Who decides
For land in Somerset East, site development plans falls under the planning powers of Blue Crane Route Local Municipality, Eastern Cape. It forms part of the Sarah Baartman District, but the district municipality is not assumed to decide these applications.
| Municipality | Blue Crane Route Local Municipality (local) |
|---|---|
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Sarah Baartman |
Local requirements
Site development plans is used to prepare and submit SDPs where the scheme or approval conditions require them. In Somerset East this is typically relevant when: your rezoning approval requires an SDP.
Areas covered by Blue Crane Route Local Municipality include Somerset East. Neighbouring municipalities in the Sarah Baartman District, such as Dr Beyers Naudé, Kou-Kamma, Kouga, Makana, Ndlambe, Sundays River Valley, are separate planning authorities with their own by-laws and schemes, so the correct municipality must be confirmed from the property's location.
Whether the authorised official or the Municipal Planning Tribunal of Blue Crane Route Local Municipality decides depends on the category of application in its planning by-law, read with SPLUMA (2013) and the land use scheme. Appeals go to the municipality's appeal authority. Fees, documents and timeframes are set by Blue Crane Route Local Municipality and change from time to time, so they are confirmed for each matter.
When you may need it
- Your rezoning approval requires an SDP
- You are developing a business, industrial or higher-density residential property
The broad process
- Brief and compliance check
- Draft SDP
- Submission and circulation
- Approval
Documents commonly required
- Approved rights and conditions
- Survey or site information
- Architectural concept where available
What affects cost
- Scale and complexity of the site
- Number of departmental comments
- Specialist input such as traffic or stormwater
Professional fees, municipal application fees, advertising and specialist costs are quoted separately for each matter. Timeframes depend on completeness, objections, specialist work and municipal processing.
Questions
Which municipality handles site development plans in Somerset East?
Blue Crane Route Local Municipality in Eastern Cape is the planning authority for Somerset East. The exact property location should still be confirmed, as municipal boundaries do not always follow town names.
Does the Sarah Baartman District Municipality decide site development plans applications?
Not by default. Under SPLUMA, local municipalities such as Blue Crane Route Local Municipality are their own planning authorities for most land-use applications.
What should I check before starting with site development plans in Somerset East?
Useful starting points are: Approved rights and conditions; Survey or site information; Architectural concept where available. Title deed conditions, servitudes and previous approvals should also be checked.