The Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG) is confident they have a strong argument to oppose the extension of Hou Moed Avenue along the eastern side of the Noordhoek wetlands
The ongoing battle to stop the City extending Hou Moed Avenue through the fringes of the environmentally sensitive Noordhoek wetlands is going to court in November.
Phase one of the road project, dating back to 2002, entails a proposed 1.2km extension of Hou Moed Avenue, in Sunnydale, along the eastern side of the Noordhoek wetlands.
The Houmoed Phase 1 Extension road project, initially approved by the provincial government in 2021, has faced strong opposition from environmentalists and residents.
The Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG) has been at the forefront of the fight against the road.
In 2021, lawyers for the NEAG submitted a 387-page application to the Western Cape High Court challenging key elements in environment MEC Anton Bredell’s September 2020 approval of phase one of the new road and asking for the approval to be reversed.
A court date to hear the case has now been set for Wednesday November 8 in the Western Cape High Court.
The chairman of the NEAG, Glenn Ashton, told the Echo, the research conducted by the City and its experts, in their view, was inadequate, which was why they were pursuing legal action.
"Our issue is that the wetland is already under significant pressure, receiving run-off from the surrounding valleys. If the wetland is negatively impacted, it could have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the wetland itself but also Lake Michelle and the greater Noordhoek wetlands.“
The greater Noordhoek wetlands, according to Mr Ashton, are the largest largely unspoiled wetlands in Cape Town.
The road’s construction would threaten various species, including the endangered western leopard toad, and the tunnels, revetments and other measures proposed by the City to mitigate the impact of the road were untested, he said.
"There's a lot of biodiversity out there that we don't even know about. We also think that Cape platanna frog, which is more endangered than the leopard toad, might be in that area.“
Taking the matter to court had been an arduous process, said Mr Ashton.
"We did it reluctantly, but we had no other option. It takes a lot of money and energy to take the City to court. It's meant to be a City that works for you. We're not meant to be doing all of this work.“
In spite of this, he believes their case has merit.
"Obviously, we are hoping for a pretty quick resolution to the trial and that we will have a sympathetic ear and that the court will see that inadequate studies have been done and that the road is in a sensitive environment and should not be built,” Mr Ashton told the Echo.
Alison Faraday, of Toad Nuts, an organisation dedicated to saving the western leopard toad, echoed those concerns and questioned the City's rationale for the road project.
"The City's justification for the road is twofold. One is that it'll alleviate traffic from Kommetjie, and the other is that it'll provide a hard edge to prevent further encroachment into the wetlands.“
However, she said the road's projected capacity of 1000 cars per hour would be reached within three years leading to additional traffic problems.
Mayoral committee member for urban mobility Rob Quintas said the City had complied with all of the requirements for the road, which he claimed would “be to the benefit of the surrounding communities who are currently facing severe congestion challenges and limited access to neighbouring areas”.
Detailed comments would be provided after the court's ruling, he said.
Meanwhile a Stop Houmoed Phase 1 campaign has been launched on Facebook.
Mr Ashton encouraged the public to attend the court hearing.
"It is our hope that a large number of residents and locals will be present both inside and outside the court. We will make our voices heard. It's about saving our wetlands.“