From den to deluxe

2003-05-25 21:31

Carel van Dyk

Cape Town - A dilapidated poachers' den along Chapman's Peak Drive could be turned into luxury holiday accommodation.

A South African consortium has obtained the rights to develop and upgrade the strip of conservation land in Koeël Bay.

Koeël Bay is situated outside Hout Bay and currently belongs to the Cape Peninsula National Park (CPNP). Until recently crayfish poachers used ruins and a road on this land.

The consortium will manage Koeël Bay for the next 20 years and would spend approximately R30m to develop the area.

About 20 small residential units, a health care centre and a restaurant are part of the plans for the area. However, no more than 40 people will be allowed to spend the night.

The CPNP will earn about R8m from the concessions over the next 20 years. This is the second time the park has granted concession land to developers.

Brett Myrdal, manager of the CPNP, said the aim of the concession system was to allow the park the opportunity to focus on conservation while the developer managed the facilities.

An environmental impact study on the planned development at Koeël Bay will start within the next two weeks.

The CPNP plans to create a marine reserve around the coastline of the Peninsula within the next year.

The reserve will stretch from Granger Bay to Muizenberg. Myrdal said patrols were already conducted along the coastal strip to clamp down on crayfish poachers.

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