GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — An update has been released on the progress of the new private hospital due to be built in Graaff-Reinet, a project which is anticipated with a great deal of excitement in the community.
It is hoped that another public meeting can be held, with more detailed feedback, once the Record of Decision (ROD) has been issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs in Port Elizabeth.
Approval is expected within the 100 day period allowed, probably towards the end of April. This will initiate the entire process, and the developers will be able to move on site.
No objections to the development proposals on the site have been received as a result of the required notification and advertising procedures. Funding is in place, for all phases, and time frames for implementation will be reviewed shortly.
The municipality will then be able to table the application to Council, as all the relevant notification procedures will have been completed. The project is in a Town Planning and Technical Engineering phase, with the Municipal Engineering Department. This application to Council will be for the rezoning and subdivision of erf 1823 for the private hospital, and for residential land use.
Once approval has been granted, the subdivided portions will be able to be serviced with road and bulk infrastructure. The development proposals on each portion can then be accommodated after survey and registration.
This infrastructure installation and the construction of the hospital is considered to be phase one of the development program.
The second phase is the adjacent lifestyle security village on a subdivided portion of the same erf.
Final phases would include a frail care facility, assisted living units and single residential lifestyle units, as well as a clubhouse and small commercial shopping component.
The developers are looking at advanced sewer technology so that all sewerage water is made available on the site for beautification and rehabilitation of the flood area along the river bank. The use of water harvesting and solar technology is regarded as essential.
If things move according to plan, most of these items should commence, and some cases be completed, during 2018, with the construction of the hospital to commence in all earnest early in 2019.
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