Overview of Wireless Road developments

The road is alive with the sound of heavy machinery and angry shouts of residents whose electricity got cut off or saw cherished curb-side trees or indigenous plants disappear.

Though they started off as two applications, Wireless 1 and Wireless 2 (see maps below), it is easier to treat them as a single integrated development proposal. The 16-year-old reports make it clear that they are designed to function together, sharing access, services, refuse facilities, planning rationale. stormwater systems, refuse facilities and a common entrance opposite Sunbird Circle.

Thinking may have changed over the years but:

• the first application proposed 44 sectional dwellings on the western site (abutting Wireless rd) 

• the second application applied for 101 dwellings (27 houses and 74 apartment) on the adjoining eastern site (old tunnel farming area).

Together they would create a new residential precinct of 145 dwelling units very close to the entrance to Kommetjie on approximately five hectares of land on either side of the shared access road.

Both applications sought amendments to the  planning framework of the time, which had historically reserved parts of these properties for a future high school (pipped at the post by Generation).

The developers had argued that changing circumstances and more recent City planning policies favoured medium-density housing on these sites, citing the City's objectives of accommodating growth within the urban edge, broadening housing choice and creating more sustainable neighbourhoods.  

The proposals include communal open spaces, landscaped areas, flood protection measures and stormwater detention ponds adjacent to the Bokramspruit. Environmental and heritage approvals were needed before development could go ahead. 

Traffic congestion a major concern

At the time of approval these two – and the other commercial and residential proposals in the pipeline – were causing serious concerns about traffic congestion. Even without the addition of hundreds of new homes, the traffic on Kommetjie Road was often backed up for kilometres with serious wait times. This was the main reason the KRRA went to court (a case we lost) to challenge what was seen as a major planning flaw.  

The long awaited provision of an extra lane near Masiphumelele has, for the moment and to a large extent, alleviated such jams. 

However the problem has not disappeared entirely as Riverside extension, Protea Ridge, Wireless 1 and 2, as well as several multi-storey projects around the Kommetjie CBD, are going through approval processes and are likely to add many more cars to the road and pressure to infrastructure which is showing signs of wear. 

Up the road, Sea Breeze abutting Ocean View and about 37 hectares of housing potential on land east of that, once called Kompanjiestuin, will doubtless  soon take up any spare infrastructural capacity. Commercial, educational and a variety of residential models on Imhoff’s Gift farm are developing apace too.

Inform yourself of proposed developments

The KRRA encourages residents to become familiar with such proposed changes  consider both their potential benefits and possible impacts, and to participate actively in the related public participation processes.

Well-informed and sustained community involvement remains one of the most important ways in which better decisions can be made and realised.   

We thank everyone who has shown interest and has contributed to our Kommetjie vision survey.  

From the project manager

KRRA asked the responsible project manager at Progressive Project Managers to confirm the above information. They replied confirming that the "developer is exercising their rights in terms of the land use approval" of 44 dwelling units but that they are only "dealing with Portion 1" at this stage so could not confirm the figure of 101 dwellings.

Additionally, the could not yet confirm prices and size ranges of the individual units as they are "still in the planning stages and are not yet ready to go to market" but will release the information once this has been finalised. They could not offer a completion date and have said the "dwellings / designs will be in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Environmental Authorisation".

 Wireless 1

Wireless 2