he said.

He voiced residents’ concerns: “Schools are over capacity, with children struggling to secure placement. Water shortages, sewage failures and stormwater issues are already prevalent. Medical and policing services are overstretched and unable to absorb additional demand.”

Loss of open space

“The racecourse is one of the last open green spaces in Durbanville,” Downing said. “Residents have concerns about natural habitat destruction, drainage and ecological continuity. They have, in their comments, emphasised the importance of preserving recreational and community spaces.

“There were also objections to the removal of restrictive clauses in the title deed and concerns about procedural fairness and lack of transparency in rezoning processes. Residents purchased property with the understanding that open space rights were protected,” he said.

Overwhelming concern

“The objections demonstrate overwhelming community concern that the proposed development is unsustainable, poorly planned and destructive to Durbanville’s heritage and liveability.

“The strongest opposition relates to infrastructure capacity and traffic congestion, but heritage and environmental concerns remain significant. Legal and procedural objections further underscore the need for transparency and adherence to existing protections.

“Our recommendation is that the City should give serious consideration to these objections before approving any rezoning or development applications. Responsible urban planning must prioritize infrastructure readiness, heritage preservation and community well-being,” he said.

Eddie Andrews, deputy mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, had previously told TygerBurger the petition and any other inputs or comments received will be sent to the applicant for their response before the matter is tabled at the municipal planning tribunal.

“This matter is an active application that is being duly processed. The application is in the advertising stage. The purpose of this stage is to obtain inputs from the public and the City’s internal technical departments,” he said.

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