SA Affordable Housing January - February 2020 // ISSUE: 80 | Page 26

PROJECT
it to use bigger panel sizes because it does not have to be
transported on public roads.
“Challenges in this type of development relate to the
fact that you have to design the units with an end result in
mind. However, the school is an integral component of the
entire project but is only built mid- to late-project when
With 600 units complete, work is continuing on the remaining
1 280 units (at the time of visit).
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JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2020
SAAffordHousing
there would be sufficient children to enrol. In the early
stages, without a school, we find that the two-bedroom
units all rent out but not the three-bedrooms. Initially
this may appear to have been a design fault as there is
an imbalance and too many three-bedroom units, but
it evens out when the school is built (which is run as a
normal fees-based school). Every development goes
through a phase such as this, and we therefore don’t
change the model to match sales.”
One of the unique features of the complex is its
management of social behaviours. It has been found on
other estates that children living there, out of boredom
may get up to mischief, and Corbett explains that to
address this kids’ afternoon classes will be held to
keep them occupied after school. “For example, on a
Monday we will have boot camp and soccer training;
and thereafter each day, art classes, tennis, swimming
and other activities.
“The security is high-spec, with thermal cameras on
the periphery as well as internally, and in fact security
is one of the main selling features of any estate today.
This is because the further down the LSM scale you are,
the more you are affected by crime.
“We use mostly community sub-contractors
as nearby Diepsloot is a considerable resource of
qualified trades, which we source through a community
liaison officer. We have done a number of projects in
the area and have consequently built up relationships
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