the fact its number 1 for domestic tourists is not suprising as its closer to GP than cape town and way cheaper. CPT is still way out in front when it comes to overseas visitors but im sure durbs will start catching us up once the Umhalanga stuff is done and the point is completed. But you will not get as much of the top end of the overseas market as we have the vineyards etc which the rich visitors love to see. I think it would be good for SA tourism if durbs got established as a middle market destination amongst overseas tourists (as it is in the domestic bracket) and cape town continued to be a high end destination.
durban in my mind has always been number when it comes to domestic tourists...half of uct is from durbs and returns back home during the holiday season..i would like to see some sort of graph that traces the domestic visits to durban throughout the year..and perhaps note when there is a large influx of domestic visitors into durban.

Durbans peak periods are easter first, december/jan second and july third.

i think that in time july will gain more than any other period cos it is so fantastic at that time of year.

Yes CT does have a broader range of attractions in terms of natural things. the one thing that does concern me with CT is that little is being done in terms of new tourism offerings. From new tourism development statistics (i am studying it and doing a paper on it) CT has not developed any sizable new developments in many years. While that doesnt cause immediate problems, the city will need to develop new products over the coming years.

Durban didnt develop any new products for many years and it cost us dearly. Only recently, with uShaka, suncoast, sibaya and wilsons whalf were new things added. And the new things ahead are good.

I do feel that as destinations we are completely different and always will be. I do however see Durban going more upmarket in the years to come, and CT trying to attain more of the middle market that they dont presently attract.

Mike I agree, I am bored of CT as you can only go up the mountain and down to the V&A so many times . We are in CT in a few weeks just to look at land but dont plan on spending anymore time there than we have to cos we have seen everytthing. However there is so much I havent seen in Durban and we cant wait to see it all.
Very valid point

Durban paves World Cup Soccer path with over R10bn investments

(C and I) Multi-billion-rand public and private sector investments throughout the metropolitan area were driving the booming Durban market ahead of the 2010 World Cup Soccer.

Commissioned by JHI Real Estate, the newly-released South African Property Report 2006 showed that Durban’s marketing message - highlighting the synergies of business and leisure opportunities - was translating into more than R10bn worth of investment ahead of the soccer showcase.

These included the R2bn upgrade to the city’s transport system, a R1,6bn stadium, the Dube tradeport initiative estimated around R1,8bn and another R3bn in new hotels.

JHI’s report reflected that the public-private partnership between the eThekwini municipality and Moreland Developments, the property arm of the listed entity Tongaat-Hulett Group, could potentially create another R10bn commercial and residential centre along the north coast.

Land around the Sibaya Casino was expected to attract R4bn in investments including boutique hotels, luxury apartments and housing estates, a shopping centre and office premises.

JHI managing director, Bongani Khumalo, said the Richards Bay industrial development zone had attracted another R4bn in investments, while a planned R4bn small craft harbour and eco-estate project on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast reflected how the development impetus was spreading throughout the province.

However, the continued private-sector driven development in Umhlanga and Sibaya as well as proposed developments in Westville and other decentralised zones had affected the take-up of inner city office space. Khumalo said the central business district (CBD) was competing against other emerging and existing nodes, forcing the city to address several issues.

These include reinforcing the CBD’s potential to drive the metropolitan economy and enhancing its role as a store of investment capital, a tourism and leisure centre, an international logistics management centre, retail node and cultural and entertainment hub.

Khumalo said the current fragmented retail environment prompted thought into an “inner city retail experience” that identified and enhanced distinct nodes like Grey Street, Warwick Triangle and the core CBD.

The report highlighted how a bad buildings programme would address the inner city housing provision. The proposed programme involved supporting and facilitating private sector rehabilitation and development; called on intervention proposals; clarified potential incentives council could offer developers and investors and explored the advantages of national government incentives like Urban Development Zones.

