More Auasblick plots may be swallowed by State House

PLOTS valued at nearly a million dollars in Windhoek’s upmarket Auasblick suburb will be excluded from public auction later this month for possible sale to Government.

The Windhoek Municipality plans to auction 45 erven in Sierre Street valued at more than N$6,5 million before the end of this month. But the City Council agreed at its monthly meeting on Wednesday night that seven plots of a total size of nearly 9 000 square meters, will be withheld from the auction until the boundaries of the extended security zone around the new State House have been finalised.In April last year, the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication informed the City that State security intended establishing a security buffer zone around the complex.It also gave notice to residents living in close proximity almost a year ago that they might be forced to sell their property to Government for this purpose.Should Government indicate that the erven being withheld from sale would definitely form part of the cordon, the City has decided that the plots will be offered for sale at the same upset price as the others in the area.The erven have been valued at N$160,12 per square metre and this upset price will also be applicable to Government.The affected plots range in size from just over 1 000 square meters to more than double in size.In May, the City Council also put a price tag of N$24 million on the more than 40 hectares of land on which the State House complex is currently being built.But the City Council agreed at its monthly meeting on Wednesday night that seven plots of a total size of nearly 9 000 square meters, will be withheld from the auction until the boundaries of the extended security zone around the new State House have been finalised.In April last year, the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication informed the City that State security intended establishing a security buffer zone around the complex.It also gave notice to residents living in close proximity almost a year ago that they might be forced to sell their property to Government for this purpose.Should Government indicate that the erven being withheld from sale would definitely form part of the cordon, the City has decided that the plots will be offered for sale at the same upset price as the others in the area.The erven have been valued at N$160,12 per square metre and this upset price will also be applicable to Government.The affected plots range in size from just over 1 000 square meters to more than double in size.In May, the City Council also put a price tag of N$24 million on the more than 40 hectares of land on which the State House complex is currently being built.