Parliament Place: a R3.5-billion vision for Cape Town's future

As part of its ambitious plans to reshape how the Cape Town CBD is used, Eurocape has presented its vision for the area: the creation of a multibillion-rand mixed-use development known as Parliament Place in Roeland Street.

 

Eurocape, the Irish-South African property company behind other inner city developments such as Mandela Rhodes Place and the Taj Cape Town Hotel, owns large tracts of land within walking distance of Parliament which, together with various provincial land parcels, could be developed into a processional street and a full-scale development that includes office space, hotel accommodation, retail opportunities and, potentially, housing for MPs.

 

"We believe the development will be a catalyst for the further upgrading of the Roeland Street area and East City Precinct," says Frank Gormley, chairman of Eurocape. "It has been proven many times that it takes one well-executed and timely development to spark off further rejuvenation.

 

"We have commissioned dhk Architects to create a mixed-use development on what I consider to be the most magnificent commercial sites in Cape Town," says Japie Hugo, head of business development at Eurocape. "Eurocape owns a 7 500m² site. The site falls within the Urban Development Tax Incentive Zone and is opposite the planned extensions to Parliament with the State Banqueting Hall. It also has a view of Table Mountain as it is the final zone that allows for major multistorey buildings."

 

The site is within urban conservation areas and has two components: a section in Roeland Street and a southern midblock in Hope Street. The plan is to connect the two portions and upgrade them, while encouraging the similar upgrade of surrounding buildings. Eurocape's vision is to create an all-encompassing precinct in which MPs can live and work, and for Roeland Street to ultimately replace Adderley Street as Parliament's processional carriageway.

 

"Our land connects various provincial land parcels, so we hope other stakeholders, like the government, will be inspired by our plans," says Eurocape chief executive Martin Kearns.

 

"MPs live in housing in complexes such as Acacia Park, Pelican Park and Laborie Park, which are some distance from the CBD, so Parliament is essentially dependent on bus schedules.

 

With housing within walking distance of Parliament, MPs will save on travel and time costs, and will have access to a greater range of activities and services. They will be more visible and accessible. Their current accommodation could be unlocked for well-located affordable housing, especially as there are major blue-collar employment opportunities around Acacia Park, in Epping Industria, Parow Industria, Montagu Gardens, Century City, Ndabeni and Maitland."

 

The overall mixed-use development will be dominated by 47 000m² of office space. In addition to this, there will be a 200-key, three-star hotel and 190 residential flats. The development may also feature 2 000 parking bays, 400 flats for MPs' housing, a retail and entertainment centre and considerable office space.

 

Andrew Boraine, head of the Cape Town Partnership, is enthusiastic about the proposed development, citing that the Foreshore came to life with the building of the Cape Town International Convention Centre and construction of the Waterfront boosted previously moribund areas of the Cape Town city.

 

"Both of these successful projects relied on a strong public-private partnership: government-owned land was unlocked by the government going into partnership with private development companies. In the same way, government-owned land that now houses MPs can be unlocked for other uses, making the whole system more efficient. Parliament Place will have multiple benefits: freeing up space for affordable housing in areas where relevant job opportunities exist; bringing MPs closer to Parliament to make government much more efficient and cutting down on transport costs and rejuvenating the Roeland Street area."