Considering industrial property, the report indicated land shortage remained “firmly entrenched” in the greater Durban area with businesses and developers moving to Cato Ridge for suitable sites. RiverHorse Valley and Briardene in the north had achieved land sales for R600-R700/m2, while smaller parcels under 5000m2 had topped R800/m2.

New projects include the R400m warehouse and logistics park in Mount Edgecombe and a 90 000m2 industrial park being developed in Briardene. The wholly-sold out RiverHorse Valley had generated more than R2bn in investments, while the redevelopment of the David Whiteheads plant into an industrial park reflected the growth in brownfield activity.

Opportunities would arise on the current Durban International Airport site once the facility moved north to the planned Dube development at La Mercy.

“The city is in the midst of an industrial property boom and experiencing a dramatic increase in the demand for space on the back of a strong economy,” JHI KwaZulu-Natal director, Rob Moran said.

The report indicated the Durban office market had shown dramatic improvement with rentals reflecting real growth and vacancies dropping to acceptable levels. A series of 10-year leases reflected confidence in the CBD, despite vacancies touching 19%.

Westway Office Park had doubled to 40 000m2 in the past two years, while Umhlanga, Westville and Morningside remained in high demand particularly for smaller premises. Moran said this situation was likely to further stimulate the development market, particularly within the sectional title segment. The La Lucia Ridge Office Park continued its strong performance with vacancies below 7%.

According to Moran the Durban retail property market remained buoyant with Gateway undergoing a 10 000m2 expansion, The Pavilion undertaking a R32m phase four expansion and La Lucia Mall continuing to upgrade. The 30 000m2 Umlazi Mega City development reflected the national trend for developments in traditional township areas.

Thought you might like this Giles....

Umbilo maintains its pole position for CBD access

Rose Deubler
(Residential) With doorstep access to the city, hospitals, top educational facilities, a range of good restaurants and backed up by being one of the last residential bastions near the city, offering a variety of single dwelling homes under R1 million, Umbilo has lost none of its purchasing attractions.

Demand pressure on the suburb, while off the highs of two years ago, continues to hold firm as more middle-class black families with CBD or hospital employed bread winners relocate into the area, either to purchase or to rent.

Estate agent Lesley Mocke reports her black client base of 40 percent last year more than doubling in the first half of this year. Real estate principals Rose Deubler and Malcolm Plint also note rising black client interest but not to the same levels.

All three agents report good activity, low stock levels, stabilisation of prices and an abundance of buyers in the lower price ranges of R350 000 to R500 000 for flats. With 1,5 bedroom apartments comfortably commanding rentals of R2 500 investor activity remains strong.

Single dwelling homes, which start around R750 000, also enjoy good purchasing interest and even better rental support from a mushrooming base that Mocke says is increasingly including blue-collar workers from other African countries who fail to qualify for homeloans. Monthly house rentals range between R4 500 to R6 000 with most agencies operating from waiting lists.

Aided by fuel price increases, the trend toward longer working hours and the desire, especially by emergent buyers for larger stands are just a few factors that Deubler and Plint cite as solidly underpinning Umbilo’s future market.

Plint notes that although Umbilo has long been considered as the tailend of Glenwood, the gap between the two suburbs, as a result of current trends has narrowed.

“It’s essentially a very realistic market from such a concentration of work opportunity particularly in health care and self-employed people so the market should remain largely aloof to most negative factors,” he adds.

Sales and interest hold firm in Durban’s new developments

(New Developments) Apart from the expected slowdown in investor activity, which to some extent has been buffered by owner-occupier purchasing, both sales and interest have barely missed a beat in Durban’s under construction residential developments, according to a recent snap survey by the Sunday Tribune Property Guide this week.

Without exception developers and marketing agents canvassed reported good activity with little heed at this stage iven to mounting speculation on future interest rate patterns or other factors that could negatively affect the market.

