This unique 5-hectare treed land on the urban edge is ideal for a rural retreat and nature haven. The property slopes gently down to a clear stream and is surrounded by the natural beauty of lifestyle farms, Afromontane forest and the imposing Outeniqua Mountains.
Sale particulars
This property is for sale by owner and all aspects of the transaction will be handled directly by Raubenheimers Attorneys in George.
Arrangements may be made via WhatsApp to view the property independently or accompanied via video call. Any visits to the property are at your own risk.
Please see the video and site plans for the location, access, topography, critical biodiversity areas, and historical features of the property. And please note that some of the photos were taken in past years.
- Property details
- Description: Portion 6 of Farm 216 George
- Extent: 5.1392 ha
- Zoning: Agricultural Zone II (AZII)
- Annual Municipal Rates: R 1,405
Location
The property is situated between the proposed George Western Bypass Road to the north, the Blanco residential area to the south, the Outeniqua Pass to the east and the area known as Houtbosch to the west. Fancourt, South Africa’s premier lifestyle resort is just a few minutes away, and within a 15 kilometre radius can be found the George city centre, George Airport, Herolds Bay, Victoria Bay, Garden Route Mall, Outeniqua Nature Reserve, George Golf Club, Kingswood Golf Estate, Oubaai Golf Estate, and Glenwood Golf Club.
Zoning
The property is zoned Agricultural Zone II (AZII) in terms of the George Integrated Zoning Scheme By-Law. The objective of this zone is to accommodate larger residential properties, which may be used for limited agriculture, but primarily serve as places of residence for people who seek a rural lifestyle. The primary use of this zone is smallholding, and consent uses include agricultural industry, animal care centre, aqua-culture, farm shop, guest house, intensive animal farming, intensive horticulture, plant nursery, riding school, second dwelling and tourist facilities.
The property falls just outside the medium term urban edge. Realignment of the urban edge (possibly with the Western Bypass Road) is the most likely determinant of a planning application for a housing development being approved.
Municipal Services
Municipal water (local reservoir) and electricity is available although the property is not connected. Other properties in the area take advantage of natural water sources. The George Integrated Public Transport Network (Go George) is within close walking distance of the property.
Access
The property has access to Maitland Street by thoroughfare right-of-way through Portion 2 and public passage through Portion 4 (bakkie recommended). The local community uses the thoroughfare for activities like horse riding, mountain biking and firewood gathering. A servitude right-of-way also provides for access through Golden Valley Housing Scheme (GVHS).
Site Description and Attributes
The terrain slopes towards the south-east where it drains into the Blanco River, a tributary of the Meul River that feeds the Malgas River. A second drainage line described as the Blanco Watercourse runs through the site at a higher elevation. Historical deeds describe an ancient furrow running onto the site from the Blanco River and a thoroughfare transecting the south-east corner of the site. The site is unfenced except for the western boundary.
Biodiversity
The site is situated within the boundaries of the Garden Route Shale Fynbos vegetation type. Historically the site was farming land but invasive alien species (predominantly Eucalyptus) now have a foothold. The site could be cleared and rehabilitated from the fynbos seedbed; the Eucalyptus timber has significant commercial value. Biodiversity-sensitive portions of the site should be considered when planning any development.
Land Use and Character of Surrounding Area
Smallholdings used mostly for rural occupation, equestrian facilities and small scale farming are found to the west of the site, and vacant smallholdings border the site to the north and south. Forested state land and the Outeniqua Nature Reserve are found to the north-east of the site, and the Jonkersberg Forestry area is found to the south-east of the site.
Two residential developments, Mountain View Estate and GVHS are in various phases of construction to the south of the site. Mountain View Estate is a secure residential estate, and GVHS is an extension of the Golden Valley residential township providing subsidised housing.
Further south of the site are found five country lifestyle estates: Cherry Creek Country Estate, Kerrywood Hill Estate, Mont Fleur Mountain Estate, Soeteweide Country Estate and Fancourt.
Demographic of the Area
The property is situated in the agricultural area north of the low income Golden Valley high density residential township, which forms part of the Blanco residential area. The Blanco community is a mix of high income and low income residents, but in general Blanco is known as a poor community with little economic opportunities. High income residents generally reside at Fancourt and other country lifestyle estates in the area. Despite significant residential estate development, Blanco has managed to retain many historic buildings and its unique pastoral village character and ways of life.
Fire Protection
Lack of alien vegetation control and the abundance of fuel on vacant land poses high risks of fire. To manage the risks of fire, alien vegetation should be cleared and firebreaks should be created as prescribed by the National Veld and Forest Fire Act No 101 of 1998.
Membership of the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association (SCFPA) is highly recommended. Membership benefits include assistance in the event of extreme fire conditions through the provision of trained fire fighting teams and management, training in basic veld fire fighting, and reduced fire risk due to planning and better response times.
About Blanco
Blanco is a service centre to the agricultural region north-west of George, and the first entry point to the city from the George Airport. Residents of Blanco benefit from nearby Heather Park’s vibrant community shopping centre hosting an excellent Superspar, Virgin Active Health Club, PostNet, Jack’s Paint & Hardware, a pharmacy, restaurants, coffee shops and other outlets.
About George
George has a mild climate with mild-to-warm summers and mild-to-cool winters. Flanked by the magnificent Outeniqua mountains and the warm Indian Ocean, the beautiful city of George is the administrative and commercial hub of the Garden Route, a spectacular scenic stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa.
A world-class tourist destination and adventure sports haven, George features unspoilt indigenous forests, pristine beaches and South Africa’s top golf courses among many other attractions. George has a relaxed outdoor culture, a wide choice of excellent schools, its own campus of Nelson Mandela University, and abundant lifestyle property developments.
George Municipality is widely recognised as one of the best performing local municipalities, and George is considered as possibly the best managed medium size city in South Africa.