Heritage concerns over Dagbreek Cottage demolition

Concern has been raised over the proposed demolition of Dagbreek Cottage, a City-owned structure situated at 11 Kommetjie Main Road in Sunnydale, as heritage stakeholders question the future of the site on historic Poespaskraal land.

- ERIN CARELSE

The Fish Hoek Valley Museum and the Fish Hoek Valley Historical Association have expressed “deep concern” about the proposal to demolish the original cottage, which they say forms part of the layered historical narrative of the Fish Hoek Valley.

The building is located east of the fire station on Kommetjie Main Road in Sunnydale.

Sue Maude, curator of the Fish Hoek Valley Museum, confirmed they have received a Section 34 Heritage Report (version 2, compiled May 2026) prepared by Hearth Heritage, which is to be submitted to Heritage Western Cape in support of a permit application for total demolition.

Dagbreek Cottage is described in the report as a structure of approximately 450m², with the oldest section built before 1945 and likely dating back to the nineteenth century.

It originally consisted of mud-brick walls, gum pole trusses and a thatched roof, with later additions made using cement brick, timber trusses and metal roofing.

The cottage stands on Erf 17914, a portion of Erf 17775, which forms part of the wider Sunnydale area previously known as the Farm Poespaskraal. The land has historic origins dating back to a 1743 freehold grant to Carel George Wieser.

The City, as owner of the property, intends to demolish the structure to create additional training space for the fire station. The current proposal is for the site to be landscaped, with no further building development planned.