Rentals
Mitchells Plain
Completed 2018
Watergate Estate is the gateway to Mitchells Plain and was the first-ever privately funded affordable housing development in Mitchells Plain in the Western Cape. The Watergate Estate Development was a diverse mixed-use project that played an active role in the rejuvenation of Mitchells Plain. The development introduced first-of-its-kind affordable housing and a thriving retail complex, all within walking distance of public transport. The unique urban design created a character that enhanced and promoted community living and quality of life.
The development boasted four thousand five hundred residential units and took place in four phases. The first phase consisted of three hundred and fifty seven homes. The second, third, and fourth phases rolled out two thousand four hundred homes, a shopping mall with anchor tenants such as Shoprite, CTM, and Virgin Active, as well as many other community facilities.
The complete development comprised a diverse assembly of residential units ranging from single residential units to apartments, which measured between 50 m² and 95 m². This was a green development, meaning that all units were equipped with solar heating and systems to assist in reducing water consumption. The apartments were designed to function off the grid, with generators providing their own electricity.
Accessibility was a key feature of the development, which is located adjacent to the R300, the Mitchells Plain General Hospital, and the new shopping centre. It is close to taxi and bus routes, as well as the upgraded Mandalay Station.
The residential units and apartments opened up a world of home rental or home ownership to those who previously could not afford it. Affordable housing could be bought for under R600,000. Whether renting or buying, tenants were afforded access to an urban lifestyle, with all amenities and transport close by.
The project directly contributed to job creation and skills development in the local community. It employed five hundred workers, and in 2017, employed an additional two hundred workers as part of the commercial development. These workers were trained in skills such as bricklaying and tiling, thus improving their chances of employment in the future.