Most positive feedback came from Moreland’s director of residential developments, David Jolland who reports that the group are somewhat on the horns of a dilemma following the complete sell out of every single stand in its current seven residential project stable and a databank of 2 500 potential purchasers, some anxiously, waiting for new releases which are still receiving provincial and local government environmental and administrative processing. Even though the rate of increase in selling prices has slowed, Jolland says the demand remains high with no easing of new inquiries or interest across the price spectrum of R600 000 to R2,5 million.

Apart from its seven existing projects Jolland says the group has several others in the melting pot including a studio apartment project in the R500 000 range planned for the new New Town Centre and focussing on the African middle class market.

Equally confident in the future of the Umhlanga Ridge New Town/Gateway region is Inframax Developments where it has four developments – The Zone, The Lighthouse, The Sentinel and The Place - currently under construction and totalling some 18 500 sqm with a sell out value of more than R200 million. KZN regional director Paul Mulder says the developments all conform to a similar pattern, being modern in design with extensive use being made of hi-tech materials and aimed at the younger, upwardly mobile set.

Inframax also has follow up schemes in the pipeline. Mulder notes that the group’s KZN turnover in the current financial year is likely to remain above R200 million. Thus far it has concentrated in the R400 000 to R1 million price range, a bracket that Mulder expects to remain reasonably strong for another year or more, albeit at lower demand levels.

Since the launch, in 2005, of phase one of the Hawaan Forest Estate in Umhlanga, Keith Wakefield of marketing agents Wakefields Estate Agents says the 64 ha estate has attracted a steady flow of buyers and recorded R85 million in sales.

In recent months interest has escalated with as many as 15 weekend visitors. Most of the buyers are from KZN and intend to move into the estate.

All four phases have been launched and a fifth phase is anticipated at a much later stage. The infrastructure is complete, transfers in phase one and two have taken place and building on Stefan Antoni architect designed homes has started.

North of Ballito, Brettenwood Coastal Estate and Simbithi Eco-Estate both report good interest, while in the Dolphin Coast capital itself, sales in Key Projects’ 30-unit first phase, but eventual 100-unit Sand Bush Willows project have sold out and only four units are left in the second 36-unit second phase. Sales consultant Stuart Ferguson says a high number of buyers view Ballito as a powerful alternative to Umhlanga. Units start from R960 000.

Brendon Falkson reports sales of 160 units thus far in the 230-unit first phase of Brettenwood Coastal Estate. he Hulett Development company project above Sheffield Beach involves a combination of projects, with the latest Brettenwood Lakes sectional title units priced from R1,4 m to R3 million selling “very well.” Falkson notes the purchasing profile has essentially changed from speculative upcountry buyers to people purchasing with the purpose of primary residence. He reports strong Umhlanga, Ballito and Richards Bay sourced interest in the last six months. First batch of transfers have taken place, 15 plans have been approved and three houses are currently under construction.

Interest in the R2bn Simbithi Eco Estate is being pumped up by its recently launched one and- two-bed roomed Ethefeni project and the nearly completed 18-hole executive golf course being readied for its October launch. Alan Coetzer, Simbithi sales manager, reports 20 houses under construction, 50 new plans being processed and a three week interest surge in the recently launched third phase.

Alan Burke is “very happy” with sales at Marine Parade, one of two Blue Plum Developments at the Durban Point Waterfront. Burke says there are only five units left in the 27-unit Marine Point where one bedroom unit starts from R975 000. Blue Plum’s other project, the Edwardian architectural 25- unit Dock Point has recorded 14 sales. Priced from R3,2 million the super luxury units with own pool and garden have attracted purchasers from around the country. Burke says Blue Plum intend a further four project for the area.


Hillcrest’s Le Domaine is currently experiencing its best consistent run of sales since it was launched four years ago with the estate enjoying better than expected sales months since February. Present sales to complete for the balance of the year are valued at R75 million, says John Bezuidenhout, MD of the developers the Domain Joint Venture.

