City of Cape Town

Municipal planning amendment by-law

The Council considers the City of Cape Town Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2026, a significant update to the planning framework in place since 2015. Ms. Lombard (DA) introduces the amendments as improving transparency around building plan approvals and administrative fairness for rectification requests, while Mr. Andrews (DA, MayCo) explains that surrounding owners will be formally notified via a portal for 44 days within 7 days of the Planning Appeals Authority decision, with a 21-day period for recourse. Mr. Miller (Cape Independence Party) argues public concerns have been ignored and warns that criminalising the sharing of development plans could, for example, see a resident who flagged the felling of 100-year-old trees near Kirstenbosch for the Protea Village development end up in prison. Mr. Haskin (ACDP) supports the item but tables six broader amendments on hyperscalers and data centres, direct SMS notification within a 1 km radius and protections for community zoning, citing Equinix data centre near the airport, Takai High School in Bergvliet and the Muizenberg Safe Space. Mr. Jansen van Vuuren (VF Plus) opposes Section 95A, arguing that a 7-day deemed-awareness period on the website shifts the burden to residents, and Mr. Madikane (ANC) calls for the item to be referred back due to inadequate public participation. Main issues Whether the amendments genuinely strengthen transparency or shift the burden of notification onto residents Treatment of 201 public submissions and the adequacy of the public participation process Need for a broader overhaul of the by-law to deal with hyperscalers, data centres and public land in the next term