Building Guidelines
McGregor Aesthetics Committee
Building Guidelines
(November 2004)
Guidelines for development
- The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that the natural, historical and architectural character of McGregor be retained by the preservation of:
- existing old buildings and nature areas, including trees, with historical or aesthetical importance; and
- the control of built-design, building lines and material in the case of new buildings on vacant erven as well as existing buildings being renovated, extended or replaced within the demarcated area as shown on Plan 1 included with these guidelines.
- Any person who lodges an application for the approval of a building plan for any erf in the demarcated area, may be required by the Council to furnish evidence, to its satisfaction, that the construction project contemplated will not be in conflict with the intent of these guidelines, having due regard generally to the character of the street in which the erf is located as a whole, and more specifically to the particular locality in which the structure is to be erected.
- The expression “building construction work” includes the erection of new buildings, and the extension, renovation, or alteration of existing buildings.
- No building construction work shall be permitted in the demarcated area unless the external architectural design and style, colour scheme, facing material and general appearance of the building have been referred to the McGregor Aesthetics Committee and approved by Council.
In an attempt to manage the demarcated area, the following principles are prescribed:
SABS 0400 - 1990 will be applied except where it may be necessary to request a waiver in respect of internal height (floor to ceiling) and window size in keeping with historical precedent.
- Building Lines
It is preferable that historical precedent is followed, eg. building close to road edge.
- Aspect and position on site
Respect historical precedent. Building at an angle to the site is unacceptable.
- Size or bulk
Large or bulky structures are not acceptable. Where possible break structure down to more numerous but smaller and less bulky components.
- Height
- No more than ground floor plus one more floor for flat roofed buildings.
- For pitched roof buildings, ground floor only is permitted. Upper floor accommodation must be within the pitch.
- No dormer windows to be allowed in roof of upper floor accommodation area of pitched roof buildings.
- The use of skylights is acceptable is not visible from the road.
- Style
6.1 Elements
- Exterior staircase, veranda, sash windows, shutters, external chimneys, gable-end windows or doors, decorative parapets and lean-to's are acceptable.
- The following are unacceptable and actively discouraged: dormer windows, front gables, curved walls, rounded corners for windows or doors and circular windows.
- Where small front gable (wolvegewel) is allowed, it should be in the centre of the façade.
6.2 Building Material
The following are recommended:
Walls: Plastered and painted
Wood: Painted (varnish accepted, but discouraged)
Doors, windows, details: Painted (varnish accepted, but discouraged)
Stoep floors, verandas: Quarry tiles or cement screed.
The following are unacceptable:
Walls: Face brick, or wood, or log
Doors, windows, details, fascias etc: Aluminium, PVC Mouldings
Stoep floors: Glazed ceramic tiles, slate "crazy paving".
6. 3 Proportions
- Doors and windows must be vertically proportioned.
- Only small square windows may be used.
- Low, wide openings of any description, including doors, windows or garage doors, are unacceptable.
- For residential or office buildings, the proportion of wall space to windows and doors must be compatible with historical precedent.
6.4 Colour
- Walls: White or off white are acceptable. Bright or bold colours are not acceptable.
- Windows and doors, including garage doors: Blue, brown, green (
- Varnished woodwork is discouraged and exposed woodwork is unacceptable.
- Fascias, balustrades, details: Blue, brown, green or white oil paint are acceptable.
- Varnished woodwork is discouraged.
- Exposed woodwork is unacceptable.
- Pergolas, fascias, balustrades, details: Varnished wood or tarred poles are discouraged.
- Exposed wood is not acceptable.
- Roofs: Green, black or red are acceptable.
- Roofs
7.
7.7.1 Pitched roofs
- Angle of pitch must be between 35 degrees and 45 degrees.
- Steeper or shallower pitches are unacceptable.
- Only thatch or painted corrugated iron are acceptable.
- English style thatch roofs are unacceptable
- Monopitches are not acceptable.
7.2 Flat roofs
- Corrugated iron is acceptable. Brownbuilt or IBR are only acceptable if not visible from the street.
- A horizontal or stepped parapet on three sides must accompany any flat roof.
- The pitch of any flat roof may not be steeper than 5 degrees.
- Parapets must be used on the street façade. The roof material is not to be visible from the street
Do not alter roof pitches or historic roofing elements like gutters or roof trims on existing buildings.
- Boundary Walls and Fences
- Plastered and painted brickwork and wire fences are acceptable.
- Vibracrete walls, asbestos tiles, any form of Precast concrete, face brick walls, corrugated iron and corrugated asbestos are not acceptable.
- Any solid wall above 500mm in height is not acceptable.
- Outbuildings
Garages and carports: Double garages with one continuous door serving both bays are not acceptable. Two separate doors, each serving one bay are acceptable.
N.B. The same conditions apply to the outbuildings as to the main building regarding permissible style, building materials, proportions, colour, roofing, siting, height, aspect etc.
Garages should be placed in such a way that they do not intrude visually on the façade of old buildings, garden walls or trees.
10. Decoration and Plasterwork
- Window and door surrounds, quoining and plaster mouldings with historic precedent in McGregor are acceptable.
- Decorations of a nature non-indigenous to McGregor are not acceptable.
11. Compatibility
In addition to all the previous recommendations and guidelines, alterations, additions, new structures or buildings must show sensitivity to the existing context. Scale, style, size, height, roof, details and elements must be in keeping with or sensitive to the surrounding buildings.
(N.B. This guideline is by its very nature context-specific).
12. Structures with no precedent
Where they are very visible, carports, pergolas etc. are not acceptable. Keeping such structures out of sight is recommended when alternatives with historical precedent are not possible or viable.
The appearance of a stoep is critical to appearance of a house. Old stoeps even if they are not as old as the house itself, should be retained whilst new stoeps of inappropriate materials and proportion should be replaced by more sympathetic variations.
Every effort should be made for water tanks and attachements such as satellite dishes, antennas, “spanish burglar bars”, not to be visible from the street front.
13. National Monument erven
Buildings which are erected or altered on plots which fall under the jurisdiction of the SA National Heritage Resources Agency are also subject to these guidelines in addition to any other conditions which that body may lay down.
The following are proclaimed National Monuments in McGregor:
1. Historic
2. "Die Trein" 1975 - 08 - 08
3. Municipal Offices, Voortrekker Street 1975 - 08 - 08
4. House on Erf 375 1975 - 08 - 08
5. Dutch Reformed Church 1975 - 11 - 21
6. Georgian Double-Storey house, Bree Street 1977 - 06 - 17
7. Erven 4, 5, 8, 24, & 100 Mill Street including Water Mill 1977 - 12 - 09
8. House on Erf 377 1978 - 04 - 28
9. House on Erf 378 1978 - 04 - 28
- Labourers Cottages, Erven 317 and portions of
Erven 316 318 & 319 1979 - 03 - 23
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