Driving recent purchasing is the opening of Club de Vie, says Keith Wakefield, CEO of sole selling agents Wakefields. Bezuidenhout estimates that 200 potential buyers visit the estate each month and at the current tempo of sales the development could be sold out within the next two years. Soon to be launched at the estate is the two-bedroom Montpellier Mews. Construction on the Care Centre and 30 hospitality suites that are attached to Club de Vie, is due to start in August.

Costwold Downs Golf Estate in Hillcrest is doing exceptionally well. In the first three weeks of July there were 15 land sales at an average price of R 1 million.

Pumping interest in the estate, according to Keith Wakefield is the fact that the golf course is complete and ready to open on November 10; the show houses are almost finished and will be ready to open on September 17; the infrastructure throughout phase one is 95% complete, and all the roads are tarred enabling people to see exactly what they are buying.

A dozen visits a week. or about 50 potential buyers a month. is being recorded at the iMbabala Forest Estate adjacent to Selborne Golf Estate, at Pennington on the mid south coast. Launched at Easter, 13 of the 70 sites in the freehold sectional title residential 51ha development have been sold. Marketing agents Wakefields report infrastructure on track for a November completion when the first transfers will take place. However the developers have permission to build prior to the completion of the services and the first house will commence in about four weeks time.

Keen interest in Eagle Ridge Retirement Estate has led to the speedy selling of 47 units in the first 61-unit phase since its launch in March. The 148-unit retirement estate on Howick Main Street, will consist of freestanding cottages and apartments.

Wakefields report 12 two and three-bedroom cottages and two two-bedroom apartments still for sale with cottages priced from 860 000 and apartments from R740 000. A waiting list is already in place for the development’s second phase. Developers Group 5 plan to start securing of the perimeter, construction of the guard house and ground works in early August. A central clubhouse and a nursing station are included in Eagle Ridge.

Two sales have been recorded in the 15-unit recently launched The Paddock, also in Howick. Although units are currently priced at R850 000 the developers are forecasting increases in line with rising building costs.

Thanks for posting all these stories, Mike. The level of development / construction in Durbs is astounding.

Dont think this was posted, but explains the cities Waterfront plans for the land in the harbour.

eThekweni plans huge waterfront development over 25 years

August 2, 2006

By Samantha Enslin

Durban - Over the next 25 years the eThekwini municipality hopes to develop port land from the harbour mouth to Wilson's Wharf into a waterfront, which will include a car terminal site, city terminal and even a coal terminal.

But the city's most pressing plans, which have been four years in the making, are to develop boutique hotels, restaurants and retail outlets between the Bat Centre and Wilson's Wharf ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Julie-May Ellingson, the head of strategic projects for the eThekwini municipality, said last week: "Long-term plans for leisure developments on a 20- to 25-year scenario include the coal terminal, the city and the car terminal."

For its immediate plans the city hopes to issue the tender for the design and development of the R100 million Victoria Embankment waterfront by the end of the year.

The city was trying to create a public space from an area that was currently a semiprivate space, mostly managed by yachting clubs, Ellingson said. But this hinges on a final deal being struck with Transnet, which owns the land.

The waterfront project, first proposed in 2002, has completed an environmental impact assessment but was delayed due to wrangling with Transnet over the value of the land.

Ellingson said Transnet had valued the land and the water as commercial property, which would have substantially raised the rental and made a waterfront unviable. "Transnet's approach was to maximise their return."

But the city's argument that the land be priced from a developmental perspective seems to be winning ground with Transnet. Through the Transnet eThekwini municipality port initiative, or project Tempi, the two parties are now planning jointly in an attempt to accommodate their respective objectives.



A waterfront, which would boost the city's profile as a tourist destination, could create 100 000 jobs. Project Tempi is thrashing out the role of the port in terms of what cargo it should be handling and the interface with the city.

For Transnet, helping the city to realise its ambitions will garner it support for its expansion plans on the south side of the port.

Mike Sutcliffe, eThekwini's city manager, said: "Everything Transnet does will impact on the city. The big issue we are discussing in the short term is the relocation of the car terminal, in the medium term, the expansion into Bayhead and in the long term, a dugout port at the airport site."

