Mixed reactions as Atlantic Seaboard confirms new development

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27-11-2024
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Cape Town Etc
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Hearing the news of an upcoming development set to take its place in Green Point’s Main Road after evicting two highly-frequented stores, the local community of the Atlantic Seaboard has taken to social media to voice their concerns, reports Cape {town} Etc.

Sparking the debate, Natalie Mouers, a member of Facebook group The Atlantic Seaboard Community Forum, shared that she had recently heard that local go-to stores Kwik Spar and Ultra Liquor were given notice to vacate in order to make way for a new development.

‘Can anyone shed more light please?’ asked Mouers in the post.

In response, the Facebook group’s admin, Peter Flentov, shared that he received confirmation that the two stores have been given notice to vacate their premises by the end of July 2025.

‘The Berman Brothers will be building a nine-storey block with 200 or so apartments and underground parking,’ answered Flentov in a separate post, saying that signs are expected to go up soon. ‘The project is expected to be completed in 2028.’

Flentov also added that the Kwik Spar and Ultra Liquors have asked the Berman Brothers whether the development would include retail space that they could occupy. The two stores, however, have yet to hear back from the developers.

In her initial Facebook post, Mouer added, ‘If true, how on earth do we have so many flats going up in the area? Are 100% of apartments occupied in Green Point and Sea Point?’.

Taking to the comment sections of the aforementioned posts, a few community members took the news relatively well, with some expressing a sense of optimism and others, nonchalance:

Ashley Habib: ‘This has been approved a while ago already. I believe it’s going to be 10/11 floors. With retail on the ground level! It’s been posted in many of the FB groups. The City of CT has issued a few notes in this regard. It’s the one piece of land that I believe should be developed – based on its size and I believe it will improve the area – the overall plans look fabulous. It’s the small houses that are been bought up – demolished – and then developed that are more of a concern.  [✌🏻] [✌🏻] [✌🏻]

Antonio Ravaglia: ‘It’s not too bad, if you don’t live at the back of it.’

Mary Tarbock: ‘Think it’s true. Didnt think it would be so soon to get rid of Spar. Made life so much easier with Spar there especially easy parking.’

Jacques Weber: ‘The plot was sold and yes there is another development coming.’

However, the majority of the commenters were not all that thrilled to hear the news, voicing concerns about the Atlantic Seaboard’s current state of congestion:

John Heymann: ‘Oh no… 200 more flats in an area whose infrastructure is already sorely stressed and overburdened. Roads too narrow for the high traffic volume, sewerage system antiquated as is the water supply system.’

Graham Bartholomew: ‘These developers will be the death of the soul of the Atlantic Seaboard  [😞] ‘

Di Britz: ‘Our area is already way too congested with not even remotely enough public parking. The whole of Green Point, Sea Point, Bantry Bay etc has been so well served by Ultra there it is a shocker that we are losing yet another great service provider and gaining a huge amount more of lesser needed congestion.’

Natalie Van Ster: ‘Not to mention the traffic and no more shop nearby you will have to walk or go driving through traffic if you forget something on your shopping list or any other item that ran out at home.’

Mark Palmer-Edgecumbe: ‘Soon there will be only blocks of apartments and real estate agents offices in Sea Point – no actual shops. And all the apartments let on AirBNB. A real hell on earth.’

Sara Malca Scheiner: ‘The city keeps approving plans for huge blocks without putting in the necessary infrastructure and services to serve a much larger population. No clinics and Somerset Hospital can’t cope, no affordable dental services, no schools, no play parks, insuffucient parking for residents and visitors. You may ask why? It’s not complicated – having 10 – 50 rate payers on one property is more desirable than just one or two.’

Gina Milosevich Sangiorgio: ‘Oh dear – CT’s infra-structure is definitely going to take a beating. We’re already having issues with water pipes bursting in sea point – what’s going to happen our side??? CT is going to be over-crowded within a very short time.’

Sharon Kruyer: ‘Atlantic Seaboard has become an absolute abortion. The developers have destroyed it beyond repair and they are not slowing down with cheap and nasty looking monstrosities.Green Point, Sea Point, Camps Bay etc cannot cope with the amount of people and traffic, it is truly an untold nightmare and they are totally ruining the look and feel. That concrete block on Camps Bay Beach front has blocked a huge chunk of the mountain and ruined that view forever. There must be a massive amount of corruption and payoffs going on between them and council. We do not have the infrastructure to handle this explosion of greed.’