Cape Town – The Riverlands Development, in Observatory, will soon be able to hand over significant developments that include a new roadway and bridge to the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Provincial Government.
These upgrades include the new roadway and bridge linking Observatory with Ndabeni, the upgrade to Berkley Road, external bulk works surrounding the development, the Liesbeek riverine rehabilitation, upgraded sewerage works, and other external services upgrades.
This R120 million project is part of the developer Zenprop’s commitment to upgrade public infrastructure surrounding the Riverlands commercial, retail, and residential precinct.
The new road and bridge spanning the Black River will soon connect Liesbeek Parkway with Berkley Road and the M5, offering Cape Town a new way to connect the economic and industrial hubs from the city centre through Woodstock to Epping.
“The City welcomes the progress made on this critical infrastructure, which will be of great economic benefit and improve mobility in a critical part of Cape Town,” said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewison Friday, (4 October 2024).
Speaking during a ribbon-cutting event, James Tannenberger of the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust (LLPT) said that the project will be a permanent and positive enhancement to the daily lives of those who live in Cape Town.
“This project isn’t just about a road or a bridge – it’s about enhancing the quality of life for every Capetonian, creating opportunities for businesses to thrive, and laying a foundation for future growth,” Tannenberger said.
The riverine rehabilitation has included removing the concrete bedding previously installed in a section of the Liesbeek River and returning the area to a more natural state.
The section of the Liesbeek has now been replanted, and special care has been taken to create habitat for indigenous animal and birdlife.
By cleaning up pollution, improving water quality, and restoring natural habitats, Riverlands is not just helping the environment, but also creating the structures to make Cape Town’s waterways more resilient in extreme weather events.
During the recent elevated rain levels Cape Town, the newly rehabilitated riverine section did not flood.
The services upgrade, including the road and bridge project, was completed recently and will soon be handed over to relevant authorities to manage.
The Riverlands precinct will also soon be open to the public.
Commercial tenants will start to occupy the precinct by this month, and the retail section will open in November.
The retail section will include blue chip anchor tenants such as Woolworths, Checkers, Clicks, Mr Price, Vida e Caffe, Cattle Barron, Nando’s Restaurant and a full range of smaller retailers.
The residential units at Riverlands have proven popular owing to the central location of the development, with over 65% of residential units already pre-sold.
Riverlands’s integration of commercial, retail and residential elements will create a vibrant and interconnected community where residents can live, work, and play within a single, safe precinct.
