Philadelphia is a small village 40km north of Cape Town. It has roughly 400 residents, a police station, 2 schools, a large graveyard, a handful of shops, 2 churches and 2 restaurants. And now it has its first digital newsheet: The Philadelphia Bugle: providing insight, facts and opinions about this tiny town tucked away amongst the fields and vineyards.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

More Nuwedorp plots on the way:? NG Kerk ponders latest offer.

Philadelphia is a unique and desirable place to live in, ask the residents. And judging by the frequent interest shown in the region, developers feel the same way. The most recent overture toward the NG Kerk, owner of the farmland surrounding the village, is an offer to purchase 3 to 3.5ha adjacent to and directly above the “Nuwedorp” for the purpose of residential development.


The Kerk has started to put out feelers to gauge the response to such a proposal. As in any property deal the owner can sell it to any buyer willing to pay the price. Community comment is called upon where there is an application to change the existing zoning or usage of the land in question: in this case converting agricultural land to residential erven. Always a controversial issue in a small town where development of any kind is felt all the more acutely; it is encouraging that the Kerk has sought the input of the residents at this early stage.

"Gedeelte A" depicts the land discussed.

Make your thoughts and ideas known by publishing your comments below.

5 comments:

  1. My house is directly next to the proposed development. I enjoy the view of the hill very much and it was a major influence in my decision to buy a house in Phialdelphia. So, I'm very disappointed about the proposed development, but after a moment's thought I realised that I should probably have checked what the plans were with the land surrounding the village before I decided to buy a year and a half ago. Philadelphia is great place to live, but let's face it, for most of the residents it is a bit of a commute to work. I weighed this up to the benefits of a rural setting when making the decision to buy. A development like this reduces the rural setting appeal (for me at least) and makes me re-evaluate my decision to live here.

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  2. Im really not keen on more developement, but if it will add a great value to the town, then it should be considered.

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  3. I am in so many mind sets about this. On one hand I would defnitley buy an erf here if they were as well priced as the other erven used to be (doubtful), because the views are just fantastic the higher up the hill you go and it would take me further away from the R304 noise, which is currently on my doorstep. But that means having to build another new house while we are already extending our current one. Also, where does it stop? When does the next offer come in for more land further up the hill or to the left of the 'nuwe dorp'. And what would the new site include - residential erven only, or commercial as well - I'm not too keen on a Spar in my back yard. Also, the more houses, the more traffic, which is enough of a headache already! I don't know... I really don't know...

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  4. After having a restaurant for 7 years, one of my life’s mottos became : ‘If in doubt, throw it out’. Imagine what would have happened if we gave doubtful food to customers. I am doubting more residential development …

    Ontwikkeling in ons klein dorpie laat my ontstellend ongemaklik voel. Alle besluite wat ons nou neem gaan vir ewig ‘n invloed hê. En tereg, waar gaan dit eindig. Maar, ek aanvaar, grondeienaars (en ek is een )het die volste reg om besluite daaroor te neem.

    Vir my gaan dit oor voorbeelde. Ons is die enigste so ‘n klein dorpie net buite ‘n groot stad wat nog bestaan soos dit vir ons almal is. Moet OF wil OF kan dit verander?

    • GREYTON (Weskaap): die karakter daar het redelik behoue gebly, maar waar’s die dorpie wat ek 20 jaar terug geken het?
    • RIEBEECK KASTEEL (Weskaap): die karakter het nie heeltemal behoue gebly nie en …
    • CLARENS (Vrystaat): hul karakter is al in my oë amper totaal weg, met 2 golfbaanontwikkelings en ‘n Pick-a Pay in die middel van die dorp.
    • WESKUS DORPIES : Meeste se karakter het behoue gebly maar …

    Vir my lê ons voordeel daarin dat ons naby is. Ons kan ontwikkeling laat plaasvind in terme van voete in die dorp (besigheidsgeleenthede) ens. Sonder om die dorpie verder uit te brei en die karakter te verloor.

    Vir my : Eerder toeriste as nog bure!

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  5. Dat die kerk die inwoners nader om kommentaar te lewer, word baie hoog op prys gestel. Ons glo dis die regte manier om die vertroue en goedgesindheid van die inwoners te verkry vir hierdie en latere projekte.
    Ek kan egter nie op die stadium namens die PBV reageer voordat ons dit nie bespreek het nie. Die PBV is nie teen alle ontwikkeling gekant nie. Ons was nie ten gunste van die beoogde woonbuurt op Boterberg nie weens die grootte/omvang daarvan en die druk wat dit op ons beperkte infrastruktuur sou plaas. Sou die ontwikkelaar daardie besware met aanvaarbare voorstelle te bowe kom, kan die inwoners se gevoel moontlik verander.


    Die onderstaande moet dus voorlopig as my persoonlike menings beskou word.
    Ek is simpatiek jeens die kerk se behoeftes en dink die aanbod wat julle ontvang het is baie gunstig. In die breë stem ek saam met Morne Theron se kommentaar. Die kwessies wat hy opper, is almal van wesenlike belang.

    1. Die aanbod kan slegs in beginsel oorweeg word, omdat kwessie soos die volgende heeltemal onbekend is:

    a. Presies waar is die ingang na die beoogde nuwe ontwikkeling en wat is die ligging van toekomstige toegangspaaie?
    b. Gaan die inwoners geraadpleeg word in die beplanning van die fisiese uitleg, sowel as met die estetiese en argitektoniese vereistes/bepalings?
    c. Sal die ontwikkelaar verantwoordelik wees vir die opgradering van watertoevoer, die rioolwerke, en opgradering van die bestaande padkruising/toegang op die R304 ?
    d. Is die erwe almal enkelresidensieel? Wat is die erfgroottes en die digtheid?

    2. Wat die PBV baie graag sou wou sien, is dat die kerk as die enigste grondeienaar waarop enige wesenlike ontwikkeling kan plaasvind, 'n meesterplan opstel vir verdere dorpsontwikkeling. 'n Mens kan nie die jongste aanbod in isolasie beoordeel nie.
    Ons glo die dorp het 'n fase betree waar dit nie wenslik is om reaktief en ad hoc op voorstelle van ontwikkelaars te reageer nie. Besluite behoort op deurdagte wyse volgens 'n goedgekeurde dorpsontwikkelingsplan te geskied.
    3. Daarom is Morne se kommentaar aangaande die behuisingsnood in Meulenhof en die beloftes wat gemaak is, ter sake. So ook sy kommentaar oor die wenslikheid om eerder die grond naasliggend aan die begraafplaas en rondom die VGK kerkie te ontwikkel. Vir die welsyn van die hele gemeenskap sal dit baie beteken as daar 'n groter mate van sekerheid bestaan oor die toekoms van die dorp.
    Ek vertrou dat die kwessies en vrae in aanmerking geneem sal word by die oorweging van die aanbod en by die voorwaardes wat gestel word in die ooreenkoms met die ontwikkelaar.

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