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Department of Infrastructure

353 on Main in Sea Point

353 on Main

Draft Heritage Impact Assessment & legislated public participation

Heritage Impact Assessment Statutory Application Process 

Members of the public and interested and affected parties are invited to comment on the draft HIA and specialist reports for the proposed plan for the 353 on Main (Tafelberg) Precinct. The 30-day commenting period will end on 13 December 2025.

Any person wishing to object or comment on heritage grounds to the application must make such comment in writing on or before 13 December 2025 to: 353onMain@westerncape.gov.za 

Open House event
Members of the public are also invited to attend an Open House event aimed at providing the opportunity to clarify the project proposal, the HIA, and the implications for impacted heritage resources.

Date and time: Tuesday 18 November 2025 (5pm - 7pm; formal presentation 5:30pm)
Venue: Life Conference Centre, 30 Main Road, Sea Point

  1. 353 on Main Sea Point HIA for comment

Annexures

About the Project:

The 353 on Main site is situated at 353 Main Road in Sea Point and bordered by Main, Milner, The Glen, Herbert, and Heathfield Roads, just outside the City Central Business area. It is well located on a Bus-Rapid-Transit (BRT) and other forms of public transit routes (Main Road and High Level Road), which makes it accessible into the City CBD and surrounding areas, including getting onto the main Freeways out of Town.

  • The Western Cape Government Department of Infrastructure (the Department/ DOI) has appointed a professional service provider team to commence with site enablement on 353 Main Road, Sea Point East (the site).
  • The site has considerable development potential, given the central and strategic location of the site, and its proximity to public transport and social infrastructure.
  • It also has extensive heritage and cultural significance which must be considered, respected, and incorporated into future development proposals.
  • The Department has commenced with site enablement to facilitate the transformation of the site into a truly integrated development within the urban inner core. 

Vision statement: “353 on Main is envisioned to be a vibrant, inclusive, safe, urban-living, mixed-use development, embracing heritage whilst offering, affordable housing, shared spaces, and integrated amenities”

We are here:

Stakeholder Engagement Processes

353 on Main

 

Preferred viable and feasible Development Concept

The Preferred viable and feasible Development Concept which has been informed by various informants, including baseline assessments, inputs received from stakeholders during the preliminary stakeholder engagements (May-July 2025), design indicators, and various impact assessments.

The Project Office is aiming to release the draft Heritage Impact Assessment before the end of this year, 2025. A notice/alert will be sent to all registered stakeholders and updates published on the webpage.

What happens next

Statutory Application Processes

 

Land Use Planning & legislated public participation

Summary on process and project information – to date

Project Information

The Western Cape Government (WCG) through its Department of Infrastructure (DOI) has appointed a multi-disciplinary team of built environment professionals to conduct various enablement and planning strategies and detailed studies to guide any future development explorations and secure appropriate development rights.
The Department and professional team have provided for public engagements and are committed to liaise with stakeholders and Interested and Affected Parties within this process to develop an inclusive vision for the future redevelopment of the 353 on Main site.
The 353 on Main site is situated at 353 Main Road in Sea Point and bordered by Main, Milner, The Glen, Herbert, and Heathfield Roads, just outside the City Central Business area. It is well located on a Bus-Rapid-Transit (BRT) and other forms of public transit routes (Main Road and High Level Road), which makes it accessible into the City CBD and surrounding areas, including getting onto the main Freeways out of Town.

It has been identified as a strategic property to address spatial transformation; and has the following positive qualities:

  • Within the Sea Point central business area,
  • Close proximity to City CBD
  • Accessible via various public transit forms via Main Road and High Level Road
  • Identified as a New Development Area and strategic site in the Table Bay District Spatial Development Framework
  • Various amenities within close proximity
353 on Main
Conceptual vision and key drivers for redevelopment:

The project is currently in exploratory investigations stage to identify site and contextual informants, opportunities and constraints and will thereafter enter into stakeholder engagements where the public will receive notifications of sessions to attend to share information as well as to inform the vision and objectives for this site for the Professional Team and Department to consider.

The site is within an established urban area and previously accommodated a school and social rental housing. It has various split zonings; Transport Zone (TR2), General Business (GB5) and General Residential (GR4) in terms of the City of Cape Town Municipal Planning By-law 2015: Development Management Scheme (updated 2019).
The working concept vision for the Department and various other WCG Departments for discussion is as follows:

Preliminary Key Development Elements identified:

  • Spatial transformation
  • Re-activation of school facility as an urban public school
  • Respecting, incorporating and appropriately responding to heritage informants
  • Affordable housing element within a mixed-use setting
  • Self-sustaining development
  • Co-living
  • Balanced development
  • Shared facilities
  • Inclusive
  • Integrated
  • Vibrant
  • Creating value for the community

For any enquiries we encourage the public to write to 353onMain@westerncape.gov.za 

Baseline Assessment Reports

Baseline Investigations and Assessments/Reports:

Various detailed investigations and assessments have been undertaken to guide the Department and Professional Team in the identification of Preliminary Key Development Elements; and subsequently to inform and shape the draft vision statement, development objectives and aspirations, and concept scenarios presented at the Project Information Sharing Session on 21 May 2025. 

They include the following: 

Preliminary Stakeholder Engagement documentation

Stakeholder Engagement: Preliminary Public Participation Notifications and Information

A notice to call for registrations of Interested and Affected Parties was released in various newspapers and on-site notices placed around the boundaries of the subject property.
A ‘Project Information Flyer’ which introduces the project, the project team and explaining the upcoming processes were released to all registered I&APs and was made available for download below and knock-and-drop has been used for the immediate surrounding properties. Copies were made available at local sub-council office and Colin Elgin Public Library.
For registration on the initial communication database, send an email t

Project Information
Notice calling for registrations of I&APs
Project Information Sharing Day

Information Documents

Interested and Affected Parties are welcome to share their ideas, thoughts and comments during the 30-Day feedback period ending 30 June 2025. These submissions can be made by using the survey link below or via 353onMain@westerncape.gov.za.

Focused Stakeholder Engagement Sessions

The professional team will be arranging focused stakeholder engagement sessions during June 2025 with various key groupings from the database.

All records of engagements will be published on the webpage, as soon as available after the sessions.

Information Documents

Information Documents

The Preliminary Stakeholder Engagement process was concluded on 31 July 2025, and the Departmental Project Office and Professional Team would like to thank all stakeholders for their active participation, engagement and constructive feedback, input, comments, thoughts, and ideas shared to assist with the further shaping and refining of development proposals.

For any enquiries we encourage the public to write to 353onMain@westerncape.gov.za

News: Western Cape Government announces plans for portion of Tafelberg site (30 January 2025)