The City of Cape Town has approved the use of the Green Point Bowling Greens for a mixed-use development, opening the way for the construction of affordable housing pending public participation.
The site, valued at R680 million, is located near the Atlantic Seaboard and Cape Town’s CBD. The city has stated that the project will include current community amenities and potentially existing tenants.
City Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, expressed optimism about the project’s potential:
“The release of prime land in Green Point for mixed-use development, bringing commercial, retail, and residential opportunities, will boost economic growth while preserving key community space.”
However, housing activists such as Ndifuna Ukwazi and Reclaim the City remain skeptical about the project’s commitment to affordable housing.
Researcher for Ndifuna Ukwazi, Nick Budlender, highlighted significant concerns:
“We are increasingly worried about how many affordable homes will be included and how affordable they will actually be. A major red flag is that the City expects to extract maximum value for this land.”
Budlender warned that prioritizing profit by selling the land to the highest bidder could undermine efforts to address Cape Town’s affordable housing crisis.
Activists have pledged to monitor the City’s plans to ensure the project meets its promise of delivering affordable housing in the sought-after Green Point area.
Public participation processes will soon provide residents an opportunity to voice their views on the development.
VOC News
Photo:@CityofCT/X
