In a report to a planning tribunal recommending in-principle approval of rezoning‚ officials said the idea was “to provide an economically viable model that sustains continuation of the racing industry”.
The land involved in the proposal is in the south-western corner of the 95ha racecourse‚ bordered by Rosmead Avenue and Wetton Road.
Phumelela Gaming‚ which manages the racecourse on behalf of its owners‚ Kenilworth Racing‚ did not respond to requests for comment.
Detailed designs for the proposed buildings have not yet been done‚ but according to documents filed in support of rezoning the tract of land into 11 portions the proposed development will include:
Up to 498 dwelling units;
A hotel of up to 150 rooms;
A restaurant of up to 612m²; and
Business space of up to 14 000m².
There will also be two new roads‚ to be called Royal Kenilworth Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue.
“The proposed redevelopment will revitalise the existing racing facilities that will be retained‚ and will create a functional‚ attractive edge to Rosmead Avenue‚” said a report to councillors.
“The additional development ... will result in a greater pool of levies available for the maintenance of the biodiversity area.”
A 52ha conservation area in the centre of the racecourse is regarded as the best example of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos in the Cape Peninsula. It has 16 seasonal wetlands‚ 310 plant species and nine amphibian residents‚ including the critically endangered micro frog and Cape platanna.
Objectors to the proposal called for a ban on further “one-off music events”. The applicants responded: “With the proposed development‚ the reliance on these events as a source of income will no longer be necessary.”
Kenilworth‚ established in 1881‚ is the country’s oldest racecourse‚ It has three tracks: an “old” course that is 2‚700m in circumference with a 450m run-in; a “new” course of 2‚800m with a 600m run-in; and a 1‚200m straight.
Development on Kenilworth racecourse has been done years ago,this is merely a section in a far corner of the track that doesn't get used.Makes perfect sense to use this undeveloped land.
The headline is deceiving as it's not the racecourse being sold.
This could be an interesting development with unintended consequences.
When Cape racing first started 'selling off the family silver' a number of years ago it all started with a 'lowish cost' housing development running parallel to the highway.
This development apparently had a substantially detrimental effect on the water table which resulted in impaired drainage from the adjoining racing surface. When the winter rains came the course rapidly became saturated to a far greater extent than had ever been the case in the past. To what extent this contributed to additional abandoned meetings during the winter I cannot say as it was many years ago. In any event - we still had both Milnerton & Durbanville in those days where the majority of winter racing took place due to their lower rainfall.
I also do not know how much money needed to be spent to rectify the problem; if indeed it ever was.
It appears likely that additional developments on the perimeter of the racecourse might possibly have similar outcomes to the detriment of what is already a comparatively sparse Cape racing programme.
not fake news no, but course not being sold as far as I know? The plans Mr Adams made known at a public and press meeting about a year ago explained the layouts etc. The offices and housing is to go on the M5 corner with a road to access the M5, and the hotel etc to go where the buildings are that housed the NHRA before they moved in to the main grandstand. These developments will go a long way in helping racing get that much needed 'facelift' at Kenilworth, and also create an income to supplement KW racing. I hope it works out well.
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