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Cornubia

Background

Tongaat Hulett land identified for Cornubia development © HDA Tongaat Hulett land identified for Cornubia development
The R5 billion Cornubia integrated development project, inclusive of all infrastructure, housing, social and education amenities, was conceptualised during 2004 when Tongaat Hulett identified the potential to release a vast portion of sugar cane land for urban development. The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality recognised the potential of the project to accommodate its housing backlog.

eThekwini and Tongaat Hulett signed a Cooperation and Alignment Agreement in 2008 which has led to a unique arrangement in the release of private land for public purposes. A further strategic partnership was entered into by the Metro with public stakeholders, including  the Housing Development Agency and the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Housing, by way of an Implementation Protocol. The strategic institutional arrangements for the project are a combination of both intergovernmental and public private collaboration.

The vision for the project is to establish an integrated and sustainable settlement in order to promote the achievement of a non-racial, integrated society through the development of sustainable human settlements and quality housing.

Current situation

Cornubia is situated between Phoenix /Ottawa and Umhlanga, bordered by the N2 freeway and the M41 arterial, seven kilometres south of the new La Mercy King Shaka International Airport and 35 kilometres north of Durban. The project will involve the development of 50 000 houses for 200 000 people on 1 200 hectares, of which 750 will be developed. It is anticipated that 19 313 subsidised houses will be completed by 2017.

The project is a mixed use, mixed income development incorporating industrial, commercial, residential, and open space use. It will provide a mix of sustainable housing and tenure options for a range of income groups in a variety of housing typologies, including double-story semi-detached, row, duplex, 3-4 storey walk-ups and multi storey apartments in a village type environment.

The project includes the development of transport infrastructure with two BRT routes planned to link Umhlanga to Phoenix and to the Dube Trade Port in the North.  It will create over 100 000 new sustainable jobs and 96 000 short-term construction jobs. It will also create a new rates based source of income over time for the Metro.

The role of the HDA

The HDA is finalising a Cornubia project Implementation Protocol between the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Human Settlements and the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The HDA plays a key role in supporting the project management function of the Metro and an advisory role on land acquisition for the project. The HDA has also entered into a Project Management Funding Agreement with the Metro which will see the agency provide:

  • R3 million on an annual cycle for project management capacity to the Metro
  • Assist with the facilitation of land assembly and packaging
  • Assist with the overall planning of the housing strategy, planning and outputs
  • Participate in the Steering Committee
  • Participate in the Intergovernmental Strategy Committee
  • Participate in the Technical Committee
  • Monitor the implementation of the Funding Agreement
  • Allocate human resource capacity to the project