Living on the edge of the waterfront

THE sea front houses of the multi-million Swakopmund Waterfront development are situated below the acceptable norm of 5 metres above the high water mark.

Situated almost on the beach, the houses will become the closest buildings to the ocean at Swakopmund. While some experts have expressed concern that the land-based part of the development had been started before the completion of an environmental impact assessment, Basil Smit, developer and partner in the project, told The Namibian yesterday there was no risk in building that close to the beach.He said the building line was 3 m above the high water mark.”This is done according to a specific engineering design.”Smit added that a retaining wall was going to be built along the beach front to serve as a barrier between the houses and the sea.”A walkway will be situated on top of the wall,” he said.It is not clear whether the rising sea level as a result of global warming was taken into consideration.Frikkie Holtzhausen, Town Engineer of the Swakopmund Municipality said there was no regulation that specified the distance of the building line above the high water mark, but added that 5 m was the accepted norm.”A person building below the 5 m norm is doing it as his own risk.”Holtzhausen felt because it was a waterfront development, the idea probably was to build the houses as close as possible to the water.The later addition of a planned marina at the development could cause some problems in terms of beach erosion.An engineering specialist told The Namibian earlier that as the coastal current flowed northwards, a harbour wall could prevent adequate sand flow to the beach.This could lead to serious beach erosion north of the wall, and silting of the harbour entrance.Smit said yesterday the harbour wall was the most important part of the marina design.”The angle at which the breakwater is built would determine how much erosion will take place.If positioned at the right angle it could eliminate erosion completely.That is why the study in the wave tank is of such importance,” said Smit.He said the marinas final design would be completed next week when he would be able to give more details.”The work has been given to Entech and they have to complete the marina by March 2006.”The building of the 72 town houses and 45 single residential houses started in July when the site was handed over to the builders.This part of the development, costing N$40 million is expected to last 12 months.All the sea front properties have been sold for up to N$1, 5 million, while the houses at the back went for N$1 million.While some experts have expressed concern that the land-based part of the development had been started before the completion of an environmental impact assessment, Basil Smit, developer and partner in the project, told The Namibian yesterday there was no risk in building that close to the beach.He said the building line was 3 m above the high water mark.”This is done according to a specific engineering design.”Smit added that a retaining wall was going to be built along the beach front to serve as a barrier between the houses and the sea.”A walkway will be situated on top of the wall,” he said.It is not clear whether the rising sea level as a result of global warming was taken into consideration.Frikkie Holtzhausen, Town Engineer of the Swakopmund Municipality said there was no regulation that specified the distance of the building line above the high water mark, but added that 5 m was the accepted norm.”A person building below the 5 m norm is doing it as his own risk.”Holtzhausen felt because it was a waterfront development, the idea probably was to build the houses as close as possible to the water.The later addition of a planned marina at the development could cause some problems in terms of beach erosion.An engineering specialist told The Namibian earlier that as the coastal current flowed northwards, a harbour wall could prevent adequate sand flow to the beach.This could lead to serious beach erosion north of the wall, and silting of the harbour entrance.Smit said yesterday the harbour wall was the most important part of the marina design.”The angle at which the breakwater is built would determine how much erosion will take place.If positioned at the right angle it could eliminate erosion completely.That is why the study in the wave tank is of such importance,” said Smit.He said the marinas final design would be completed next week when he would be able to give more details.”The work has been given to Entech and they have to complete the marina by March 2006.”The building of the 72 town houses and 45 single residential houses started in July when the site was handed over to the builders.This part of the development, costing N$40 million is expected to last 12 months.All the sea front properties have been sold for up to N$1, 5 million, while the houses at the back went for N$1 million.