By Amukelani Chauke

Rosebank residents are hopping mad after plans were unveiled to build a four-storey parking garage, as part of the Gautrain project, in Oxford Road.

The site for the planned parkade is situated directly opposite the area's busy shopping precinct.

The garage was initially scheduled to be built underground by Gautrain's developers, the Bombela Consortium.

But, at a meeting with stakeholders last week, Bombela dropped a bombshell by announcing that the development would no longer be underground and would incorporate 720 parking bays.

Residents, business owners and the Melrose Ratepayers Association said this week the building would wreak havoc with traffic, devalue property and increase noise.

Newly appointed ward councillor Ian Ollis said residents were never informed about the new development. "I feel that the province and developers should have had more sense than to approve this eyesore. They should have at least consulted the affected residents and establishments before this decision was taken."

He said no mention was made of the parkade in Bombela's Preliminary Design Report.

"It came to light at our meeting last week that this has all changed."

He said the new plans would mean that the entrance and exit points to the garage would be along Baker Street.

"This would mean that Kingsmead College would experience heavy traffic congestion, as parents use the road to [ferry] children to and from the school."

At a meeting with the developers on Thursday, Ollis proposed that:

• The construction be reduced to two storeys and be closed off so that it won't look over Kingsmead College because it is a girls school;
• Entrance to the parkade should be along Oxford Road; and
• Bombela landscape the area around the parkade.

Kingsmead College principal, Pat Brink, said they were vehemently opposed to the proposed plans. "This is a residential area. It is not zoned for a four-storey construction. All buildings in the area should be two storeys high."

She said over 800 cars drove in and out of the school every day.

"We have a committee made up of the school's governing body, the parents and dedicated school teachers who will hold meetings with Bombela almost every week to try to oppose this," she added.

Mike Tisdall, who manages the Rosemead Mews block of flats next to the proposed construction site, said the parking bays would increase noise levels in the area.

Chairman of the Melrose Ratepayer's Association, Leuis Neuburger, said: "They can build a four-storey garage, as long as only two levels are above ground and they build the other two below ground."

Neuburger said the association's aim was to protect residents and businesses from any negative environmental impact that the structure might cause.

Gautrain spokesman Barbara Jensen said it was no longer feasible to build the underground parkade, which forms part of the R20-billion Gautrain project.

She said: "[This is] due to the extent of the existing utilities in this area requiring protection.

"These include Telkom lines, power cables and water pipes. Another reason is the requirement of the city council to have two traffic lanes open on Oxford Road during the construction period."

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works announced on Friday that the land expropriation process to facilitate the Gautrain project had begun.

The department said property evaluations had been finalised and, in the next few months, 1056 stands and homes would be expropriated.

According to the department, owners had started to vacate these properties.

Sunday Times

Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge