Town Council denies application for B2 shopping mall

The Swakopmund Town Council denied an application for the development of a new shopping centre, hotel and office complex next to the B2 highway close to the Martin Luther museum. This decision was taken at the recent Council meeting.

According to the council meeting agenda the idea for this new development was discussed with the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Municipality in June this year.
The applicant is Mr Williward Narib from Ndakolute CC. “The applicant proposes the development of 15 871 square metres as the office buildings on a site of approximately seven hectares,” it states.
In the Agenda it further states that the meeting was held after the initial application was submitted at the Municipality in 2014. “He (Mr Narib) was informed in 2015 that the application will have to be kept in abeyance until such time as clarification was obtained from the Hon. Minister of Urban and Rural Development, her directive that large portions of land may not be sold to a single entity,” it states. Council was informed though that such a directive only applies to residential developments and as such does not apply to this development. The concept of Ndakolute was in the meantime amended as it was the initial intention to only build a hotel.
During the meeting in June this year the applicant was informed that the land applied for has not been serviced or zoned as per Council’s long term plan. The area has been earmarked for alternative purposes. The CEO therefore proposed that the applicant consider an alternative area in the vicinity of the western-bypass. Such an application was not submitted though.
Council rejected the application at the recent meeting as the area applied for has been earmarked as a lease area for the establishment of a multi-cultural village. Council has already leased an area around the Martin Luther site to the Ovahimba cultural group, although the group has not yet established the intended village showcasing their tradition.