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http://gallery.iol.co.za/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=61090&g2_serialNumber=2

Massive eco-project coming to George
09 Nov 2009

Western Cape premier Helen Zille unveiled plans for one of Africa's single biggest private development projects at a ceremony in George on Friday 6 November.

The R28bn Destiny Africa Ecosphere project will integrate world-class conferencing, a knowledge city, business park, university cluster, medical and biosphere tourism and eco-residential and housing developments.

In all, 2,5m sqm of bulk rights have been approved for a project that could take 17 years to conclude, ensuring substantial post-2010 developmental activity for Western Cape.

Bulk rights on this scale and synergistic integration of business learning, research, conferencing and business incubation creates a "smart city" on lines pioneered in high-growth economies such as Singapore and China.
Zoning approval was granted in May 2009. The 437-hectare site is on the Garden Route near George.

Premier Zille was on hand to unveil the development model as smart city thinking and the ecosphere concept align closely with the province's strategy of promoting growth off the back of "knowledge economics industries". Leveraging job creation and foreign exchange earnings through international conferencing, tourism and SME development also finds a close fit with national policy.

Thys Pretorius, executive director of Destiny Africa Investments Holdings, driving force behind Destiny Africa, noted: "Potential is huge. Even conservative projections envisage the creation of an estimated 50,000 direct and indirect jobs over 10 years".

"A major driver and lead element in the overall vision is MICE or the meetings, incentives, conferences and expos component. Business tourism underpinned by major international conferences is a global growth industry, yet potential goes largely untapped in South Africa."

The development was initiated by a local consortium of business people via Khama Investments and KDMC while land and development rights were obtained in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank. The development company Destiny Africa Investment Holdings was set up to drive the project.

For more information contact Thys Pretorius on 044 805 7133.

this is massive for the southern cape..

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/r28bn-george-property-development-unveiled-2009-11-06

http://www.link2media.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6227&Itemid=12

A tiny model of the development:

http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/images/resized/79916_resized_destinyafricamodel.jpg

Where in George is this being built? Guessing out west as this would explain all the efforts to try and get the N2/N9 bypass built. Until now it's just not been necessary, but this could make the investment (which is massive because several large bridges will need to be built) a bit more sain...

the development is on the east side of george, besically between the Vic bay turnoff and the mall turn off. the land stretches all the way to the coast, remember courtney st is effectively the N9 till the outeniqua pass. oaks are talking about monorails from the airport and what not, this will turn george on its head - george will become a true city after this development.

I dont wanna sound like a pessimist but this project remindes me of Amazulu World that never saw the light of day.
But thank you for the post nevertheless.

I dont wanna sound like a pessimist but this project remindes me of Amazulu World that never saw the light of day.
But thank you for the post nevertheless.

similar thoughts did cross my mind

The differences here being that this is a local project and it has been given full approval. Add to that the fact that the concept doesn't seem half as unrealistic as Amazulu World's and I think this one's prospects are a lot brighter.

It's much more realistic and possible. They've been working on this for nearly 9 years now and they know it's going to take several years to reach the final product, giving a very modest 17years goal. Starting off with the Conference side of it is the best to catalyst the rest.

R28bn boost for Garden Route http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/images/M_images/pdf_button.png (http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=2800) http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/images/M_images/printButton.png (http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2800&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=85) http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/images/M_images/emailButton.png (http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=2800&itemid=85) Friday, 13 November 2009

Western Cape premier Helen Zille has unveiled a new multimillion-rand development on South Africa’s Garden Route which is expected to turn the region into a major global tourism and business hub.

Known as the Destiny Africa ecosphere project, the US$3.7-billion (R28-billion) initiative will stand on 437 hectares just outside the town of George, located at the eastern end of the Western Cape province and in the centre of the Garden Route. The popular Garden Route spans roughly 200km of South Africa’s southern coast.

George, the sixth-oldest town in South Africa, is known as the business centre of the region and is a sought-after conference and holiday destination. The town already has essential infrastructure in place, including an airport, but has tremendous potential for large-scale development.

The Destiny Africa project will combine business, learning and leisure into a so-called smart city. Components include a top-class conference centre, a business park with an incubator, a university cluster and research centre, about 7 000 residential units, ecotourism and medical tourism facilities, retail opportunities and a waterfront. These interconnected facilities are known as an ecosphere.

Destiny Africa is expected to contribute significantly to South Africa’s economy in the same way as California’s Silicon Valley, India’s information technology hub of Hyderabad, or Singapore. These regions have used the smart city concept to drive economic growth by attracting foreign investment as well as the world’s top specialists and entrepreneurs.

