News and Updates

Update: 9 Oct 2025

City of Cape Town – Have your say link

Comment on the draft Big Bay Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) – link below

Update: 7 Oct 2025

Community update

Dear Community Member

We have arrived at the next milestone in our journey towards a Spatial Development Framework for the greater Big Bay area!

The Public Participation Process for the Draft Big Bay LSDF will commence on Thursday 9^th of October following permissions granted by the Planning and Environment Portfolio Committee and the Blaauwberg District Sub-Council. It will be run by the City and will include an open day on the 1st November and an online meeting on the 13^th November from 18.00pm. It will close on the 12th December.

The purpose of the BBLSDF is to establish sound and sustainable development policy specific to the greater Big Bay area, which includes 278 Ha of undeveloped National Govt owned land between Big Bay and the R27 (Erf 1117), the historic Blouberg Village, the Table View Beachfront and undeveloped Provincial land in Bloubergstrand, West Beach and alongside Table Bay Mall. It has been funded by the community through the Blaauwberg Spatial Association and is ground-breaking as the first Local Area Spatial Development Framework undertaken by a community rather than the City under oversight of the City. It has been prepared by urban designer and town planner CNdP, and grapples with City and National policies such as housing provision, biodiversity preservation, community services, and transport. The City officials have applauded the professional quality of the work undertaken and have now taken it in hand to drive its progress to formalisation.

Some key aspects of the development proposals contained in the draft are:

1. Approximately 70% of the undeveloped land in the LSDF area to be preserved for biodiversity.
2. Provision of 4000 dwelling units on erf 1117 and erf 268 with typologies consistent with the area housing approximately 10 000 people.
3. Inclusion of a retirement village, schools, sports facilities and a public hospital in the LSDF area.
4. Extension of the My City bus stop to the Berkshire Boulevard/R27 intersection, with associated ‘park and ride’.
5. Additional traffic circles on Otto Du Plessis Drive at the intersections with Perlemoen Rd and Sir David Baird Dr.
6. Improvement of the cycling and pedestrian lanes, including managed access to Blouberg mountain from alongside the Mall.
7. Upgrading of the sewerage and beachfront infrastructure.

It should be noted that thorough consideration was given by the City to the impact of the Cape Town Bionet and Koeberg evacuation. Neither of these key aspects is exclusive of development in the area, and their impact will ultimately be clearly established through EIA’s and contextual evacuation modelling when formal development applications are submitted. An infographic showing how the Bionet has informed the notional development footprint on erf 1117 is attached.

The draft document is lengthy and comprehensive. We urge our community to consider its contents with an open mind and accurate reading, checking social media posts against factual content, participate in the open day or on-line meeting, and to respond constructively on the City’s ‘Have Your Say’ portal. Following closure of the Public Comment period, all comments will be reviewed and considered for further amendment of the draft.

The BSA Board.

Update: 8 Sept 2025

Dear Community Member

The Big Bay LSDF Steering Committee has reached consensus on the draft Spatial Framework which will now be submitted to the City’s Blaauwberg District Sub-Council and Spatial Planning and Environment Portfolio Committee, for permission to proceed to round 2 of formal Public Participation. We expect approval by these two entities within a month and if permission is granted, the final draft will be distributed to Stakeholders on 4^th October marking the formal commencement of all Stakeholder review, for a period of 60 days. The City will be organizing and managing the Public Participation process. During the public comment period, an Open Day and an Online Engagement Opportunity is planned. Final dates for the commencement of the public participation process and associated engagement events will be confirmed in due course. This is Phase 5 of the process towards approval of the Framework. All inputs arising from this formal public comment process will be carefully considered by the City, the BSA and the Steering Committee, and any required final adjustments to the Spatial Framework then made, before the final version is submitted to Council for final approval and adoption as formal City policy.

The final draft remains substantially the same as that distributed to the community in December last year. The main concerns of the City and Government were: 1. insufficient recognition of public/private partnership development since the site is prioritized by Cabinet resolution for state funded housing; 2. the communities’ requirement of a maximum affordable housing proportion of 20% which was not considered adequate by the Human Settlements departments; and 3.  the impact of the updated 2025 Biodiversity Spatial Plan on the development footprint. Board consensus on these issues has been reached. The extent of biodiversity area has been increased (with further compensation due through ‘offsets’) and a consequent reduction in housing units on erf 1117 supplemented with two new development blocks on the Provincially owned erf 268 on the eastern side of the R27. The housing typologies and densities remain the same with an overall LOW density (<45 du/ha) on erf 1117 which effectively defines the nature of housing and the restricts the extent of development inside the 16km Koeberg safety zone, conforming to the District Plan. The new artificial wetland adjacent to Big Bay Boulevard (arising from a temporary arrangement for water fallout from Sunningdale north) now forms part of the protected biodiversity area on the amended plan.

The BSA will keep the community updated on the draft Framework’s progress and commencement of Public Participation.

The BSA Board

Update: 28 May 2025

Update: 19 March 2025

Update: 15 January 2025

Update: 13 December 2024

Update: 4 December 2024 (further updated on 6 December)

Update: 27 November 2024

Update: 13 – 14 November 2024

Update: 7 November 2024

Update: 5 November 2024

Dear Members,

Pull on those cycling shorts, put together a team and come compete for Blaauwberg honours….or just have fun!
Team- based Cyclathon at Atlantic Beach Estate 30 November 2024.

Enter here:
https://forms.gle/3vhuBS1KzDWYGQR69

Click the below image to enlarge it

Update: 24 October 2024

Local Area Spatial Development Framework: Quick update

• The revised draft BBLSDF proposals together with the responses to comments will be completed by CNdP Town Planners by the end of this month and will be distributed to the Community and City for feedback.
• The BSA is willing to meet with any community groups wanting to discuss the proposals during the feedback period. Should you wish to avail yourself of this opportunity, please contact the chairman or post a request via the BSA website https://blaauwbergsa.co.za/contact/
• After reviewing the feedback, the Joint Steering Committee (City and Community) will decide whether there is sufficient consensus to proceed, or to instruct specific amendments, or to return to stakeholders for further workshopping. This review should take place at the end of November.
• Permission must be granted by the City’s Spatial Planning and Environment Portfolio Committee and by the Sub-Council before the final draft can proceed to formal public participation involving all stakeholders. We hope to get this permission at their February meetings.
• The BSA is aware of misleading information regarding the BSA and the BBLSDF process being spread within the community. You are welcome to contact our chairman on 0837873334 regarding any concerns regarding process, funding or policy.

Update: 22 October 2024

Update: 26 August 2024

Update: 19 June 2024

Update: 20 May 2024