By Max Matavire

The Mandela Bay Development Agency is calling for proposals for the detailed planning and urban design for the environmental upgrading of the eastern section of the lower Baakens River Valley.

According to an advertisement placed in the press on Monday, the completed study proposals must comprise feasible planning and design work recommended, and must also include broad concept sketches on how the consultant team would propose to deal with the environmental upgrading of the area.

The area – between Baakens Street and the intersection of Valley Road and Upper Valley Road – is considered ecologically sensitive, and any development to be planned for the area should be carefully thought through.

The municipality has entered into an agreement with the Baakens Valley Preservation Trust to establish an urban conservancy in the area because of its bio-diversity.

MBDA chief executive Pierre Voges said on Monday that the aim was to get a plan that would indicate the type of development suitable for the area, and which would dovetail with the old PE Tramways building, which also will be redeveloped soon.

Already proposals for its redevelopment were advertised for last year. Due to the huge interest in its redevelopment, Voges said, the deadline for the submission of proposals – set at three months – has now been extended to four months.

He said the development of any part of the Baakens Valley should be closely linked to the Tramways building.

“The building is a strong catalyst for development towards Humewood, the CBD, Summerstrand and for the future development of the harbour. We now want a precinct plan for the area that could guide development into these four directions,‘‘ Voges said.

Some of the developments in the Baakens Valley he envisaged were a pedestrian bridge across the river, or damming the river through a weir system.

Submission of study proposals close at noon on April 13. A briefing session will be held at the MBDA offices (seventh floor, Kwantu Towers) on March 20, starting at 10am.

Eastern Province Herald