Mike Mannix (Mettle), Councillor Wilma Brady, Riaan Roos (MSP), Courtney van Wyk (Blue Downs Eerste River Action Committee), John Coetzee (MSP) during a recent site visit at the Belladonna Estate development in Blue Downs.
The recently launched Belladonna residential development in Blue Downs, Cape Town is set to alleviate the need for affordable housing in the area, says John Coetzee, managing director of MSP Developments.
MSP announced the launch of Belladonna Estate earlier this year and Coetzee says the project is designed to become a community-village within an attractive landscaped neighbourhood.
“We are satisfied with the progress on site and look forward to delivering homes before the end of the year,” says Coetzee.
During a recent site visit the MSP team met up with Cape Town City councillor Wilma Brady, community leaders, the Blue Downs Eerste River Action Committee (BEAC) and financiers Mettle Property Solutions Securitisation (MPSS).
Mike Mannix of MPSS says the Belladonna development makes sense in the current environment and will ensure affordability and quality to its buyers”, MPSS and MSP Developments will be developing the Belladonna phase and another two subsequent phases also in Blue Downs (Aloe Ridge and Iris Park) are in the planning stages.
Project manager Johannes Theron, says the development is taking form and Belladonna is in its civil and bulk installations phase. The roads have been mapped out and all the electrical and water supplies have been installed.
“The first 24 units are scheduled to be completed in November. Belladonna will consist of 740 freestanding houses and apartments, with one, two or three bedrooms. The homes will range in size from 30m² to 60m². Each apartment will have a single parking bay and optional garages will be for sale with the freestanding homes.”
Apartment prices start from R249 900 and house prices from R369 900.
“The greening of Belladonna Estate was included from the start in our original planning,” says Coetzee. “More than 1 000 trees will be planted, and expansive lawns and two play areas containing benches and play equipment will form part of Belladonna’s recreational area. The main open space will have pedestrian paths lit at night by pole-top lights.”
He says MSP Developments wants the community to be involved with every aspect of the development, so all public open spaces will remain the Council’s responsibility, but will be managed by the local home owners’ associations. An integrated security plan will be in operation during the development’s construction and operational phases.
“Belladonna is the first of its kind in the area and if the community works together, the complex will provide a relaxed and secure environment where parents can be assured that their kids are growing up in a safe environment,” says Councillor Brady, chairperson of Sub-Council 21 of the City of Cape Town. “We are happy with the progress of the development and we believe Belladonna will set the benchmark for future developments in the area. Our communities deserve quality homes in safe pleasant environments.”
Courtney van Wyk, secretary of BEAC, says the community will benefit greatly.
“We give a thumbs up to the Belladonna Estate housing development as the cumulative benefits to our communities are significant and will include quality affordable housing, job creation, local economic development and increase the value of existing housing in surrounding areas.”
Belladonna is 4km from the R300 freeway, 10km from the Bellville urban node and 26km from Cape Town’s CBD, making it convenient for daily commutes. The major thoroughfare of Hindle Road is 400 m to the south and connects the Eerste River urban centre with Blue Downs CBD and the Delft urban node. There are established public transport routes in the region with buses and taxis, which will connect Mfuleni, Blue Downs, Blackheath, Phillipi, Khayelitsha and Strand to the Bellville railway lines.
“MSP plans to spend a further R34 million to upgrade the infrastructure surrounding Belladonna and the next two developments, making it even more accessible and creating more job opportunities,” says Coetzee.
“In a 4 km radius there are close to 20 primary and secondary schools servicing about 8 000 households, and various other primary and secondary schools sites still exist for development in this dynamic region of the northern suburbs. Numerous public facilities near the development include a shopping mall with a Shoprite/Checkers as its anchor tenant, and various other smaller national brand shops.”
MSP general manager, Jaco Maritz, says Belladonna Estate is adjacent to the Blue Downs CBD area which has attracted major investment interest from large-scale regional business and commercial operators, who may well unlock substantial employment opportunities in the near future.
Call 021 801 5400 or visit www.mspd.co.za or www.belladonnaestate.co.za.