Mayco greenlights inner-city parking lot for affordable housing, mixed-use development
The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee has greenlit plans for inner-city affordable housing and mixed-use development of a municipal parking lot at the Civic Centre in the CBD. The site will now go to Council to approve public participation on releasing the site for redevelopment. Read more below:
The site is currently used as an open-air staff parking facility, but has been identified as having much greater potential for mixed-use development, including residential, commercial, retail and public space upgrades.
It is strategically located within Cape Town’s CBD Foreshore precinct, next to the City’s Civic Centre complex, and close to major public transport infrastructure.
‘We are recommending that this parking lot be released by the City to unlock yet another affordable housing development right in the heart of the inner-city. The development should also offer mixed use opportunities, for shops, offices, parking and so on. This is how we are making under-used public assets work for Capetonians with a broader land release pipeline of over 12 000 affordable housing units,’ said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
The redevelopment is expected to deliver long-term benefits, including:
- Estimated sale income of R230 million plus R50m annual rates and services revenue to support service delivery
- R1,5bn private sector investment estimated for the CBD;
- 3 500 jobs created in the construction and related sectors during both construction and life cycle of the development;
- Residential opportunities, including affordable housing; and
- Continued regeneration of the Foreshore precinct.
‘This project demonstrates the City’s commitment to acting in the best interests of the public. We are prepared to release underutilised City-owned assets where this can unlock far greater value for the economy, create jobs, attract investment and improve the urban environment. This Civic Centre parking site presents a unique opportunity to support inclusive growth while ensuring that well-located public land is used more efficiently for the benefit of all residents,’ said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
‘The City’s Human Settlements will support planning processes for this site to ensure we optimise affordable housing opportunities from this development. This is just one of several exciting inner city land release initiatives that together will deliver thousands of well-located affordable units over time. Others include the City’s Fruit & Veg site on Roeland Street, Harrington Square, several more sites in Woodstock and Salt River, and the City’s support for provincial-led projects at Buitengracht Street and Artscape,’ said Councillor Carl Pophaim, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements.
Following the Mayoral Committee’s recommendation, the report will now be submitted to Council for consideration on 27 May 2026. Subject to Council approval, the City will start a formal public participation process, during which residents, stakeholders and interested parties will be invited to submit comments on the proposed redevelopment.
