About
About the Dube TradePort
ACSA and Dube TradePort (DTP) have made application in terms of the EIA regulations to develop a TradePort at La Mercy, north of Durban.
This activity will involve the development of a multi-modal logistics platform comprising an International Airport, Trade Zone, Support Zone and Agri-Zone.
The DTP site is located in the northern sector of the eThekwini Municipality, the major metropolitan area in KwaZulu-Natal and comprises the Farm La Mercy No. 15124 which is 2060ha in extent. The site is approximately 30km north of the Durban City centre and is located between the N2 on the east, the R102 on the west, the Tongati River to the north and the Umdloti River to the south.
The site is immediately bounded by Provincial Road R102 and agricultural land to the west, the N2 to the east, agricultural land to the north, which includes the small settlement of Herrwood, and the settlement of Mount Moreland and agricultural land to the south. The towns of Verulam and Tongaat are located to the west of the site, the Ohlanga River to the South, the Watson Highway and the Tongati River to the north and agricultural land and the settlements of Umdloti, La Mercy and Westbrook Beach to the east of the N2. The agricultural land is under sugar cane. Major levelling and drainage work was undertaken on the site between 1972 and 1975. The remainder of the site that has not been levelled is characterised by gently rolling hills. The majority of the site is currently cultivated for sugar cane by Tongaat Hulett who leases the land from the land owner. A small portion of the site is leased for the purposes of running a small plane and micro-light business.
The application site was identified in 1972 for the purposes of relocating the Durban International Airport (DIA). The property was tied cadastrally in terms of 74 independent properties and their 60 Title Deeds. Major levelling and drainage work was undertaken on the site between 1972 and 1975. The site fell outside the jurisdiction of any of the then Municipalities and their Town Planning Schemes and thus did not require a formal zoning. In 1997 the Council and the Town and Regional Planning Commission approved the zoning of the site for Airport purposes, Special Zone 10 (Airport) and Undetermined.
It is planned that the DTP will be operational by 2010 with a planned capacity for five years. Further expansion of DTP has been planned for 2035 to ensure that development plans are in place to provide additional capacity if required and for the purposes of dimensioning the bulk services required. An indicative 2060 layout plan has been prepared based on the projected capacity required to satisfy future demand and to ensure that sufficient space is reserved to accommodate the demand for aviation and warehousing etc and to depict what could become the ultimate airport. It is planned that DTP will consist of four core elements:
- The King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) that will have the capacity to handle 6.2 million passengers per annum in 2015 and a 3,700m runway that will accommodate the latest new generation large aircraft that have recently been introduced for international travel. The airport will by 2060 be capable of handling in excess of the projected 20 million passengers.
- A Trade Zone that will include a cargo terminal and associated dry and perishable cargo processing, and storage facilities that will enable faster export and import of time sensitive products by air. This zone will provide an export environment where tenants, operators and service industries can achieve high levels of productivity, logistics efficiencies and competitiveness.
- A Support Zone that consists of several nodes where land will be released for the development of offices, business parks, commerce and hotels by the private sector. This use will comprise mainly of the types of services found near to international airports elsewhere in the world. The Support Zone is comprised of an area of hotels, business parks, a trade centre, offices, retail facilities and related services.
- An Agri Zone that includes land for the cultivation of high value farming products and facilities to promote agricultural production and export. The planned facilities include a wholesale fresh produce market, pack-houses, a training centre and buildings for administration, research and associated activities.