482 houses in the initial phase at the Cornubia mixed development have been completed and handed over to residents.

Once complete, Cornubia will be a mixed-use development of housing, commercial and industrial sites. The settlement, which is expected to take 20 years to complete, is being created by the eThekwini Municipality and TongaatHulett.

The R24 billion project will not only provide residential units, but also aims to provide residents with access to employment and retail opportunities. Once completed in 2030, the 1 200ha property will consist of 24 000 housing units, 2 million m2 of commercial space and an 80ha industrial development.

Human settlement executive at TongaatHulett, Karen Petersen, says that Cornubia puts an end to the stereotype that social housing is only about putting a roof over people’s heads. “There is a real social implication of poorly designed housing. If you don’t create places where people are proud to live, then you’re just reinforcing the idea that neither the building nor the tenant is worth the effort,” she says.

According to Human Settlements Minister Connie September, the department has shifted focus from housing to human settlements, using an integrated approach that includes better spatial planning. This involves building communities planned around water and sanitation, with schools, recreation facilities, and economic opportunities in close proximity. Cornubia is one of four projects nationally that signal this shift.

The construction phase of the Cornubia project will create as many as 15 000 jobs, while a further 48 000 permanent jobs will be created in the retail and industrial industries once the development is complete. The development’s residents will contribute an estimated R300 million in rates to the eThekwini municipality.
(Source: Media Club South Africa)