Appeal : Greenside and Emmarentia Residents Associations November 2020

Working together to protect our suburbs

Dear Greenside and Emmarentia residents and business owners

We are once more under siege!

In 2014/2015, you, in your numbers (2479 of you in total), vehemently objected to the proposed multi-story development on Gleneagles/ Barry Hertzog. This development, in its current form, will extremely negatively affect the residential and commercial character of both Emmarentia and Greenside. You responded admirably but the fight has not ended. In fact it has come back full steam. The developer has changed nothing from the original plan and a Tribunal is to be held on 11 November 2020 to adjudicate the matter. The City of Johannesburg has signalled its support for the development.

Remember we are not anti-development or anti-densification but are opposed to any development that is predatory and not in keeping with the primary residential character of the suburbs. The residents associations were involved in earlier negotiations with the developer and the City to try keep the scope of the development more contained and with a residential focus. The developer rejected our compromise proposals.

The developer is still proposing a 5 storey above ground-level mixed use development, with significant retail space in an area that has always been designated residential. We believe this poses an existential threat to our suburbs. See below for a list of just some of the concerns raised.

We need your help

In order to enhance our prospects of success and to sustain the objections raised by residents and businesses of Greenside and Emmarentia, we have retained the services of various professionals to help us make the case for the what we strongly believe will be the negative impacts with regards to traffic, water and sanitation, electricity and commercial efficacy. We have also appointed lawyers to fight our case. All of these involve fees that have to be paid for services provided. It is in this regard that we appeal to every resident and business in our suburbs to contribute towards these costs. If each household and business were to contribute a minimum of R250, we will be able to meet the costs incurred in this. The funds will be ring-fenced exclusively to defray costs associated with this action and audited statements made available.

Please deposit whatever you are able to contribute (every rand will make a difference) to either the ERA or GRA accounts with Tribunal as your reference and please email us to let us know you have made this payment. Thanks in advance for your willingness to fight for what is best for our suburbs.

Regards
Ayanda Mjekula (Chair ERA) and Judith Ancer (Chair GRA)

GRA Bank account :
Account Name: Greenside Residents Association
Bank: First National Bank
Account: 62926244724
Payment Reference: tribunal (and surname)
Please email info@gra.org.za to let us know you have made payment

If you would prefer to pay into the ERA account – please email them for details on info@era.org.za

For detailed background please consult the ERA Website

A few of the concerns raised include:

1. This will set a very dangerous precedent for extension of the current neighbourhood business nodes into residential areas in a way that is out of keeping with the express intent of protecting the core residential, suburban and “green” nature of the broader area.
2. Power and water issues (including stormwater and sewerage) are already buckling and to replace the existing seven single house properties with a 5-storey mixed use development will put even more strain on existing infrastructure.
3. Traffic will dramatically increase already busy roads.
4. The direct negative impact on homeowners living in direct proximity to the site
5. We worry that our current Greenside and Emmarentia shopping nodes will be deserted as has happened at Northcliff Corner. Greenside residents are very worried that if the development goes ahead as is, entertainment spots selling liquor will become more concentrated in Greenside and add to the already strained relationship between residents and some businesses.