Cape Town’s Largest Social Housing Project Overcomes Heritage Hurdle

Cape Town has received heritage approval for its most ambitious inner-city social housing project at the former Woodstock Hospital. This project is set to provide around 700 much-needed housing units to the city’s residents and marks a significant milestone for the project, allowing for the progression of design and submission of building plans.

Affordable Housing Land Release

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed his enthusiasm for the heritage approval of the Woodstock Hospital project, highlighting that this development is part of a broader effort to provide over 1,300 social housing units across five inner city land parcels, with the aim of releasing several more by the end of 2023.

The city has made significant strides in releasing land for social housing development, with several sites receiving critical City Council land release approvals, including Newmarket Street, Salt River Market, Pickwick, Fruit and Veg, and Earl Street. Moreover, the City has supported the Western Cape Government’s Conradie Park development in Pinelands, as well as the Province’s Founder’s Garden precinct in the CBD. Overall, Cape Town has a staggering 6,500 social housing units in the planning pipeline across 50 land parcels city-wide.

Challenges and Obstacles

Inadequate national subsidies, unlawful occupation of project sites, and Cape Town’s largest and best-located properties being under national government ownership have all posed obstacles in the way of delivering affordable housing. The Woodstock Hospital project faces a unique challenge of building hijackings, with the ongoing unlawful occupation of the property being the primary obstacle for this social housing project.

Resolving Unlawful Occupation

Alderman James Vos, acting Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, emphasizes the City’s determination to proceed with the planning and development of social housing while also engaging with unlawful occupants to resolve the situation expeditiously. In early 2017, Ndifuna Ukwazi’s Reclaim the City campaign orchestrated building hijackings at the Woodstock Hospital property and the provincially owned Helen Bowden Nurses Home. In October 2018, the Western Cape High Court granted an order interdicting and restraining Reclaim the City from inciting unlawful occupation of these properties.

By overcoming heritage hurdles and navigating the complex landscape of property ownership and occupation, Cape Town continues to strive towards a more equitable and inclusive urban environment. The Woodstock Hospital development signifies a vital step in addressing the city’s urgent need for affordable housing.