Developers of the once-contentious 230 hectare Kenton Eco Estate appear to have shaken off detractors and are forging ahead with the R1.2 billion project.

Once plagued by delays caused by objections, appeals and court challenges from critics, in particular former First National Bank chief Chris Ball and his son-in-law Michael Fuller, the massive project is now all but complete and plot owners are beginning to build luxurious “eco-friendly” homes.

Ball and Fuller own property in the area and had challenged the Environmental Affairs Department’s authorisation of the development.

Asked about the progress of the eco estate, Fuller yesterday told the Daily Dispatch that a legal agreement reached between himself and the Kenton Eco Estate prohibited him from making further public comment on the issue.

In the meantime, services, roads, security fences, boardwalks and the grand gatehouse for the development are all in place, said Derrick Minnie, one of the ambitious project’s developers.

“People are now free to build.”

The building of four houses by owners had already commenced despite the financial meltdown in the country , said Minnie.

While the limping economy had scuppered some sales, Minnie said they had already sold about 220 of the 330 available plots, most of which are about 800m² in size.

The few owners who had chosen to re-sell their plots after the infrastructure had been completed had made a profit.

He said one owner who paid about R750000 for his plot some time ago had re-sold it unimproved to his neighbour for R2million three weeks before Christmas.

Private resort groups had also bought numerous plots with a view to developing them for fractional ownership purposes.

The houses have to be built to certain environmental standards. No formal gardens or fences will be permitted and all homes have to have a 5000 litre rain tank .

“It is to be a proper environmental village.”

He said the Environmental Affairs’ Record of Decision authorising the project had contained onerous conditions and they had adhered to all of them.

“It’s been an uphill battle but we are proud of what we have produced .”

Source: Daily Dispatch