If you see Capetonians flinch when you talk about Sandown Road, that’s because this road construction project has been the bane of many a motorist’s daily commute despite all the business and economic development prospects it brings with it. However, there is progress being made and by the end of this year, the city might see the last of the road works signboards and the beginning of new commercial and industrial opportunities.
Improved transport infrastructure
Talks about extending Sandown Road through to the N7 and M12 started in 2011, but the long-awaited approval only came in the third quarter of 2012. The R82 million project would see Sandown Road in Parklands – which used to end in a circle and not much else – extended to reach the N7 highway and the M12 on the other side. When the project is complete, the extended road will make the trip in and out of Parklands so much easier, with commuters not having to further congest the already over-capacity Koeberg and Tableview Main Roads. The project also includes the construction of a railway bridge, with the future looking good to include passenger trains on the existing railway line and improve the movement of people in and out of the area.
Industrial and commercial property prospects
Improved infrastructure means improved mobility and access, and the large, open tracts of land around Sandown Road and to the north of Parklands are perfect for new commercial and industrial property endeavours. Later in 2013, the Sandown Centre in Parklands – a retail shopping centre – will open to the public and will be an established hook to the area once the Sandown Road extension is completed.
With the infrastructure link being made between Parklands to the other side of the N7, this opens up the potential for a lot more development in the area because it will be that much more accessible. A consortium was put together to manage the infrastructure development project, with the developers agreeing that this is one of the most exciting new developments the area has seen in a long time. There are plans to focus commercial and industrial property development alongside residential development in the Tableview area, so the building of the Sandown Road extension will unlock the area’s potential and provide an area hub for the placement of regional business centres and commercial property.
The Sandown Road extension project is expected to be completed by December 2013.