Govt okays Guns project

By: MAGGI BARNARD at SWAKOPMUND

THE Ministry of Environment and Tourism has given environmental clearance for the controversial Namib Eco Village development on the seafront at Guns, just north of Walvis Bay.

The environmental impact assessments (EIAs) submitted for

developments on Farms 46 and 47, situated in the same vicinity,

were also approved by MET.

The Namib Eco Village development is situated on Farm 36.

 

The proposed N$50 million development includes 150 residential

plots, 300 apartments, 125 townhouses, offices, shops and a

five-star hotel.

 

The proposed developments caused a public outcry, with 25

objections submitted as part of the public consultation process

from organisations such as the Wildlife Society of Namibia, the

Coastal Environmental Trust of Namibia, the National Biodiversity

Programme, the International Surfing Association and the Tour and

Safari Association.

 

Some of the issues raised covered the loss of prime, unspoilt

beachfront areas, negative impacts on the area, which is a

designated Important Bird Area, the need for a strategic EIA, water

shortages and the ultimate disappearance of the sea view from the

road.

 

Following the MET clearance, the Walvis Bay Council last week

approved the rezoning of portions of land on Farms 36 and 46 from

'conservation' to 'undetermined'.

 

Once the Ministry of Regional and Local Government has approved

the rezoning, the proposed developments at the two sites can

start.

 

A petition with 130 signatures objecting to the rezoning was

rejected, but Council resolved that the objectors could lodge an

appeal to the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing

and Rural Development.

 

The Permanent Secretary of the MET, Dr Malan Lindeque, states in

his letter to the Walvis Bay Municipality the EIAs provide

sufficient commitment to limit unnecessary environmental impacts

associated with the proposed development.

 

The Ministry gave environmental clearance subject to nine

conditions the developers and the Municipally have to adhere

to.

 

Apart from adherence to all provisions of the environmental

management plans as outlined in the EIA, Lindeque stipulated that

further land allocation of currently undeveloped parts of the

coastal area should be suspended until after the completion of a

strategic EIA.

 

Other conditions state that the building line distance from the

high-water mark should be at least 150 metres, of which 50 metres

should accommodate road infrastructure and green space, that the

beach zone, coastal landscapes and other tourist sites should be

protected, public access to and along the coast must be maintained

and measures should be taken to prevent off-road driving into

undeveloped areas adjacent to the developments.

 

One of the prime concerns for environmentalists objecting to the

developments was the loss of very important breeding areas for the

endemic Damara Tern.

 

In addition, the stretch of coastline north of Walvis Bay is one

the most important shorebird areas in southern Africa.

 

The MET's conditions regarding the breeding areas state that

areas not affected by construction should be protected.

 

"The developers and subsequent residents should be informed that

Damara Terns present in or near the areas as visitors, residents or

breeders may not be subjected to disturbance or persecution of any

kind," said Lindeque.

 

He added that noise pollution and other impacts on the

biodiversity should be limited.

 

The PS encouraged the Municipality to establish a protected area

in the vicinity of the Walvis Bay lagoon that possibly includes the

coastal dune belt and part of the desert plains between the tar

road and dune belt to secure the breeding habitat of the Damara

Tern.

 

The Chairperson of the Coastal Environmental Trust of Namibia

(CETN), Keith Wearne, had called the EIA "very weak".

 

His concerns were that no ornithologist or ecologist was

contacted to survey the area, nor was a marine biologist asked to

research the shoreline for the EIA.

 

He felt a strategic environmental assessment should have been

done before any rezoning of land, sale or development of the

shoreline was carried out.

 

In a letter to the Municipality, Stubenrauch Planning

Consultants (SPC), appointed by the developers to obtain approval

for the subdivision of the farms, lists nine points why the

rezoning of the land should be approved.

 

Apart from the environmental clearance certificate issued by

MET, SPC lists the fact that the Ministry of Regional and Local

Government and Housing approved the sale of land, and that

approximately 20 000 Namibians signed a petition in support of the

developments.

 

The Council agenda included the petition with 130 signatures

objecting to the rezoning, but not the petition in support of the

developments.

 

The Namib Eco Village development is situated on Farm 36.The

proposed N$50 million development includes 150 residential plots,

300 apartments, 125 townhouses, offices, shops and a five-star

hotel.The proposed developments caused a public outcry, with 25

objections submitted as part of the public consultation process

from organisations such as the Wildlife Society of Namibia, the

Coastal Environmental Trust of Namibia, the National Biodiversity

Programme, the International Surfing Association and the Tour and

Safari Association.Some of the issues raised covered the loss of

prime, unspoilt beachfront areas, negative impacts on the area,

which is a designated Important Bird Area, the need for a strategic

EIA, water shortages and the ultimate disappearance of the sea view

from the road.Following the MET clearance, the Walvis Bay Council

last week approved the rezoning of portions of land on Farms 36 and

46 from 'conservation' to 'undetermined'.Once the Ministry of

Regional and Local Government has approved the rezoning, the

proposed developments at the two sites can start.A petition with

130 signatures objecting to the rezoning was rejected, but Council

resolved that the objectors could lodge an appeal to the Minister

of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development.

The Permanent Secretary of the MET, Dr Malan Lindeque, states in

his letter to the Walvis Bay Municipality the EIAs provide

sufficient commitment to limit unnecessary environmental impacts

associated with the proposed development.The Ministry gave

environmental clearance subject to nine conditions the developers

and the Municipally have to adhere to.Apart from adherence to all

provisions of the environmental management plans as outlined in the

EIA, Lindeque stipulated that further land allocation of currently

undeveloped parts of the coastal area should be suspended until

after the completion of a strategic EIA.Other conditions state that

the building line distance from the high-water mark should be at

least 150 metres, of which 50 metres should accommodate road

infrastructure and green space, that the beach zone, coastal

landscapes and other tourist sites should be protected, public

access to and along the coast must be maintained and measures

should be taken to prevent off-road driving into undeveloped areas

adjacent to the developments.One of the prime concerns for

environmentalists objecting to the developments was the loss of

very important breeding areas for the endemic Damara Tern.In

addition, the stretch of coastline north of Walvis Bay is one the

most important shorebird areas in southern Africa.The MET's

conditions regarding the breeding areas state that areas not

affected by construction should be protected."The developers and

subsequent residents should be informed that Damara Terns present

in or near the areas as visitors, residents or breeders may not be

subjected to disturbance or persecution of any kind," said

Lindeque.He added that noise pollution and other impacts on the

biodiversity should be limited.The PS encouraged the Municipality

to establish a protected area in the vicinity of the Walvis Bay

lagoon that possibly includes the coastal dune belt and part of the

desert plains between the tar road and dune belt to secure the

breeding habitat of the Damara Tern.The Chairperson of the Coastal

Environmental Trust of Namibia (CETN), Keith Wearne, had called the

EIA "very weak".His concerns were that no ornithologist or

ecologist was contacted to survey the area, nor was a marine

biologist asked to research the shoreline for the EIA.He felt a

strategic environmental assessment should have been done before any

rezoning of land, sale or development of the shoreline was carried

out.In a letter to the Municipality, Stubenrauch Planning

Consultants (SPC), appointed by the developers to obtain approval

for the subdivision of the farms, lists nine points why the

rezoning of the land should be approved.Apart from the

environmental clearance certificate issued by MET, SPC lists the

fact that the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing

approved the sale of land, and that approximately 20 000 Namibians

signed a petition in support of the developments.The Council agenda

included the petition with 130 signatures objecting to the

rezoning, but not the petition in support of the developments.

---