Stumbling block in Oude Molen plans

Tenants of Oude Molen Eco Village were given a boost when Heritage Western Cape (HWC) turned down a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) application by the provincial government which has proposed a mixed-used development on the site.

Last Wednesday May 14, HWC made a decision that the HIA application by the provincial government did not meet the provisions of the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA).

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HWC, Dr Michael Janse van Rensburg laid down some of the motivations for turning down the provincial government. According to HWC, the intangible heritage/living heritage has not been sufficiently investigated; there is insufficient information regarding the significance of the site in relation to the broader Two Rivers Urban Park (TRUP) heritage area; more detailed information is required pertaining to the massing of proposed buildings in order to make an accurate assessment of the impact on heritage resources.

“A revised HIA is to be submitted by the provincial government to HWC for further consideration,” says Dr Janse van Rensburg.

This comes after the provincial Department of Infrastructure (DOI), the custodian of the 14-hectare site, released proposed plans of a 2021 document to redevelop the site for social housing and mixed-used development.

The precinct on the border of Pinelands near the Black River includes the Oude Molen Eco Village with commercial, residential, educational and health institutions leasing from the province.

In April last year, the provincial DOI, called on tenants and residents of Oude Molen to take part a public participation process, which was met by outrage by Oude Molen tenants (“Outrage over Oude Molen development bid”, Tatler, May 30, 2024).

An unsigned statement released by Oude Molen Eco Village Tenants’ Association (OMEVTA) on Friday May 16, said the decision by HWC was a positive outcome for Oude Molen and would open new avenues for meaningful discussion on the use of public land in Cape Town.

It said the decision was welcomed by the community of Oude Molen Eco Village and all interested and affected parties that have lodged objections and comments so far.

OMEVTA says they are respectful of HWC's role as a statutory heritage body that holds a responsibility and mandate to protect the intangible and tangible heritage resources within the Two Rivers Urban Park and other such resources in the Western Cape.

Acting director of operational support for the provincial DOI, Jandré Bakker, says his department will still be committed to an integrated development on the site that provides a residentially-led mixed-use development inclusive of affordable housing, including social housing, with access to job opportunities, education and natural and heritage resources.

Mr Bakker says HWC has stated further requirements for provincial DOI to satisfy Section 38(3) of the NHRA, and to enable HWC to make a decision. “It means additional work to comply with heritage legislation. Therefore, this does not change any development plans the DoI has for the property.”