“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another”
FEBRUARY 2014 Matric results
Local choir releases CD
Security cameras for the valley
V&A Deon Meyer
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La Motte settlement to be expanded
Google Earth image from the Phase 2 Heritage Impact Assessment by Aikman Associates showing the location of the proposed expansions at the La Motte Forestry Settlement.
The La Motte settlement is set grow to more than twice its current size during the next few years. Details of this development have emerged as the Environmental Impact Assessment process has continued its course. The development of affordable and GAP housing in the La Motte area follows studies undertaken for both the previous Franschhoek Municipality and subsequently for Stellenbosch Municipality. The La Motte site was one of the areas identified for further housing development and the Town Council resolved to proceed with development there during 2012. It is proposed to allow further development in three areas. Although the settlement can only be glimpsed from the R45 the proposed site design was carefully considered to mitigate the impact of the development. Area 1 is to the south east of the TCTA township (White City) and is separated from that township by a corridor of natural vegetation. This area of 4.59ha, smaller than the TCTA township, will accommodate 106 erven of 300m² in a gridiron layout and has been selected for GAP housing.
Area 2 straddles the Robertsvlei Road and is separated from the existing settlement by a river corridor and associated wetland. This area is envisaged as containing “community facilities and a commercial centre centred on the existing forestry workshops, stores and the fire station.” Area 3 has been broken up into two pockets by allowing for a corridor of natural vegetation separating them. Three hundred and twenty nine erven ranging in size from 160m² to about 190m² with the larger erven on the outer edges of the two gridiron sites are proposed. The botanical studies didn’t yield much of interest as all the sites in question have been highly disturbed over many years. One red-listed plant species (Lachnaea capitata) was however found in Area 1. Its status is considered as vulnerable. Interestingly an almost unknown abandoned cemetery with approximately 80 graves was discovered to the northwest of the La Motte settlement. Its existence was unknown to the municipality and local residents could also shed little light on its history.
Email: info@stellenboschblinds.co.za • Fax: 021 886 8516