Residents lodged objections with KwaZulu-Natal heritage watchdog Amafa, which will make the decision on the building and the effect of the proposed development on the heritage resources of the area if the demolition is approved.
Resident Tony Ball said residents became aware of the plan to build the hostel at the end of April when they received registered letters from the architects. He said there was very little information in the letter.
However, the South African Heritage Resource Information System says that the building at 27 Crart Road was damaged by fire two years ago and has since been extensively vandalised. It says that only the exterior and interior walls remain intact and it is currently occupied by vagrants.
According to the submission by Amafa SAHRIS the building site is overgrown, the building itself is structurally unstable and is causing a nuisance to other residents in the suburb.
"The proposed hostel is expected to be 527m² with 24 accommodation units of 21m² each," said Ball
"We want to preserve the heritage of our area but we also want to protect our interests. Students do not have financial interests in an area where they live so they don't have to be good to their neighbours or participate in the community. We anticipate noise, wild parties and everything else that comes with students," Ball added.
The head of Amafa's built environment section, Ros Devereux, said the building was put up between 1920 and 1945.
It is afforded general protection under heritage law and a decision will be taken based on its aesthetic, architectural, historical, scientific, social, spiritual or technological value as well as its contribution to the urban landscape. Objections must be submitted by 22 May and a decision is expected on 29 May.
Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge
*Additional reporting by Paddy Hartdegen - BizCommunity
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
