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Boomtown spin offs

Posted On Friday, 08 March 2002 03:01 Published by
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PARKLANDS, one of Cape Town’s booming suburbs and now regularly being referred to as the fastest growing development in South Africa,
PARKLANDS, one of Cape Town’s booming suburbs and now regularly being referred to as the fastest growing development in South Africa, is providing tremendous work opportunities to a broad spectrum of individuals and suppliers, says Tony Clarke, spokesperson for the Parklands Joint Venture.

It is difficult to obtain statistics to compare this development with others nationally. “Few areas grow anywhere near the levels of growth experienced in Parklands and whilst the Midrand has often been recorded as the growth point within the country, I believe we pipped them to the post during the last two years,” Clarke says.

“On a more local level though, one can look to Blaauwberg Administration for some details. Here we are advised that for the period July through to September 2001, the number of plans examined has increased by a staggering 83% if measured against the same period the previous year,” he says.

But who wins the race in development stakes, locally or nationally isn’t important. It’s getting the job done properly that counts. And it is here that Parklands looks to be amongst the winners. The development would not enjoy this success if the planning and management were not responsibly undertaken.

Since the launch of this development in July 1997, some 2 000 single residential properties and a similar number of apartments and townhouses have been sold. Shopping centers have been planned, commissioned and are now trading. The second service station is about to pump petrol and numerous commercial and office developments have emerged and development in its activity spine continues.

Comments in the construction industry and related businesses, suggest that consultants and contractors have less work on their books than they would choose. Yet in Parklands, one wonders if John Citizen realizes just how much is happening and how many work opportunities this development has created?

Clarke sketches the outline of a 100sq m home. The spin-offs are considerable. In this respect, the following table makes some interesting reading.

This table suggests 300 employment days - created on site only.

What the table completely ignores are the opportunities created off site. For a moment consider the opportunities for cartage contractors - deliveries of bricks, sand and stone and other bulk materials, as well as the employment opportunities at those brickfields, stone crushing plants and cement and roof truss manufacture.

Similarly, consider the manufactured products used in construction of a home i.e. paint, hardware, sanitary ware, sheeting and insulation, cabling and tubing, gutters, glazing and so on.

Thus far no cognizance has been taken of the behind the scenes people. Let’s not forget the design process, scrutiny and building inspectors, NHBRC personnel, mortgage brokers, bank staff and loads of other people that are involved once the building contract is concluded and finance and registration of the transaction takes place.

The work opportunities are endless. One simply cannot ignore the opportunities that arise from a growing area such as Parklands.

Nor for a moment have we considered the planning that take place such that ‘when one turns the tap – the water flows’. Many thousands of hours are cumulatively spent around a table planning the 35km of roads thus far.

There are 10 fully landscaped nodal parks and several kilometers of footpaths and linear parks - all of which had to be planned and built.

And last but by no means least – what of the increase to the local authority’s rates base?

Publisher: Cape Business News
Source: Cape Business News
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