Mice is nice

Destiny Africa is a private venture steered by Destiny Africa Investment Holdings (DAIH), a company that was set up especially to drive the project.

Construction could take up to 17 years and will result in at least 50 000 new jobs, both directly and indirectly. And this is a conservative estimate, said DAIH director Thys Pretorius, with the nearby communities of Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp benefiting most of all.

The project centres on the Mice concept – meetings, incentives, conferences and expositions – which forms the core of sustainable business tourism. This sector of the tourism industry is growing globally and South Africa is no exception. The country’s many attractions and top venues helped it to reach number 35 on the International Congress and Convention Association’s global ranking for 2007.

However, said Pretorius, only 5% of South Africa’s annual $2.8-billion (R21-billion) Mice revenue comes from overseas. He said that Destiny Africa, with its multi-faceted offerings, would help to open up all the opportunities that are currently not exploited.

Pretorius said that Destiny Africa aimed to become the continent’s most sought-after Mice destination. At the same time it would promote the Garden Route, most of which lies within the Cape Floral Kingdom, as a superior eco-tourism region.

He also anticipated a reversal in the trend of skilled workers leaving the country, saying that the smart city would attract smart people and smart business.

The first element to be built, according to DAIH, will be the conference and exhibition centre.

Rich biodiversity
For its small area, the Garden Route is the most bio-diverse region in the world. It is said that only the rainforests hold more biodiversity, although they are spread over a much larger area.

Government is currently in the process of establishing a new national park there to encompass notable features such as the current Wilderness and Tsitsikamma national parks, the fynbos of the Cape Floral Kingdom, marine and aquatic systems and the largest continuous stretch of indigenous forest in the country.

George is a historically significant location, with features such as the 198-year-old Old Slave Tree, which is a national monument. This huge oak tree is so named because of the chain and lock embedded near the bottom of its trunk. It is not certain if the chain is linked to slavery, or was used merely to prevent things from being stolen.

Originally a timber town, George was established in 1776 by the Dutch East India Company as an outpost. The town fell into the Swellendam magisterial district but was separated from it in 1806. In 1811 the town was officially proclaimed by then governor of the Cape, the Earl of Caledon, and named after George III, the reigning British monarch.

George is twinned with Tacoma in Washington, US, and Fuzhou in China.

http://gallery.iol.co.za/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=61090&g2_serialNumber=2

^^ Holy Sh^tballs! That is insane!!! :nuts: Looking at the render, it'll be located other side the N2 from the Garden Route Mall between George and Victoria Bay.

It's early days and I'm a little skeptical, but if it happens... what a coup for George and the Western Cape... it'll turn George into a metropole for sure.

http://www.george.co.za/userfiles/article/news2009/november2009/28billion.jpg

Precinct Plan (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix5PrecinctPlan.pdf)

General Site Development Layout (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix3Preferredalternative.pdf)

Architectural Guidelines
(http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465%20Appendix%2011b%20%20Architectural%20Guidelines.pdf)
Bulk Electrical Supply (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465%20Appendix%207%20Services%20Report%20for%20Bulk%20Electrical%20Supply.pdf)

Social Impact Assessment (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix3SocialImpactAssessment.pdf)

Heritage
(http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix9Heritage.PDF)
Phases (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix4PhasingProgram.PDF)

Visual Impact Assessment (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix14VisualImpactAssessment.pdf)

Amendment of George Structure Plan (http://www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix13StructurePlanAmendmentApplication.pdf)

^^ Holy Sh^tballs! That is insane!!! :nuts: Looking at the render, it'll be located other side the N2 from the Garden Route Mall between George and Victoria Bay.

It's early days and I'm a little skeptical, but if it happens... what a coup for George and the Western Cape... it'll turn George into a metropole for sure.

Agreed! Seems a bit over the top, but only time can tell. It has the same grandiose scheme of Durbans Amazulu project, which... leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
The last pic of Zille and that Asian dude gets me nervous. Werent the Malaysians also promising Durbans Point the world, then look what happened... ah! and the same shit with the monorail in JHB.

The planning does seem a bit more advanced than the other two "failed" projects mentioned... but also going to be cautiously optimistic for now and not get too excited. A cool concept... but, waiting to see it advance further before I get all crazy with excitement. :)

One thing however!!! What about water??? George expanding itself by approx. 20% in size with this one project, yet the Garden Route Dam is only 30% full? I hope this consortium plans to desalinate some water for their needs. This entire region has be overbuilt, with zero thought to expanding water capacity... then the worst drought ever strikes... OOPS!

