By Max Matavire

An ambitious, multi-billion rand plan to reclaim more than 2km of coastal land in North End as part of a prime waterfront development has been given the green light by the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.

The municipality has prioritised the plan ahead of all other tourism projects in the city, including the Freedom Statue, Bayworld and the international conference centre, and has approached Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin for his assistance in fast-tracking the project.

The coastal land will be reclaimed by a sand bypass pumping system and a multi-purpose reef structure.

The development, which will include entertainment and leisure facilities, accommodation, retail, restaurants and hotels, will also be linked to the World Cup soccer stadium, which is about 800m away, by an upgraded corridor along Darling Street.

It is also envisaged that the project will take pressure off the already congested Humewood and Summerstrand beaches.

A progress report on the project was tabled on Monday at the environment and health committee meeting. The project is a joint venture between the municipality and Transnet, and will unlock vast tracts of land adjacent to North End and Deal Party.

In his report to the committee, environment and health executive director Dr Paul Martin said the project has been identified as the "number one project" of all the municipality's 18 Vision 2020 projects.

A task team including deputy mayor Bicks Ndoni, environment and health committee chairman Nomsa Swarts, infrastructure and engineering committee chairman Boyce Tokota and budget and treasury committee chairman Masla Odayar will lead the project.

He said to date many discussions, feasibility studies, investigations and site visits had been completed with various stakeholders.

A project overview report by Afri-Coast Engineers tabled at the meeting says the stretch of coastline is situated at the gateway entrance into Port Elizabeth along the N2 and M4 freeway, which currently creates a poor image and poor visual impression of the city to tourists, business and investors.

It also adds little value to the economic development and tourist potential of Nelson Mandela Bay.

Donald McGillivray of Afri-Coast said internationally waterfront property was prime real estate, offering valuable development, investment and tourism opportunity.

"The potential now exists to re-instate this environmentally degraded section of coastline in Port Elizabeth in an integrated and phased approach to a multi-use world class sustainable coastal waterfront precinct," he said.

"This coastal redevelopment will become a catalytic tool for the stimulation of sustainable economic development, job creation, improved image and tourist potential of the municipality."

He said currently, with the bad odours from the Algorax factory and the Fishwater Flats waterworks greeting visitors, it is like "welcoming a guest through the back toilet".

The project will be completed in phases, with the first phase costing about R400-million. The entire project, from the harbour to the Swartkops River, is estimated to cost billions of rands.

A pedestrian, commuter and recreational cycleway link will be created along the coastline linking the inner city re-development, the 2010 Soccer stadium precinct in the centre, and the Red Location cultural precinct in New Brighton.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University tourism research unit director Peter Myles welcomed the idea, saying it would create a new tourism node for the city.

"There had always been a beautiful beach in that area, but it was taken away with the construction of the harbour. We have to look to the future. Currently that stretch is undeveloped and not being utilised for economic value. There are a lot of development opportunities there. It's a worthwhile project," said Myles.

Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce chief executive Odwa Mtati said that if the plan became a reality, it would be a "very exciting" project.

"It will add variety for tourists and business people. They will have a wider range to choose from. Considering that the number of visitors to the city has increased by about 10 per cent, people have an expanded menu to select from," he said.