Renishaw Coastal Precinct, the 1 300-ha mixed-use development on the KZN mid-South Coast, is considered one of the country’s biggest developments underway. To date, R500m has been spent on this 25ha Renishaw Hills – the first development within Renishaw Coastal Precinct – out of an anticipated R1 billion, with a total anticipated spend of around R15 billion upon completion, creating thousands of jobs in the area. This community-centric development is in the process of contributing 142ha of land, with 10% of the development company set to be acquired by the local community – a solid commitment to inclusivity and sustainable growth.
Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN) introduced the Renishaw Coastal Precinct to the 5th South African Investment Conference (SAIC) in April, and this allowed them to make a successful submission, and they were able to pledge R500m towards the President’s R1.2bn investment target. South Coast Tourism & Investment Enterprise (SCTIE) introduced the Renishaw Coastal Precinct to Thami Klassen, Director at the Department of the Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC), who assisted in the enrolment of the precinct into the Eastern Seaboard Initiative.
Klassen is also in the process of establishing a steering committee that will assist in the removal of governmental red tape and the unlocking of blockages. Barto van der Merwe, Managing Director of Renishaw Property Developments, said that the collaboration between the DTIC and the development company has been a very positive experience and that he believes that this is only the start of a long and impactful collaboration demonstrating the value of private-public partnerships.
The precinct’s massive contribution to local communities and the economy saw it honoured by President Cyril Ramaphosa, with Renishaw Coastal Precinct forming part of the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Following up on this national recognition, Deputy Ministers in the Presidency, Deputy Minister Kenneth Morolong and Deputy Minister Nomasonto Motaung visited Renishaw Coastal Precinct on Friday, 4 August as part of the post-SAIC media tour highlighting these investment projects.
“It’s such an honour to welcome delegates from the Presidency, DTIC, Ugu and Umdoni municipalities as well as members of the media and to provide them with a first-hand view of what’s being done and what we hope to achieve through Renishaw Coastal Precinct,” noted Barto van der Merwe, MD of Renishaw Coastal Precinct. “The investment potential has been well-established by Renishaw Hills, the mature lifestyle estate where homes have already escalated in value by 50% in five years. But we’re anticipating much more economic stimulus for surrounding communities as the development unfolds, with projects and collaborations in place to stimulate this growth.”
Consisting of five nodes surrounded by conservation areas, plans are in place to develop Renishaw Coastal Precinct into a mixed-use, self-sustaining precinct with far-reaching socio-economic benefits for the local communities. The developers are committed to continuing the legacy of inclusivity and sustainability established by Crookes Brothers Limited, the parent company of Renishaw Property Developments, in the region. This has been demonstrated through the developer’s donation of 142ha of land to the local community through the KwaCele Tribal Council (KTC), as well as 10% of the development set to be acquired by the council through a buy-out process.
The 142 hectares of prime property adjacent to Renishaw Coastal Precinct in the area leading to Amandawe provides further opportunities for sustainable income generation through agricultural practices or commercial ventures. The establishment of the KC Trust, the entity that will be the beneficiary of the donation, will ensure that the entire community reaps the benefits of this donation. Renishaw Coastal Precinct’s inclusion in the Eastern Seaboard Development Initiative which seeks to address challenges confronting the Eastern Seaboard, unlocking the economic potential in the Eastern Cape and KZN with enhanced regional connectivity.
The development will not only provide much-needed secure housing for residents but is set to reignite the local economy through several key sectors. One of these is job creation, with significant employment opportunities emerging in the skilled and unskilled labour market as security villages, office parks, retail, educational, medical facilities and more take shape on the 2.6m m2 of land set aside for development.
Further to this, there will be long-term staffing opportunities within these businesses once the development is up and running. The local communities are already benefitting from upskilling, with three members working their way up from labourers to business owners, providing products and services to Renishaw Hills and surrounds.
Conservation is also at the heart of the Renishaw Coastal Precinct development. Of the land available, only 2.6m m2 will be developed while the balance – around 10m m2 – will be converted into conservation areas, re-introducing the lush indigenous coastal forest and grassland that once dominated the area. Rehabilitation of the Mandawe Wetland is already underway using local labour, with local flora and fauna thriving beyond the precinct borders and more than 200 plant species noticed. This not only enhances the region’s biodiversity; it creates an eco-tourism attraction with hiking and biking trails drawing visitors in while creating further employment opportunities.
The 1 300-hectare Renishaw Coastal Precinct offers property developers significant opportunities, with the petrol filling station site being the first to be sold. There are various other opportunities that are ready to be developed, with the medium-impact mixed-use site, the hospital, the school, and the first two medium-density residential sites being the most prominent. Investors looking to get in early can visit www.renishaw.co.za or call Barto van der Merwe on 087 135 5555.