Crap thats a massive project, but as annman stated, proper planning and infrastructure has to be put inplace first. George is a small town and will need a major overall of its current services to cater for something this big.

Crap thats a massive project, but as annman stated, proper planning and infrastructure has to be put inplace first. George is a small town and will need a major overall of its current services to cater for something this big.

Also, technically, what they need with a project of this magnitude, attracting the amounts of people, conference and events tourism they want to, the N2 will need a major overhaul... from PE all the way to CPT. To see this project properly create a "development corridor" along the Garden Route the following will need to happen... as George becomes a metropole, which this project will do:

The N9/N12 needs to be rerouted outside George as a limited access motorway from Outeniqua Pass north at Blanco down to near George Airport at the N2/Herolds Bay area.

N2 limited access motorway must be extended eastward, bypassing Wilderness and Kaimans River Pass rejoining perhaps near Sedgefield, or bypassing altogether, meeting up with the Knysna Bypass west of White Bridge.

The N2 must be widened from Mossel Bay to George to 3/3 lane configuration.

The N2 limited access motorway must be extended on the Mossel Bay side to bypass the Mossgas plants and Mossdustria, rejoining the existing N2 (then R102) west of Vleesbaai turn off.

N2 widening is needed to 2-2 undivided from Stilbaai turnoff to Riversdale and a Riversdale Bypass constructed.

N2 must bypass Heidelberg/Swellendam/Riviersonderend completely (no at grade turn offs or slow speed-limits)... additional climbing lanes in all locations and 2-2 configuration around towns added along the entire stretch.

Limited access motorway status for N2 from Somerset West, through Grabouw to Bot river as outlined by Winelands Toll concessionaire.

A lot to think about when your development could turn a small city into a Metropolitan area... more than just your development to think about.

From the plans its certainly seems to be a long term well planned vision rather than a fantasy world theme park.

Are my eyes deceiving me or do i see a light rail of some sorts in those pictures?

Are my eyes deceiving me or do i see a light rail of some sorts in those pictures?
Your eyes are working perfectly... Seems there is a light rail line running from Destiny Africa, via Garden Route Mall... I would imagine then it would continue to St.Geroges Square, up Courtenay Street all the way to the George CBD at Courtenay and York.

My hypothesis! :)

the light rail will connect the develoment with the airport.

I really hope this project goes ahead, it would certainly develope that area. I think that area Knysna-George-Mossel Bay has so much potencial.
This thread should be in the General South Africa forum and not in the Capetown forum.

Already a thread, lol ;)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=999325

the 2 threads have been merged now.

Seems a large scale project like the two announced last year in on the KZN coast north of Durban. Personally i do not like these dream projects. Suddenly George will become the place all these businesses want to be? i dunno...

I do like the planning though and if they take it slow it may reach some level of this potential in time. lets see if anything happens though. We are far too used to these grand plans that amount to nought.

Part of the team includes some architects and developers who ensured the tygerwaterfront area went from nothing to 25+ apartment blocks in a few years.

Gives me more faith that this is more than just a roller coaster theme park based in a fantasy world.

I, too, have more faith in this materialising than some of the previous projects announced.

Of course, it's a very large-scale project, and there is every likelihood that it may not happen, but if they approach it logically and from a sustainable phase-based point-of-view, it could very well work out as planned. The fact that Helen Zille is on-board also gives me a little more faith in the project as a whole.

I also think it's about high-time that the Western Cape develops another significant city rather than a large number of small towns. Cape Town unfortunately can't be everything ;)

^^ Big Mamma: Cape Town! George, Big Mamma's Mini-Me! :nuts:

Well, at least both new WC Metropoles of the future are beautiful, surrounded by mountains and are by the sea. :)

my understanding of the project is that it will be very independent from George, except for the use of the airport and the surrounding golf estates. the idea is to host major conferences, guest will fly in and get transported to destiny via the monorail. everything they require will be catered for at the facility, hotels, restaurants, shops, spas ect ect. even the garden route mall, which is basically across the highway will not be a major destination for guest as there will be similar if not better amenities in the complex. when the conference is done, guest will be shipped out and the next bunch will arrive. the whole concept revolves around the conference facility being busy 365, the rest of the development is basically as downstream spin-off from this...

^^ That may be so, and I agree it is indeed a "self contained destination" in itself. But these type of developments are not islands. Major development is like adding platinum to the electrolysis of water. It's a catalyst for so much more that gets developed around it. Destiny Africa, should it come off the ground, will see George mushroom like you cannot believe. It will most likely cause the complete urban infill of George from the current town limits all the way to the N2 and beyond. Within 10 years, George will seriously have to begin densifying.

