You may have  seen  notices  on  street lamp posts  and poles  within  the  Estate  and on  Dale  and Alan Roads.   Please be informed  this is your opportunity  to  comment  on the proposed  Zonkízizwe   development   which   was  first to take place  around  the  Gautrain  side  of  the Old Mutual property,  but has  all of a sudden  been  changed  to the land at the back of  Donovan Road.

This  area  is  a  wetland  and  attempts  have been made before  to  use this land  for the Pan African Parliament  Centre,   which also  they  tried to build   off the highway  to  Pretoria  by the African Development  Bank,  but they  hit  water.   The Pan African Parliament is now run  from Gallagher  Estates.  On  this particular   section  of land there  are two underground fountains  which provide  Glen Austin   with  borehole  water.

The document is at present at the Midrand Library,   but  GARA  has asked  for a hard  copy  to be delivered to them.

Please fill out the form below to register your comments regarding this proposed development.  Should you want to read further documentation, please see the EIA's & Rezoning Applications in the Document Library.

We have received two applications for rezoning or amendments:

• Proposed removal of restrictive conditions: Remainder of Holding 354, Glen Austin AH Ext 1 – this  is for  storage  of  trucks.
  
• Proposed removal of restrictive conditions: Remainder of Holding 286, Glen Austin AH Ext 1 – this is to relax  the boundary  lines  for building.

GARA seeks advice from a Town Planner on these Descriptions  as ‘’Removal  of  Restrictive  Conditions"  can mean anything and we try and let our Members know the implications.  We have received the following advice:

“Nothing in the national constitution or any town planning scheme prevents an owner or occupier of land from legally conducting their business or profession from home.

However, this is quite a broad statement and would be subject to the caveat that such business or profession is obviously legal but is then also conducted in a manner that does not cause offence or affect the amenity of the surrounding area.

Strictly speaking - in the Halfway House and Clayville Scheme area, while the scheme itself is silent on how this is to be approached, the Council uses the principle of the home business not employing more than 2 outside employees and not using more than 25% of the floor area of the existing dwelling house on the property.  In terms of this understanding it would not be legal to use outbuildings for the carrying on of any business or profession.

These provisions were made with professional offices in mind (doctors, dentists, accountants, town planners and the like) and not for the range of other business uses that are really a problem in terms of aesthetics and other impacts.

A trucking business is a particular problem.  If the owner/occupier runs a trucking business and has one or two trucks, then maybe that could be considered a home business with a few related complications. More than that in terms of the employee and floor area criteria, however, it is no longer a "home" business and is moving more towards a business site in itself and not a small low key business use that was intended to be always subservient to the main residential / agricultural use whether conducted solely inside the dwelling house or not.

It is all about amenity and quality of life for the adjoining property owners. If the activity - even if it is a so-called legally acceptable use that causes havoc for the community because of what its impacts are - then the Council can be asked to intervene and stop the problem activity.

Again  please send any  Objections/Comments  with the  respective  Reference Numbers    addressed  to the   Executive Director,  Department of Planning  direct to   [email protected]   with your name,  address and telephone number.