The Westown development in KwaZulu-Natal presents an opportunity to do things differently for the future, responding to the needs of people and connecting them with spaces and experiences, bringing new opportunities to live, work and thrive. This means focusing on local stakeholder participation and inclusion in the development and construction value chain and in the ongoing operation and management of the new City of the West.
WORDS & PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Here’s some facts about this mixed-use development:
- It’s the new City of the West
- It’s the first precinct of the Shongweni Urban Development, a catalytic project of over 2,000 hectares.
- Over 100 hectares in extent
- Strategically located on the national N3 logistics Strategic Infrastructure Project 2 (SIP2) corridor, within the eThekwini municipality (Outer West Region) 30km west of the Durban Port.
- An urban mixed-use precinct (similar in some respects to what has taken place around Gateway) designed on a human scale
- Locally driven and guided by a team that understands the context and potential of the place, and is invested in its success.
- Approved development rights of approximately. 520 000m² of bulk floor area
- Development period of 10-15 years
- New city investment of some R600m over the next 2 years.
- New private sector investment of over R15 billion over the next 10-15 years
- ABSA funding R1.5billlion Westown Square
- Balwin investment R2.5billion 1200 unit residential development
- 15 000 construction jobs over the next decade
- 8 500 permanent jobs
- A new 100-bed hospital
- Residential Units: ± 20 000 units across a range of products, typologies and densities
- Commercial/Business/Industrial: ± 1.2million m² of bulk floor area
- New schooling and education facilities
- Integrated public transport facilities
- Wetland rehabilitation and ongoing management
- Provision for community-managed running, cycling and equestrian trails, that can stimulate the green tourism economy
- Support of local service needs such as an extended road network, more education facilities, libraries and others
- Support of surrounding businesses, amenities and facilities to ensure the collective growth of the area.
- Managed through a place management structure focused on optimising the functionality of the place.
Mixed-use lifestyle destination
While the construction focus is firmly on the high-street retail experience of Westown square (50 000 m2 ), due for completion/ opening 27 March, 2025, this is just the beginning. The new destination of interconnected precincts, spaces, and experiences that is Westown includes:
📦 Warehousing and logistics hubs
💼 Business and commercial nodes
🏘 Residential apartments
🏨 A hospital and medical facilities
🍃 An active green belt.
Construction facts
From March 2023 to March 2024 the Westown construction teams have been steadily working towards the first development goal of March 2025 when the Kassier Rd upgrade will be complete and Westown Square will be open for trading. This work has resulted in a few impressive numbers being racked up:
- 13 400m³ of concrete poured
- 2 200 tons of rebar used
- 12 800m² of roof sheeting placed
- 5 000m² of bricks laid
- 3km of piling driven
- 4km of roadbed laid
- 4km of deviation road created
- 780m of stormwater pipes laid
- 5km of cable ducts installed
- 68 pieces of heavy machinery on site
Infrastructure investment
A development of this magnitude requires significant infrastructure investment in roads and bulk services such as water, wastewater and electricity.
The eThekwini Municipality has committed close to R600 million in partnership with Fundamentum to fund the initial phases of this work, which includes:
- The phased upgrade of Kassier Rd from the Milky Way intersection on Kassier Rd, across the N3 and M13 to Old Main road (R103) into 4 lanes with a centre median
- A new bridge and interchange across the M13
- A new pedestrian bridge over the N3
- A new loop ramp and bridge over Kassier Road providing direct access into Westown.
Water supply
A new water main (400mm) is to be installed between an existing line in Summerveld to Westown that will serve Westown and surrounding precincts. The city is upgrading the bulk main between the main reservoir and Summerveld.
Electrical supply
The city has already installed power for the initial phases of Westown. In addition, the development will focus on waste-to-energy opportunities as well as other alternative energy-generating options.
Wastewater treatment
To be handled “onsite” via a new “package plant” where the treated wastewater is to be re-used for irrigation and potentially greywater solutions.
Westown Training Centre
The Westown Training Centre is a collaboration between the Westown Foundation and the Stefanutti Stocks Academy, with a 2 700m2 facility that provides development and training opportunities for qualifying individuals to accumulate knowledge, gain experience, increase their employability, and be CETA certified in certain specific construction skills.
By the end of 2023, 61 trainees had qualified and graduated through the academy, with a further 16 enrolled in various programs from February 2024. Over the two-year period that the training centre will operate on the Westown site, 60-80 operators will qualify and around 500 people will pass through the centre equipped with the relevant skills to find work in the construction sector within the province, some of which will be at Westown.
An inclusive development process
Several local stakeholder forums engage around the overall Shongweni Urban Catalytic Development, of which Westown is a part. This is driven by both The Stakeholder Development Committee and The Project Screening and Transformation Committee which include participation from:
- Traditional leadership through the local Nkosi
- Ward Councillors
- Local business representation
- Representation of the transport industry
- Representation from women’s groups
- Local military veterans
- Youth representation
- Representation from the disabled community.
A key responsibility of these Committees is to oversee the participation of the local businesses (including CPG), suppliers and the labour force in the development value chain.
Westown Square shareholding
The shareholding of Westown Square includes Fundamentum Dev Co, the Community Participation Trust being formed in consultation with the local community and the eThekwini Municipality, and the local empowerment consortium OuterWest Investments.
OuterWest Investments is a 100% black-owned and managed company representing dynamic black professionals with different professional and personal backgrounds, each with a proven track record of success in their areas of expertise.
This group has come together to address previous challenges faced by South Africans, with the goal of meaningful participation in the economy and the desire to become significant players in the real estate industry.
For more Information visit www.westown.co.za For Leasing enquiries at The Barn & Westown Square, contact Lana 083 511 4433.
Top picture: View of The West Private Hospital main entrance.
The construction of Westown Square in Shongweni.
