V&A Waterfront to reclaim the sea in R24bn expansion, Cape Town’s boldest project

Africa’s most visited destination could soon get bigger by pushing into the sea.

The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town has proposed a R24 billion expansion that would reclaim 3.8 hectares of ocean at Granger Bay, physically extending the precinct’s coastline.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has opened the proposal for public comment.

If approved, the project would reshape a stretch of shoreline familiar to millions of locals and tourists.

Where the new land would go

Developers say the reclaimed area would sit roughly 150 metres from the Cape Wheel toward the harbour.

The work would begin with coastal protection infrastructure, including a revetment and two breakwaters.

Rock would be placed down to the seabed to stabilise the coastline before soil and fill create the new land.

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According to V&A Waterfront development executive Allan Nenguke, the engineering approach is well established and supported by marine specialists.

Two years of construction

The reclamation phase alone is expected to last about two years.

It will involve transporting more than 350 tons of rock to the site.

Developers say deliveries will be coordinated with city authorities to limit disruption for residents, commuters and visitors.

Environmental risks and assurances

The project could affect West Coast rock lobster habitat and Heaviside’s dolphins in the bay.

Nenguke said specialist studies suggest marine life could return after construction and that long-term conditions may improve.

He added that researchers built a scale model of the bay to assess impacts, with results described as encouraging.

All environmental reports are available to the public during the comment phase.

Bigger destination, bigger crowds?

For many, the Waterfront is already the heart of Cape Town tourism.

But expansion raises concerns about congestion in an area where peak-season traffic already stretches back along Dock Road and beyond.

Nenguke said the project will be linked to transport solutions, including encouraging workers to live nearby, improving public transport links, expanding walkways and supporting micro-mobility.

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The Waterfront says it plans to work closely with the City of Cape Town on long-term improvements to access.

Public comment now open

The development is currently in its public participation stage.

Project documents and environmental studies are available online through the appointed consultants, where residents and visitors can review the plans and submit feedback.

Why this project could reshape the Waterfront

If approved, the expansion would not just add land, it could redefine how locals and tourists experience Cape Town’s most famous shoreline.

For proud Capetonians, returning visitors and travellers who dream of the Waterfront, the proposal signals a future where the city’s most recognisable destination could become even larger, busier and more central to Cape Town life.

For more details, listen to Nenguke using the audio player below: