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 HERITAGE PARK
GAZETTE - www.heritageprk.com
Heritage Park aims to create a place of elegance
With the recent official opening of Hazelden Drive by Helderberg Mayor Leon Deacon, the 200-hectare Heritage Park took a giant leap forward in its development. Situated on the historic Die Bos farm which was established in 1703 and given as a gift to Jan Hartog for his outstanding work in establishing the Companies’ Gardens in Cape Town, the town of Heritage Park will retain the charming ambience of gracious country living while boasting world-class modern facilities.
The farm was bought by the Somerset West Business Park Trust, administered by a group of local business persons, with the aim of creating a town with elegance, a sense of aesthetic values and regard for human needs and aspirations.
These are the qualities that have been carefully considered in the development of the town, which will include housing, schools, retail and commercial space, all set in the lush surroundings of carefully-planned landscaping.
The completion of the R1-million Hazelden Drive has opened the way for the development of Heritage Park’s approximately 2 500 residential sites.
“We are still receiving enquiries for houses in the residential section of the town. We are only now ready with the road to be able to start with the houses,” George Hazelden of George Hazelden Properties says.
Hazelden Drive links up directly with Somerset West’s Main Road, with Main merging into Hazelden shortly after the Van der Stel turn-off. This allows Somerset West residents to enter Heritage Park without having to use the N2.
Peace of mind will go hand-in-hand with living in Heritage Park, as the town will be enclosed within a monitored electrified fence and uniformed security guards will patrol the streets, ensuring the safety of all who enter the town’s gates.
Unique to Heritage Park is the manner in which it has been zoned, with the residential, commercial, industrial and other components all within easy reach of each other. The usual travel expenditure and frustration associated with the hustle and bustle of city living are eliminated through this planning.
A nature reserve, park and bird sanctuary are only some of the scenic features to be developed around the existing small forest of three hectares, two dams of more than 11 hectares and five hectares of open land.
The commercial section and first phase of the development, Somerset West Business Park, is regarded as a good indicator of the success Heritage Park is certain to meet with. Sites in this section were snapped up by eager purchasers and completely sold out before it was even completed.
Despite the downturn in the economy during the last 14 months, Cara Camp (Sprite Caravans) and Aqua Mall have doubled their turnover. Storage RSA is so full that it has expanded on to three more plots, giving it more than double its initial storage capacity.
The residential phase will offer a home to suit everyone’s taste and pocket, with homes to be built from as little as R190 000 up to R1-million. About 200 retirement homes will also be built. Completion of Heritage Park is targeted for 2008.
 Flagship school to open doors in January next year
World-class education will soon be on Somerset West’s doorstep when the International School of Cape Town opens its doors in Heritage Park to pre-primary and primary pupils next year. With the construction of the school scheduled to be completed by the end of November this year and the first intake of pupils filling seats on 25 January 2000, the roots of the 200-hectare Heritage Park will be firmly planted through this phase of its development.
Wilf Stout, founding headmaster of the International School of Cape Town, will be principal of the school during its first year. This eminent educator holds degrees from the Universities of Durham, Oxford, London and Cambridge.
The International School of Cape Town group was established in 1997 in response to requests from parents for schools offering a high standard of international education in Cape Town.
There are currently three International schools situated in Rondebosch, Rosebank and Hout Bay and accommodating a total of 240 students. Each school will eventually accommodate over 700 students.
The School is a member of the European Council of International Schools and the South African Independent Schools Council.
The United Kingdom National Curriculum, adapted to serve local needs, forms the basis of the school’s curriculum from reception to grade 9.
In grades 10 and 11, students follow the international syllabus of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).
In grade 12, students may follow the Higher IGCSE, which is recognised as an entrance qualification to all South African universities and technikons.
Alternatively, students may use grades 12 and 13 to follow Cambridge’s A-level syllabus, allowing them entry to any university in the world.
The Somerset West School will be spread over eight and-a-half hectares, with the main school buildings taking up two and-a-half hectares. Hostels may be added at a later stage.
The reception phase will accommodate 136 children.
Parents needing more information on the International School of Cape Town in Somerset West may phone Megan McDonald on 686-2589 or e-mail her at rondebosch@intl.schools.org.za.
A meeting for parents of prospective pupils will be held on November 23 at the “Farm House”, Heritage Park, at 19:30.
Title list of businesses in Somerset West Business Park Phase 1
KC Gearboxes
If you want to be successful in the year 2000, contact George Heritage Park started five years ago when Johan Morkel, the owner of the farm “Die Bos”, approached George Hazelden to see if he could find a purchaser for the farm.
Fortunately for Mr Morkel, George had a year earlier carried out a survey and a feasibility study on the adjoining upper farm. Although this project did not proceed, it did give George the confidence that, with the right approach, it would be possible to turn the 210 hectares of farmland into a complete town.
With the assistance of his research, he compiled a feasibility study which he presented to his two friends and partners Julian Weil and Derrick Delson. Their response was very positive and it was decided to bring in two more partners, Derrick’s son Stuart Delson, and another old friend, Frank Vlok.
It was decided that a meeting with all the roleplayers, which at that time were the Somerset West Municipality, the Western Cape Regional Service Council, the Chris Nissen Informal Settlers and the RDP, should be convened to establish where their interests were and how all could work together to create something to the benefit of all.
Following that, a broad objectives plan was formulated. The rest is history.
Today, five years later, most of the planning and zoning has been achieved. The primary objective of the Trust is to provide affordable land for development.
With the opening of Hazelden Drive, the residential component can now take place. George says all developers, architects and property investors who wish to become part of this exciting new town are invited to contact him.
“I am happy to supply a guided tour and any information they may require for themselves or prospective clients,” he says.
The first residential blocks, totalling 22 hectares, are now ready for developing. The Trust does not lay down specific architectural guidelines to the architectural site residential areas, but must approve the architecture before the application may be submitted for Municipal approval.
“In this way, it is believed we can create a very attractive and diverse town,” George says.
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