A buffer zone will be established on the Pinnacle Point Estate in Mossel Bay to formally protect the Pinnacle Point cave complex from the possible impact of additional development in the area.

Heritage Western Cape launched an application to declare the Pinnacle Point Cave Complex a World Heritage Site and in order for the application to succeed, a Heritage Buffer Zone must be established around the cave complex.

The establishment of the buffer zone will put in place a defined area in which all new land use development applications must be processed by Heritage Western Cape and will ensure all new developments around the cave complex will not have any negative impact on the existing heritage resources.

According to the Municipality existing land use development rights approved before the approval of the buffer zone will not be influenced.

“Council has, however, approved a condition that will affect existing development conditions applicable in the affected erven.”

The condition states that any application in relation to the change in land use, subdivision, consolidation, consent of use, removal of restrictive conditions or relaxation of land use conditions, including building lines or building height restrictions, must be processed in terms of the applicable land use planning legislation and be approved by Heritage Western Cape which will evaluate the application in terms of the Approved Conservation Management Plan for the Pinnacle Point Golf Estate and the possible impact on the Pinnacle Point Cave Complex.

The buffer zone will not restrict the existing rights or restrict proposed development rights, but will ensure that new rights must be processed by Heritage Western Cape.

Heritage Western Cape and relevant individuals working on approved projects regarding the cave complex must be given access to the caves through the existing road infrastructure on arrangement with the Pinnacle Point Golf Estate Home Owners Association.