Frequently Asked Questions

All properties in the region of Hessequa Municipality have a zoning, controlled and regulated by the Hessequa Municipality: Zoning Scheme By-Law (2018).

This is the assigned land use for any property, indicating its purpose; It shows the development parameters of each property; If an owner wants to change the use, they must apply for Rezoning. The application goes through a process, including community participation, so that after the subdivision has taken place, it does not have a negative impact on the immediate neighbours. The process and Urban Planning principles are part of the holistic goal of letting communities live in a pleasant environment.

Just as every property has an assigned zoning, which is the primary land use right of the property, there are certain land uses that can be assigned to the property by application and are permanent in nature. These land uses (secondary land uses) are called Consent Uses and mean exactly what it says, it is consent granted on the property.

We have already talked about Zoning controlled by the Hessequa Municipality: Zoning Scheme By-Law (2018). The scheme has development parameters, and it becomes difficult to always stay within these parameters. Reasons for this include the natural layout of a town or city restricted by nature, such as mountains, rivers, the sea, etc.

Application can be made to change the parameters, and these changes are known as Permanent Departures. These types of land use applications can be either permanent or temporary.

Permanent departures, like relaxations, involve applying for building lines, coverage, height, etc.

Temporary departures are more related to temporary land uses, such as using a residential house for a business until the business is strong enough to move to a business premises. Here we mainly think of home shops, professional practices, etc.

Subdivision is probably the easiest to explain. It is exactly what it says, namely the division of a property into two or more parts. In many cases, there is a restriction on the Deed that must first be removed before the subdivision application can be made. Otherwise, an application is made for the subdivision and hopefully approved. After approval, the subdivision is registered with the Surveyor General. After registration with the Surveyor General, the new properties are registered at the Deeds Office, and each obtains its own Title Deed. The owner of the original property can then impose restrictions on the new Deeds as they see fit, with guidance from their attorney, as the Deeds are drafted by attorneys.

To get your building plans in Stilbaai, You must apply for your current building plans from the municipality.

You can download the application form here

Application

Hessequa Municipality is about 320km's from Cape Town on the N2 and is situated in the Garden Route District Municipality. At present, the Municipal area of Hessequa includes the surrounding towns of Riversdale, Heidelberg, Slangrivier, Albertinia, Gouritsmond, Vermaaklikheid, Stilbaai, Jongensfontein and Witsand.

The name Hessequa, meaning "people of the trees", refers to the tribe of Khoikhoi people that used to live in the region. Hessequa is gently curving the edge of the continent just east of the southern-most tip of Africa. Hessequa is the entrance to the world famous Garden Route and is nestled in the shadow of the Langeberg Mountain, and in the embrace of the warm Indian Ocean, stretching from the magnificent Breede River in the west, and the majestic Gourits River in the east.

A region rich in natural beauty with rolling hills of pristine limestone and mountain fynbos, dune thicket and Renosterveld and to the north surrounded with rugged mountains and indigenous forests. Pristine beaches stretch the entire length of her coastline. Ecological assets include four estuaries, a word heritage forest site, several nature reserves which guard a number of rare and endangered floral species.

STILBAAI POLICE - Tel: 10111 / (028) 754 6100

NSRI 24 hours - Tel: 082 990 5978

AMBULANCE - Tel: 10177

PROTECTION SERVICES (House / Building Fires) - Tel: 084 014 1828

VELD FIRES - Tel: 071 856 5719 / (028) 713 1987 (office hours)

ANIMAL PROTECTION - Tel: 082 700 2491 / 082 722 2909

CAPE NATURE (rivers, sea, nature reserves)

Jean du Plessis: Tel: 082 496 2522

PROTECTION SERVICES - Tel: (028) 713 7822

HESSEQUA MUNICIPALITY - Tel: (028) 713 2222