^^ Agree with you 100%, this will truely change george and surroundings. the spinoffs for the locals will be huge.

Official website:
http://www.destinyafrica.co.za/

Destiny Africa is an integrated business resort development, where people can live, learn, work and play at a spectacular international destination. Destiny Africa will become the core of the business tourism industry in the world renowned Garden Route, Western Cape of South Africa. It is Africa's first integrated development that will establish an international destination that combines a Conference and Exhibition hub with a
Knowledge City.

What exactly is a Knowledge City?

What exactly is a Knowledge City?

a few apple computers at an internet cafe

What exactly is a Knowledge City?

I assume it will consist of a university/schools/library sufficiently equipped with internet access etc.

But that's just what I think.

Their twitter (http://twitter.com/destinyafrica)

Full impact assessment with detailed breakdown of development components (http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:guoZLTBwXIwJ:www.hilland.co.za/userfiles/article/files/465_Destiny_Africa/465_Destiny_EIR/465Appendix9Heritage.PDF+Destiny+Africa+George&hl=en&gl=za&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShiBUMzlVxfAwnxBYZlYm0QYm2HUm_nmUEVb8HzE8L07ifrDN_ePXYrbBYckxXqn_RgoHG-c0c7etpyarB7l1oHv9a-PZd1OMo7u0AKDgMLn35LE2RUblRypI4KzdXGT3Z9RB6P&sig=AHIEtbTkckCmT4Hn0VwDnOl3CbrfTTFbNg)
(from page 2)

Hi there, does anyone know how to contact Thys Pretorius or anyone else more directly involved in developing this project? Khama Investments and KDMC? I work for an information service to the construction industry in South Africa.

Thanks

You could try contact them on Twitter?

www.twitter.com/destinyafrica

Send them a direct message asking them for additional contact details.

According to their twitter today :)

destinyafrica has finalised the gross development value, the development bulk and densities of the project.

R28 billion Garden Route property development on hold


The global recession has forced a multi-billion-rand project for George, which was launched a year ago, to be put on hold.
Although the world economy is beginning to recover, the R28 billion Destiny Africa Ecosphere project, punted as being likely to transform the Garden Route town into a global business and eco-tourism destination over the next 20 years, stalled because of a lack of investors.


However, Fred Brown, an executive director of Destiny Africa, was optimistic. "There are positive signs and construction could start in the next 18 months. The project is still on - we want a mix of foreign and local investors."



The project will consist of a world-class conferencing hub, a business park and resort, a hotel, a university aimed at the arts, medical and biosphere tourism, and residential developments. In all, 2.5 million square metres have been approved for a project that developers say will take 15 to 20 years to complete.



When the project was launched last year, the developer said an estimated 50 000 direct and indirect jobs would be created. A "smart city" of this size could be found in high-growth economies such as Singapore and China.





But some George residents fear there is not enough water, especially as it is in the grip of the worst drought in 130 years.
Brown said the design was "green", and would feature sloping roofs to catch rainwater, and dams to capture the run-off, along with purification of "grey" water.


Alan Winde, the provincial Finance, Economic Development and Tourism MEC, said: "The SA property market has been depressed for over a year, leading to the scaling back of developments across the board.
"The effect of this on the Destiny Africa Ecosphere project is regrettable, but, as the market improves, which is likely within the next year-and-a-half, this project will no doubt attract renewed attention from local and international investors.
"Property ownership in the province is still viable, more so than other provinces because of its higher value."
Cape Argus

Latest news from twitter:

@destinyafrica Destiny Africa is considering re-appointing CNSG Consulting Group to lead the Global Road Show.

Cape Town is looking at a Science and Technology park. Wonder how that will impact this development.

What ever happened to Capricorn Park on the outskirts of Muizenburg?
When I take Boyes Drive, I can see randon White buildings, but after 5 = years, im sure its not taken off as theyd hoped.
As I figure, it was supposed to be a science and technology park, and have some lightmanufacturing component to absord some of the surrounding communities labour pool.

http://www.capricorn.co.za/

Have you guys heard anything else regarding this development? Someone told me that they had managed to get all of their EIA approvals, etc and that actually there was someone on site starting the bulk services, etc?!?1

Can it be?? Anyone in George, any news??

This one is still alive. Their latest tweet is from 5 January, stating that they're "exploring final steps ahead."

I wonder whether the final plan will remotely resemble the original plan.