Cape Town Govt keen to dispose prime sites

The Western Cape government is considering selling off four of its prime properties, including parts of the Somerset Hospital precinct next to the V&A Waterfront.

The Western Cape government is considering selling off four of its prime properties, including parts of the Somerset Hospital precinct next to the V&A Waterfront.

Before tabling his last budget, outgoing Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle said expressions of interests would be invited for the Helen Bowden Nurse’s Home at Somerset Hospital, the former Tafelberg School in Sea Point, a soils laboratory site in Albert Street, and the government garage off Buitenkant Street.

The hospital precinct was earmarked for development under the previous ANC provincial government, but that had to be shelved after complaints that parties close to former premier Ebrahim Rasool received preferential treatment.

Carlisle said plans for the Buitenkant Street site would see up to 14000 people moving to the new development.

“We will start to sell off land we don’t need. Most of it will go to housing,” said Carlisle.

The Foreshore will see the doubling of the ArtsCape precinct and the expansion of the Cape Town International Convention Centre, he said.