A project to develop a cable car in Franschhoek is one step closer to environmental authorisation after recently receiving consent from Stellenbosch Municipality to apply for environmental approval from the department of forestry, fisheries, and the environment (DFFE). The municipality’s consent was necessary since the Franschhoek Skytram project plans to build a cable car up to the Mont Rochelle Peak, which is situated on municipal land.
This is according to Stellenbosch Municipality spokesperson, Stuart Grobbelaar.
The proposed Franschhoek cable car project envisions a cable car that will take tourists up to the Mont Rochelle Peak, according to an environmental impact assessment commissioned by the Franschhoek Cable Company. PHOTO: Marthinus Botes
While environmental approval is a necessary step in the development process, the municipality will not consider any development applications for the project until their environmental impact assessment is accepted by the DFFE, said Grobbelaar.
Environmental and economic concerns
A basic assessment report compiled by Doug Jeffrey Environmental Consultants in February 2024, commissioned by the Franschhoek Cableway Company, found that there were several potential negative effects of the development, including an increased risk of wildfires, light pollution, and the development’s potentially unsightly appearance.
Nonetheless, the document concludes that “the proposed development is not expected to have any significant impacts on the environment that could result in any fatal flaws”, and estimates that the development will have a positive impact on the local economy due to the construction and operation of the cable car development.
Some Franschhoek residents, such as Nick Darlington, oppose the project due to the potential negative economic and environmental effects. Darlington spoke to SMF News, and claimed to share his opposition with many residents of Franschhoek.
While an environmental impact assessment document compiled by Doug Jeffrey Environmental Consultants states that the proposed Franschhoek cable car project will improve the local economy, Franschhoek resident Nick Darlington claims that the increase in tourism will lead to crime, pollution, and environmental degradation of the town and surrounding areas. PHOTO: Marthinus Botes
Darlington claims that the cable car’s construction pose an environmental risk to the area’s biodiversity and that the large increase in tourism in a town with Franschhoek’s relatively small population will result in unfavourable socioeconomic outcomes such as pollution, traffic congestion, and a decrease in the standard of living for locals.
Still reviewing communitary commentary
Doug Jeffrey Environmental Consultants received commentary from the Franschhoek community after their basic assessment report was made public in February 2024 and are in the process of responding, said Adél Groenewald, environmental assessment practitioner at Doug Jeffrey Environmental Consultants.
Though the environmental application process may be underway, the process to authorise the company’s use of municipal land for their development is still in its infancy, said Grobbelaar.
The Franschhoek Cable Company was given the go-ahead to apply for environmental authorisation for their project to construct a cable car to the Mont Rochelle Peak in Franschhoek. While this is a necessary step in the project’s potential development, the municipal council insists that it will only consider a development application once full environmental authorisation has been granted. PHOTO: Marthinus Botes