The Makhado Municipal Council last week adopted a resolution, which allows for the selling of a portion of the town's central sports ground by public tender purposes for business development. This portion of municipal land is but one of many earmarked for rezoning and business development, including the town's indigenous tree park.

The resolution, taken during Council's monthly meeting last Tuesday, also states that the town's Municipal Manager, Mr Reuben Rambado be vested with the power to identify municipal land that is potentially fit for business use and that he should implement the necessary steps for its subdivision and rezoning, as applicable, under the Town Planning and Township Ordinance.

Council's intentions to rezone portions of municipal land for the purpose of business development outside of the town's Central Business District (CBD), has sparked fears that this will put more strain on the already struggling businesses within the existing CBD. Many business owners also questioned whether or not the proposed development formed part of the Town Planning Scheme. Apart from this, the planned rezoning of the town's indigenous tree park as part of the town's fragile Green Belt is also sure to raise eyebrows amongst nature conservationists.

Mr Rambado on Tuesday dispelled fears that the proposed development next to the N1 would impact negatively on the existing CBD and said that in reality similar development in other towns had no or little impact on the CBD. He also confirmed that the indigenous tree park was already in the process of being rezoned, following a council resolution to this effect in August this year. In regard to the Town Planning Scheme, Mr Rambado said that there was no restriction to this type of development.

Mr Rambado explained that the process of rezoning was still in its initial stages and that members of the public will have ample time to lodge possible objections against the envisaged development. This, he said, is due to the fact that the process of rezoning is bound by strict regulations, which amongst others include public consultation and participation and an environmental impact study. Notices will also be published in the media to this effect.

Last Tuesday's resolution to sell a portion of the central sports ground by means of public tender follows an application submitted by Prism on behalf of CTM Tile Market to purchase the remainder of Portion 7 of the farm Bergvliet 288 LS, an area approximately 4 750m² in extent. Subsequently Council decided that the land should rather be put out on tender and that Prism should be informed of this decision. Council earlier this week said that none of the existing sport facilities will be affected by the intended sale and that the whole process was finalised in consultation with the resident sport clubs.

In the mean time, plans for the development of a colour steel and plastic processing factory on another piece of vacant council land in Extension 5 is already at an advanced stage of finalisation. The development of the factory as part of the Makhado Industrial Park, follows the submission of a business plan after months of negotiations between the Makhado Municipality and the DanDong Municipal Government in the People's Republic of China. The value of the project is in excess of R38,1 million for which some 100 000m² of land will be required. The project is also said to create close to 200 job opportunities for the locals.