AS ground preparations for the ‘La Mer’ waterfront development in Swakopmund bulldozes ahead, local anglers who usually frequent the beach area for a hopeful daily catch of food have to make way for tonnes of sand being pushed toward the sea to lay the foundation for the N$400 million development.
The developers are also challenged for space. High tide waves again carve away at the heaps of sand, making it difficult for earth preparation on the beach-side to make progress.This is however exactly what the developers said could happen: that rough seas would challenge land preparation, especially for the breakwater component of the waterfront. In fact, it was anticipated that the breakwater preparation may have to stop for a time during August and September when the seas are particularly rough, and may hamper progress for a few months.Whoever or whatever is winning the battle for the beach, the La Mer development process remains a concern to the local community.A group called the Paddock Gardens Trust (PGT), formed a decade ago to cooperate with the Swakopmund municipality on the development of a much-needed public park and recreational green space next to Vineta beach; and representing more than 30 adjacent homeowners who make regular payments towards the maintenance and development of the Paddock Gardens Park, are questioning whether the developer, Safari Investments Namibia, and the municipality, are ignoring key elements in a process in which a rare public beach is being sacrificed for a private development.The concern is mainly regarding the developer’s alleged lack of a proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the current project that might impact too dramatically on the local community.’Despite an earlier admission from Safari Investments that it has not yet acquired the land below the high water mark (that still belongs to the state), the bulldozers are already working on it. The PGT does not understand what business Safari Investments has to interfere with land that it does not own,’ the group said.’Why is it ‘preparing’ something of which it has not yet successfully negotiated ownership?This action seems to be indicative of a high-handed and peremptory attitude which has characterized the entire development proposal: riding roughshod over environmental considerations; public consultation requirements, and a beach which still actually belongs to the people of Namibia,’ said a statement by the group.They have apparently taken the issue to the environmental commissioner for consideration.The ‘La Mer’ design comprises a 17 000sqm of modern supermarket and retail centre plus a 100-bed hotel and 29 luxury residential units as well as the breakwater and ski-boat launch.Safari Investments CEO, Francois Marais assured that negotiations are underway between them, the town council and government for the acquisition of a piece of land below the high water mark where part of the proposed small harbour is intended to be constructed.This forms part of the total proposed development, and added that no development on this piece will commence unless a satisfactory agreement has been entered into and ownership has been obtained.
