Previously disputed Bo-Kaap hotel now approved for development
The City of Cape Town's mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis has now approved a proposed hotel development at 150 Buitengracht Street in Bo-Kaap.
The site, a vacant lot on the boundary between the heritage-rich Bo-Kaap and Cape Town CBD, is near to Auwal Masjid, which is the oldest mosque and madrassah in South Africa and is of great heritage significance to the area and city.
The plans for this hotel were previously met with some contention and concerns by residents of Bo-Kaap.
Due to these concerns, the plans have had to undergo extensive revision with community input via a six-month engagement facilitated by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).
'This appeal concerns an application near to a Masjid that is of profound heritage significance to all of Cape Town. For that reason, this matter has been treated with great care, and has followed an exhaustive engagement process. Few, if any, other development proposals have gone through such extensive community consultation, and redesign.' Mayor Hill-Lewis said.
Mayor Hill-Lewis said that the hotel plan revision resulted in a consensus that the building should be smaller, lower, and that intrusive overlooking features be removed.
'The proposed building began its journey as nine storeys, but will now be six storeys, with a front facade of three storeys onto Buitengracht St. This is much smaller than several nearby hotels.' he added.
The facilitation process was conducted from December 2022 to May 2023 by a SAHRA team, which included heritage architects, heritage practitioners, historians, anthropologists, legal experts, as well as built environment experts.
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