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COUNCIL FLATS at affordable rates will apparently be a reality in Steenberg within the next year.

And, according to Jens Kuhn, the Head of Land Information and Planning at the Department of Housing, Retreat residents could also see the benefits of this new initiative, which aims to build blocks of flats on vacant stretches of land in the area after 2010.

Existing City of Cape Town-owned courts will also receive a massive upgrade. Kuhn says the roofs and stairwells of city-owned flats could be replaced or repaired by the end of this year. The city will start with the most damaged flats in the province. Kuhn says that the good news is that this programme will be state funded ? however, the city will be required to apply to the state for the funding of each project. He says it is now up to each province to submit their applications to national government for approval.

The city had made the application for this project last year. It was approved at a national and provincial level in February.

The Social Housing Company (SOHCO) Amalinda Housing has been appointed to build a mass -housing development of 400 to 450 units on the vacant stretch of land next to Steenberg Train Station.

This development will consist of a mixture of one-, two- and three-storey buildings, and a mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats. The Steenberg site was selected because it has good transport links and is close to schools, community centres and the commercial business district in Military Road.

Kuhn says that so far, three other council-owned properties have been nominated as possible sites for development. None of the proposed blocks of flats will be taller than four storeys, which will eliminate the need for elevators.

He says at this point in time he cannot divulge the exact location of the proposed sites for fear of land invasions.

Kuhn says the rental for these flats could range from between R120 and R450 per month, but the Natio?nal Housing Act proposes that the rental for these flats be more market related.

Rental of these flats will be open to anyone who can afford them and will not be confined to people on the waiting lists for council flats.

However, he says that as part of the rules of the National Housing Programme, buying these flats from the city will not be an option.

He says that there are no waiting lists for these flats, "but we have not come to the point to define the exact criteria of each tenant".

The flats are expected to resemble individual security complexes, and will have "a new look and feel" depending on the designs of the architect.

Kuhn says the flats will not look like the "old council flats".

Kuhn adds that this is a pilot project and only after determining the feasibility and time-frames of this phase can other council flats be expected to be built throughout the province.

He says that as soon as the sites have been secured and the plans approved, the tender process for the construction of the flats will begin.

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