Stellenbosch mountain estate construction halted

IN A 52-page judgment, the Western Cape High Court has ruled that no houses may be built along the Botmaskop mountain slopes in Stellenbosch until the environmental authorisation for a planned 77-unit estate has been reviewed.

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

Judge Melanie Holderness said the court was tasked with determining whether an interim interdict should be granted to preserve the status of the Botmaskop Fynbos Estate, a 77-unit development located on the slopes of the scenic Botmaskop mountain above Helshoogte at Portion 2 of Farm Amoi No 490, Stellenbosch.

The court papers state that to date, only the roadworks and the reservoir have been constructed on the property and not a single dwelling or other above-ground building has yet been constructed.

The interdict sought to halt any above ground construction work, pending review proceedings in terms of which the applicant — the Stellenbosch Interest Group (SIG), challenges the amended environmental authorisation granted by the Director of Development Management in the Department of Local Government, Environmental Affairs Development Planning, dated February 18, 2021.