Council Approves Spatial Vision for Sir Lowry’s Pass Village

The City of Cape Town’s Council has approved the local spatial development framework (LSDF) for Sir Lowry’s Pass Village and surrounds in the Helderberg District at its meeting on 28 May 2025. The LSDF sets a spatial vision for the area, and will guide future development decisions and public investment in infrastructure upgrades, amongst others.

Sir Lowry’s Pass Village is located in the Helderberg District, north of the Firlands development area. The LSDF concerns the area bordered by the N2 highway, including Blue Rock Estate, the railway line, Old Sir Lowry’s Pass Road, Tobacco Lane, Knorhoek Road, Farm 840 and Tre Donne.

The City hosted several public engagements and workshops in 2024 and earlier in 2025 to inform the draft LSDF that was available for further input and comment by the end of January 2025.

‘I want to thank all the residents and stakeholders who collaborated with the City in finalising the LSDF for this area. Now that Council has approved the LSDF, this document will guide development and land use decisions to address current challenges, such as the need for community facilities and open space, to plan for future population growth, and build on the opportunities to the benefit of the local communities.

‘The LSDF also addresses the existing backlog in services provision and accommodation. It is our intention to implement solutions, interventions, and the spatial vision to improve the local area’s resilience to the impact of climate change, and protect our natural environment and heritage resources,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The LSDF proposes the following:

• Upgrading opportunities within the Sir Lowry’s Pass Village to improve general living conditions
• Provision of quality amenities
• Maintaining and improving public open spaces
• Prioritising informal settlement upgrades
• Prioritising the provision of community facilities
• Reinforcing the local village character, and establishing a vibrant local commercial/business node to serve local communities
• Review, protect and enhance the development of the scenic Old Sir Lowry’s Pass Road
• Protecting and enhancing heritage assets, and the heritage character of Broadlands farm
• Retaining the rural character of new development areas by promoting low-density residential development
• Encouraging mixed use development and medium-density residential development in appropriate areas
• Promoting destination places such as the Blue Rock Resort, Old Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Station, Farm Goedverwachting, Monkey Town and existing wine farms

‘The LSDF identifies opportunities to improve living conditions and economic upliftment. For example, there is the potential for a mixed-use economic link between Sir Lowry’s Pass and the Firlands development area that can provide job opportunities and help the local economy grow.

‘The LSDF provides us with the spatial vision to guide the development of vacant land, and the upgrade of informal settlements with due consideration to heritage areas that must be conserved, protected and enhanced to become tourist attractions. The same applies to our environmental assets,’ said Alderman Andrews.

The LSDF:

• provides a spatial vision and development guidelines on a local level
• provides policy direction in terms of future development and the form it should take
• guides land use and environmental decisions in support of the Helderberg District Spatial Development Framework
• informs strategic public and private investment initiatives
• informs development priorities
• prioritises public investment in infrastructure
• sets implementation actions to achieve the spatial vision, taking into account the local challenges and opportunities
• provides guidance on growth management in the area
• provides greater focus, and does not take away or confer land use rights