Transnet plans to develop Bayhead into a container terminal able to handle 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units a year. This is subject to negotiations with tenants and an environmental impact assessment. It would add eight berths by 2013 at a cost of between R15 billion and R20 billion.

Sutcliffe said the dugout port being mooted for the current Durban international airport site was just one option.

"Another option is the expansion of petrochemical businesses already in the area. But whatever we do there will most likely be a decision made at a national level," he said.

The numbers above are huge!! R20bn for bayhead port expansion!!

and the R100m waterfront thing doesnt include the cost to develop the hotels, its infrastructural costs.

SABOY I hardly ever go to the v+a (too sterile) or up the to the table (I hate heights and that turning pod thingie just kills me!!). the fact is in terms of nightlife, restaurants, culture, wine etc there is soooo much to do in cape town. But I agree with mike in that durbs is increasing its tourism package and will keep on doing so. I dont want to get involved with this Durbs/CPT beef as I love both cities and iam soooo excited with what is going on down in durban. But the two cities are so so different in what they offer and I think that is a massive positive for SA tourism to have two awsome world class cities that tourists can go to and have the time of their lives.

Thought you might like this Giles....

Umbilo maintains its pole position for CBD access

Rose Deubler
(Residential) With doorstep access to the city, hospitals, top educational facilities, a range of good restaurants and backed up by being one of the last residential bastions near the city, offering a variety of single dwelling homes under R1 million, Umbilo has lost none of its purchasing attractions.

Demand pressure on the suburb, while off the highs of two years ago, continues to hold firm as more middle-class black families with CBD or hospital employed bread winners relocate into the area, either to purchase or to rent.

Estate agent Lesley Mocke reports her black client base of 40 percent last year more than doubling in the first half of this year. Real estate principals Rose Deubler and Malcolm Plint also note rising black client interest but not to the same levels.

All three agents report good activity, low stock levels, stabilisation of prices and an abundance of buyers in the lower price ranges of R350 000 to R500 000 for flats. With 1,5 bedroom apartments comfortably commanding rentals of R2 500 investor activity remains strong.

Single dwelling homes, which start around R750 000, also enjoy good purchasing interest and even better rental support from a mushrooming base that Mocke says is increasingly including blue-collar workers from other African countries who fail to qualify for homeloans. Monthly house rentals range between R4 500 to R6 000 with most agencies operating from waiting lists.

Aided by fuel price increases, the trend toward longer working hours and the desire, especially by emergent buyers for larger stands are just a few factors that Deubler and Plint cite as solidly underpinning Umbilo’s future market.

Plint notes that although Umbilo has long been considered as the tailend of Glenwood, the gap between the two suburbs, as a result of current trends has narrowed.

“It’s essentially a very realistic market from such a concentration of work opportunity particularly in health care and self-employed people so the market should remain largely aloof to most negative factors,” he adds.
Fairt rents in the region. I think that denham downs will be a good investment mfor us

Last weeks Daily news, on Wed i think had something on Dube Tradeport, anyone see it?

^^ nope..didnt see it...what it say?

i have info on 3 other developments in Glenwood, all in your price target giles. 2 more in Clark road and one in Davenport road.

Dno, my bro told me, will go look for it

Dno, my bro told me, will go look for it

mike do tell, Im back in 3 weeks and looking at some other offers.
Ta mate

^^ will get the details and report back...dont have images yet. They priced from R450k

Any month now, Durban is just going to go 'snap' and all this crazy downtown stuff is going to be happening.

I'm excited to see some more redevelopments... ABSA is so sexy! Any more downtown/CBD redevelopments, Mike? (cranes?)

^^Nothing much for now Thryve, but I am sure people are going to see the trend starting, its going "explode" from the ICC area, once the ICC is complete, the surroundings will change, starting from the buildings around the ICC going outwards.
Durban CBD has not gone to the dogs, so lets hope it will be saved by this "construction evolution" so to speak.

