Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed the Municipal Planning Tribunal’s approval of a six-storey hotel development at 150 Buitengracht Street in the Bo-Kaap following an extended consultation and redesign process.
The vacant site, situated at the interface between the Bo-Kaap heritage protection overlay zone and the central city, attracted significant public attention due to its proximity to the Auwal Masjid – the oldest mosque and madrassah in South Africa.
The original nine-storey design was reduced to six storeys, with a three-storey front façade facing Buitengracht Street, following a six-month consultation process led by the South African Heritage Resources Agency. Heritage professionals as well as legal and built environment experts contributed to the process, which included input from residents, the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association, and other stakeholders.
“This matter has been treated with great care and has followed an exhaustive engagement process,” said Hill-Lewis in his appeal outcome report. “Few, if any, other development proposals have gone through such extensive consultation and redesign.”
A written memorandum of agreement between the developer and the Auwal Masjid confirms that the developer may not object to any existing or future activities of the mosque. No complaints have been reported from the three existing hotels located within 100 metres of the Masjid.
The Municipal Planning Tribunal granted conditional approval for the development in July 2024 and heard appeals in January 2025. The Planning Appeals Advisory Panel recommended that the Municipal Planning Tribunal decision is upheld, which the mayor accepted.
Hill-Lewis noted the approved development is expected to contribute to local economic development through job creation and increased visitor footfall while addressing long-standing concerns about the safety and underutilisation of the vacant lot.
The site is zoned for mixed-use development (MU3), meaning hotel use is permitted without rezoning. However, because it falls within the heritage protection overlay zone, the Municipal Planning Tribunal’s consent was required. The development also received approval for a canopy over the public footpath.
A decision on parking was not part of the appeal as the site falls within a Public Transport 2 zone. The tribunal previously stated that hotel guests in this area are more likely to rely on public transport and that on-street parking demand typically eases after office hours.
