Final Report Released on Green Point Stadium

The public however has 21 days to comment on the final report before a decision is made by the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning (DEA&DP).

This concludes the assessment phase of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process that was commissioned by the City of Cape Town for the proposed new stadium, the construction of Granger Bay Boulevard, the upgrading of electrical infrastructure and the establishment of an urban park within the Green Point Common.

Compiled by independent environmental consultants, The Environmental Partnership, the final EIR addresses issues raised at the various public meetings and includes responses to comments received on the draft EIR. Also included are the final specialist reports that were commissioned as part of the EIA process.

Of the two proposed alternative locations on Green Point Common, the golf course alternative is found to be preferred to the existing stadium site, provided that noise mitigation measures are implemented. From a heritage perspective, the Common would largely remain intact and a severance in two parts would be avoided, compared to the placing of the stadium on the existing stadium site.

The report states that 'The Environmental Partnership is of the opinion that a higher net negative impact will occur if the existing stadium site is selected, although this opinion differs from the perceptions of stakeholders who were interviewed in the specialist study on social impacts. A larger number of sporting codes will be impacted upon and the existing stadium site does not contribute to the City's long term vision for the Common'.

Irrespective of the site chosen, the report mentions that the economic viability of the stadium is of concern. 'As the City would only be able to contribute R400 million, the rest of the capital costs would need to be subsidised. If this does not occur, the stadium could become a financial burden to local government'.

Of the two alternative routes for the Granger Bay Boulevard, the report recommends the use of the 'straight alignment alternative'. With reference to the urban park, the report recommends a balance between the sporting precinct and the leisure park. Overall impacts of the electrical infrastructure upgrade were regarded as low.

Included in the EIR, is a draft Environmental Management Plan proposing the management of negative impacts and the implementation of mitigation measures.

The public now has up to 13 October 2006 to comment on the final EIR and these comments will be submitted to the DEA&DP for consideration. A Record of Decision will then be issued and all registered Interested and Affected Parties will still be able to appeal, should they wish to do so.

Copies of the final EIR are available at public libraries in Sea Point, Camps Bay, Cape Town, Athlone, Claremont, Bellville, Mitchells Plain, Somerset-West and Atlantis, or on the following link:

http://www.enviropartnership.co.za/projects.html

Issued by:

Communication and Marketing
City of Cape Town
Tel: 021 400 2201
Fax: 021 957 0023

Carmen Du Toit
The Environmental Partnership
Tel: 021 422 0999
Cell: 083 460 3784
Email: carmen@enviropart.co.za