By Lauren Cohen

The developers of an exclusive apartment block along Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard have illegally blasted and excavated a strip of coastline to create better views for wealthy residents.

Unless further excavation is done, owners of ground-floor flats at The Bantry, which achieved prices of more than R25-million per unit, will have their sea views obstructed by large granite boulders.

Greater Flamingo Investments last year prematurely started removing land - above the high water mark - which belongs to the City of Cape Town.

Charles Cooper, spokesman for the City of Cape Town, said the developer had submitted an application to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning to continue excavating so that ground-floor apartments can have a full view of the ocean.

But last month the developers were served with a notice informing them of the department's intention to proceed with legal action.

About 80 to 100 cubic metres of soil and rock had been excavated on the site, causing damage to the coastline, said Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning acting deputy-director Farah Abrahams.

"The department requires rehabilitation to the damaged area," she said.

The developer now runs the risk of being slapped with a fine or having to rehabilitate the damaged area - an issue yet to be determined. Greater Flamingo Investments suggested it pay R100 000 to upgrade and rehabilitate public open space in the area.

The Bantry consists of 17 apartments which fetched up to R80 000 a square metre, according to an agent who handled sales but asked not to be named.

World-renowned architect Stefan Antoni is one of the designers of the prestigious high-rise building.

"The initial sales were all to local captains of industry who bought them to live in when they scale down from their luxury homes. There have been resales to foreign buyers but it is predominantly locals who will live there," said the agent.

Two retail tycoons have been named as owning units in the development, as well as Big Concerts managing director Attie van Wyk.

One SA buyer paid R25-million for a 319m? flat the day it came on the market. A British buyer spent R38-million on two flats which were then combined.

Development manager Julian Leibman said a formal public process was under way to reach a decision about what elements of the development would be amended.

Some of the suggested amendments include planting milkwood trees on city land, setting the rim flow pools back by half a metre to allow for coastline landscaping, providing a public bench and drinking fountain on The Bantry?s roof area, removing an existing tidal pool and all concrete and debris, and cleaning affected rocks and providing R100 000 to assist in the rehabilitation of surrounding public open spaces.

Seapoint, Fresnaye and Bantry Bay Residents' Association planning committee chairman Trevor Stacey said the situation needed to be dealt with "in a way that is best for the community".

"We need to look at the remedial costs versus the value of the apartments and find something we think is reasonable."

Sunday Times