The Coves Community Precinct

We’d like to share a quick update on the progress of the Precinct and keep you informed of what’s coming next.

Since our last update, we’ve made good progress. The building plans have now been finalised and submitted to the Madibeng Local Municipality. We’re pleased to let you know that provisional approval has already been received, and we’re hopeful that final approval will follow by the end of April 2026.

Behind the scenes, the team has been working hard with all the professionals involved to keep everything moving forward as planned.

What’s happening next

• RFPs were sent out to contractors on 14 April 2026
• A site meeting with interested contractors will take place on 21 April 2026
• Contractor proposals are due by 5 May 2026
• We aim to appoint a contractor by 20 May 2026
• Site establishment is planned for 1 June 2026

Phase 1 of the Development

The first phase will include the Administration Offices and Community Hall—an exciting step towards creating a shared space for everyone to enjoy.

• Construction is planned to start:       1 June 2026
• Estimated completion:                         April 2027
  (As always, this depends on factors beyond our control, but we’ll keep you updated along the way.)

What we found on site

As part of the preparation work, we removed the roof of the existing barn structure so that engineers could do a proper inspection.

A few things came to light during this process:

• The chimney stacks were carefully taken down and will be reused, helping us keep the farm-style look and feel of the estate.
• Unfortunately, there was extensive termite damage to the wooden roof trusses, which means most of the timber can’t be reused structurally. That said, we’ll still incorporate some of it into the new design as features where possible.
• We also discovered that termites had significantly damaged parts of the brickwork. This has created a situation where the brick and mortar have weakened to the point that they cannot safely carry any load. This wasn’t visible before and only became clear once the existing plaster was removed

Based on the structural engineer’s final report, we have no option but to demolish the building and rebuild it using new material.

This application was submitted to the Cultural and Heritage Department, and we can confirm that approval was received on 16 April 2026.

• Demolition will start during the week of 20 April 2026

Looking ahead

While these discoveries were unexpected, they do give us the opportunity to rebuild the structure that is not only safe and compliant, but also true to the character and charm of our estate. We’re committed to preserving the barn’s character, in line with the farm-style aesthetic that defines The Coves.

We really appreciate your understanding and support as we move through this process. It’s an exciting journey, and we’re committed to creating a precinct that will add real value to the community.

We’ll keep you updated as things progress.

Kind Regards
The Coves Management

We are pleased to share an update on the progress of the Community Precinct upgrade, an important project that will enhance our estate and create a vibrant, welcoming shared space for all residents.

In November 2025, a professional consultant team consisting of an Architect, Quantity Surveyor (QS), and Engineer was officially appointed to guide the project from planning through to construction. Shortly thereafter, the Architect, Eben Marais of Marais4 Architects, submitted the required plans to Madibeng Municipality for approval. As municipal approvals can take several months, this process is ongoing and progressing as anticipated.

While awaiting plan approval, the consultant team has remained actively engaged in preparing the tender documentation.

Earlier this month, the Engineer conducted a detailed site visit to assess the existing buildings and provide technical recommendations. This, together with the completed Bill of Quantities will ultimately form the basis of the tender documentation on which building contractors will be invited to submit their proposals.

To ensure effective oversight and clear communication, a Building Committee has also been established. This committee will liaise directly with the consultant team and make recommendations to The Coves Board as required.

If all continues according to plan, we anticipate calling for tenders during February or March. This represents an exciting milestone in bringing the Community Precinct vision to life.

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to sharing further updates as the project progresses.

Kind regards,
The Coves Management