An overview of the biggest land restitution success in the Western Cape
It’s been almost a decade since property investors Atterbury won the tender for the multi-billion-Rand mixed-use development of Richmond Park, which would become the biggest land restitution case in the Western Cape to date. Today, years of hard work are finally coming to fruition and no one deserves it more than the individuals and families who co-own this prime piece of industrial real estate – they are represented by the Richmond Park Communal Property Association (RPCPA).
Located near Killarney Gardens in the greater industrial node of Milnerton, Cape Town, Richmond Park is the result of a hugely successful claim to have ownership of the land restored to its original owners in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act. During the 1970s and 1980s, a total of 401 families of owner-residents and tenants were forcibly removed from the Richmond Park site in terms of the Group Areas Act. Most of these families were resettled in Atlantis and some on the Cape Flats, and ownership of the land was transferred to the City of Cape Town and the National Department of Public Works.
Today, there are over 400 Richmond Park claimants who represent the estimated 5 300 individuals that span over 5 generations. Their goal is wealth creation, skills transfer and job creation. Already, more than 130 people from this group have undergone skills-development training organised by the Richmond Park Treasury Trust and Atterbury. They completed eight-week courses in bricklaying, plumbing, painting, carpentry or electrical work. These skills will no doubt be of great value to them, as the property development on 84 hectares of land is envisaged as a landmark business park and mixed-use precinct consisting of retail, light industrial, commercial and warehousing property development.
One can expect to see street names like Juf Brink Crescent and Henna Dolf Crescent throughout the Richmond Park development – names which have been selected by the Richmond Park Communal Property Association on behalf of community members in honor of the deceased members of the first committee who lodged the original restitution claim.
The park’s strategic location near Killarney Gardens in Milnerton, with great visibility and access to the N7 highway and other key arterial routes, has sparked strong industrial interest in the development and its surrounds – both CTM and Cape Fruit Coolers now call Richmond Park home. CTM has acquired 9 500sqm of land at Richmond Park, giving customers excellent visibility from its N7 highway frontage. Cape Fruit Coolers’ site spans 3.5ha on which a 17 000sqm facility will be developed in phases to expand its business. Richmond Park provides the ideal location for its additional facility, with easy four-lane road access from both the N7 and N1 highways, and the ability to accommodate the trucks essential for the operations of this service provider to the fruit exporting business.
In addition to the Richmond Park Communal Property Association and Atterbury, Qubic and Bethel Property also hold shares in this multi-billion-Rand mixed-use development. Some of Richmond Park’s unique offerings to occupants (and future occupants) include:
• Access to residential estates that caters for various price categories, such as Burgundy Estate
• Public transport – taxi, bus (MyCiTi) and train (Chempet Station)
• Proximity to Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town Port & Cape Town CBD
• Proximity to Cape Town International Convention Centre
• Proximity to Century City
Industrial nodes surrounding Richmond Park, including the sought-after Killarney Gardens node, share many of these benefits, which is why so many businesses choose to make this their main distribution point in the Western Cape.
Should you be interested in finding out more about industrial properties in the Killarney Gardens node, API Property Group has many excellent available units in the area. For expert advice, get in touch with one of our specialist property brokers today.
08 Jun 2018
Author API Property Group