R2bn development launched in Worcester

WORK has started on the first phase of the R2 billion Altona Village development on a 350ha site adjoining the Worcester Casino north of the N1.

“The development of 1 976 residences – mainly freestanding houses with some townhouses and group housing – as well as a service station and a convenience community shopping centre will be spread over the next five to seven years, depending on take-up,” says Martin Wragge, a director of Altona Development Company.

Wragge is also a director of Mountain Mill Shopping Centre, on the southern side of the N1, and Gritprop Investment Company, which is developing some 20ha of commercially zoned land around the shopping centre.

“The initiation of the devel- opment of nearly 2 000 houses by Altona is going to be a significant further contributor to the development of the regional economy, which will be followed this year by further commercial development around Mountain Mill Shopping Centre in addition to the expansion of the centre,” he says.

“Work on the Altona site has started with the installation of R22 million of roads and services that will enable us to bring to market the first 41 houses at a cost of about R50m over the next 12 months. Construction of the first house will start by the middle of the year.”

Pieter van der Westhuysen, a director at Altona Developments, says the service station site has already been sold to Total South Africa and about 200ha of land zoned private nature reserve, to a prominent farmer in the area.

“The rest of the land will consist of nearly 2 000 residential opportunities, a 4ha commercial node and three institutional erven. The work on site follows more than six years of planning, environmental evaluations and re-zoning applications,” he said.

“Market demand appears to be strong and we expect the first houses to be under construction by the year end. Of the first 41 homes 13 will be developed by an independent developer from Cape Town.”

The initial services now under construction are being undertaken by Power Construction. Transfer of the first residential erven is expected to be given in October.

Call 021 418 1105 for details.