^^Well the only little tit bit i have is the redevelopment of a site directly in line with the southern end of the Durban Arena at the ICC, (on the Vic Embankment side). 2 Low rise sites with car showrooms have been bought and the developers intention is to develop a 15-20F office tower. It will be 2 buildings away from the Liberty Towers

so yes...that ICC precinct will be the main high rise area in the CBD for the next few years, but i'm sure that the redevelopment of Standard Banks building will be great for the city. That will happen once their new one at Kingsmead is complete end of this year

mike thats good news for a new office tower facing the front of the ICC arena. I would assume its the nissan one? dont know if its styreet frontage will be great with that taxi rank there (if its still there) on Pine St? I think.
Neverthe less its fantastic news. Ill add as Pine Street office building -proposed-20f any idea on consultsnts?
could we recap all the proposals around the ICC so I can make sure they are on Emporis.
This office block 20F
The ICC hotel 19F
Any more?

this is durbans current U/C list, Not bad at all
1. San Raphael 134 m 35 2007
2. The Spinnaker 117 m 27 2007
3. Moyeni 100 m 28 2007
4. Sails Hotel 50 m 14 2006
5. The Sails Building 1 43 m 11 2006
6. The Sails Building 3 43 m 11 2006
7. The Sails Building 2 43 m 10 2006
8. Ridgeton Towers 39 m 11 2005
9. Innes Towers 35 m 10 2006
10. Pearl Breeze 25 2006
11. Suncoast Casino Hotel Tower 12 2007
12. Dolphin Whispers 12 2006

All we need confirmed is pics of all 4 sails buildings and 3 heights and this is 100% complete.

POP quiz 1 for the durbanites.

Does durban have beachfront squatters?

Check this website out
http://www.fad.co.za/default.htm

fad is facts about durban. Just ordered me this book, look cool

mike thats good news for a new office tower facing the front of the ICC arena. I would assume its the nissan one? dont know if its styreet frontage will be great with that taxi rank there (if its still there) on Pine St? I think.
Neverthe less its fantastic news. Ill add as Pine Street office building -proposed-20f any idea on consultsnts?
could we recap all the proposals around the ICC so I can make sure they are on Emporis.
This office block 20F
The ICC hotel 19F
Any more?

It is ford and something, and a wheel alignment centre.

The "taxi rank" is actually a bus rank, taxi's cant use it.

As for confirmation of it, i have nothing. all i know is that is their plan for it, it may easily change for the land was only transferred to the new owners a week ago, so they have alot of planning to go thru first i'd imagine.

What about DB's two 20+F developments next to the ICC with their skybridges and all...anymore on that DB?

Giles...and everyone else!! Check out this website...it looks like an amazing new development, completely different from anything else around

www.ubuntustyle.com

im going to go and buy that book as well. Looks awsome.

never knew it had so many flats!

Durban's John Ross House being given R15m facelift

(Residential) Refurbishment and repairs costing more than R15 million have begun at the giant John Ross House complex on Durban's Esplanade.

"Special attention is being paid to the lifts in the building which houses 516 residential units and 32 commercial offices as well the renowned Revolving Restaurant perched on the summit of the complex," said Adrienne Douglas of letting agents, Maxprop.

"Eight residential lifts are being replaced while seven commercial lifts are being fully refurbished. The lift upgrading, which will take about 18 months to complete, is being carried out by Kone."

Special levies were raised for the refurbishment project and the owners of the building, administered by MaxProp, are determined to improve the overall image of the landmark building which dominates an area of the Esplanade close to the entrance to Durban harbour.

With the area being earmarked as a future growth area in Durban, Douglas is confident that when the refurbishments are completed flats will be snapped up. John Ross House converted to sectional title in November 2002.

Check this website out
http://www.fad.co.za/default.htm

fad is facts about durban. Just ordered me this book, look cool

I have it, it is a good read guys!

The Durban SSC Banner will be up on September 1st.

(That's the date I was given for it.)