MBDA receives green light to proceed with demolition of old Bay stadium

After many months of a protracted process to obtaining the permit, or what is known in the sector as a demolition certificate, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal Agency can now proceed, clearing the way for the city to leverage this prime piece of land.

The process to demolish a structure of this size is fairly complex and drawn out due to the number of role-player approvals involved, each with a set of criteria to be met. One such role-player is the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs, whose approval is necessary to safeguard sensitive environmental considerations, such as the protection of the flood line.

"A mandatory 20-day period for possible public objections to the demolition was also required before the demolition process could be initiated," says Dorelle Sapere, Planning and Development Manager heading up the project.

MBDA Chief Executive Officer Ashraf Adam adds: "The demolition is just one step of the process to freeing up this prime real estate for catalytic and transformative developments. The MBDA believes that real socioeconomic transformation can be achieved through innovative spatial planning that is not constrained by outdated planning patterns of the past. So re-zoning is one of the key deliverables we're going to concentrate on as we prepare the site for future inclusive and multi-use developments."

With the conclusion of the approvals process, the demolition of old Boet Erasmus Stadium, better known as Telkom Park, is scheduled to commence this week with construction site establishment, and the work is expected to take approximately three months to complete.