R20bn+ V&A Granger Bay expansion begins with basement build, prep work

The Growthpoint co-owned precinct has kicked off with R300m in developments.

The V&A Waterfront has already commenced work on its ambitious more than R20 billion expansion towards Granger Bay, which will see the reclamation of roughly 3.2 hectares of land from Table Bay.

This is the equivalent of nearly five football fields.

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It has started with enablement work, marine works, and infrastructure build under phase ‘zero’ of the project. Together, these three projects will cost R189.5 million, according to Growthpoint, co-owner of the precinct.

It has also begun construction of a massive new basement behind The Table Bay Hotel at the northern end of Breakwater Boulevard. It will spend R121 million on the basement, which has seen the closure of the open-air parking lots in that area.

This development is actually part of phase one of the project, which comprises the entire existing bulk in that section of the precinct (practically from the ‘tashas’ entrance of the Victora Wharf Shopping Centre). This is all on existing bulk and does not require any new land to be reclaimed.

During this phase, which will run until 2029, it will add luxury residential, retail, and other developments to this part of the precinct.

It is also busy with a development unrelated to the Granger Bay expansion, adjacent to the basement construction – a new ‘super-luxury’ hotel that will open in March 2026. The Waterfront is spending R1.35 billion on the development of this 142-key property, which will also include six residences. Previously, both Growthpoint and the Waterfront confirmed the hotel’s development cost would be “around R1 billion.”

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The hotel is on the Quay 7 site, and will be owned by the Waterfront and operated under a management agreement with an as yet unnamed international hotel operator.

Simultaneously, it is busy with the R200 million expansion of its luxury mall in the Victoria Wharf, where it is literally raising the roof of the iconic upstairs wing adjacent to Woolies.

Then there is the R901 million refurbishment of The Table Bay, which will reopen as the InterContinental Table Bay, with Sun International managing the property (it previously leased it). These are slated for completion in December and early 2026, respectively.

It will also complete its R700 million 5 Dock Road residential development (next to Battery Park) this year.

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The Granger Bay expansion requires approval from both the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (under the Integrated Coastal Management Act, for the reclamation) and the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (under the standard environment approvals for developments of this nature).

It is expecting pre-approval from the former in the first half of next year, with final approval towards the middle of 2027.

Regarding the latter, it published a draft scoping report in July, with a draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) report due in the first half of next year. Both of these have public participation processes.

Reclamation 

The reclamation sees the construction of a seawall (technically, a revetment) which will be approximately 540 metres long, with two breakwaters extending into Table Bay – 90 metres for the west one and 140 metres for the east one.

The draft scoping report, prepared by Infinity Environmental, says that “new public amenities will include the new bay, providing sheltered waters for boating, kayaking, and swimming. Land-based amenities will include a coastal public walkway, a slipway, a fixed quayside, a landscaped promenade, tidal pools, pedestrian paths, and open areas.”  It will take three years to construct the breakwaters and seawall.

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The report says development rights were approved “in March 2014 and are already in place for the landward portion of the Granger Bay precinct … Approximately 78 000m² of bulk will be allocated from the existing development rights permitted within the V&A Waterfront”.

Previously, the Waterfront had obtained EIA approval for the reclamation of 2.4 hectares of land in 2018. The difference between the two concepts “allows for improved coastal defence, a more inclusive design, and additional public coastal amenities”.

Granger Bay 2018 EIA. Image: Sourced

Granger Bay 2023 EIA. Image: Sourced

Phase two of the Granger Bay development, which runs from this year to 2028, will be focused on the space currently occupied by The Lookout events venue, Oranjezicht Market, and the parking structure alongside it. The market will be relocated to a new space closer to the new site of the Cape Wheel soon.

The parking structure won’t need to be moved, as there is already the Breakwater parking garage alongside the market’s new position.

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