27-05-2025
Stumbling block in Oude Molen plans
Tenants of Oude Molen Eco Village were given a boost when Heritage Western Cape (HWC) turned down a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) application by the provincial government which has proposed a mixed-used development on the site.
Last Wednesday May 14, HWC made a decision that the HIA application by the provincial government did not meet the provisions of the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA).
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HWC, Dr Michael Janse van Rensburg laid down some of the motivations for turning down the provincial government. According to HWC, the intangible heritage/living heritage has not been sufficiently investigated; there is insufficient information regarding the significance of the site in relation to the broader Two Rivers Urban Park (TRUP) heritage area; more detailed information is required pertaining to the massing of proposed buildings in order to make an accurate assessment of the impact on heritage resources.
'A revised HIA is to be submitted by the provincial government to HWC for further consideration,' says Dr Janse van Rensburg.
