OHV002

Site OHV2 – Colonial Period Structure (Staircase).
Site OHV2 is identified by a Colonial Period staircase that runs for approximately 26m from the top of the study site or north (S33°01’23.5”; E27°54’25.1” – site co-ordinate) downslope in a south-westerly direction to the harbour (S33°01’24.2”; E27°54’24.5” – Site OHV2b). The staircase comprises of 2 parts, an upper and lower part. Built of shingle and cement, the staircase is expected to date to the 1940’s period of construction at the study site. At the bottom western side of the staircase 4 steps, seemingly of mud-brick with cement slabs are indicative of an earlier staircase, preliminary ascribed to the 1880’s period of development. Rubble fill and compaction is inferred to have taken its toll on this discarded old staircase – it is not expected that much of the 1880’s staircase will be salvageable should the rubble infill be removed. The staircases, both the existing 1940’s and portion of the early 1880’s staircases constitute structures pre-dating 60 years of age: The staircases are formally protected by the NHRA 1999. The development design has to date not been finalized: Engineering investigations will include the feasibility of keeping the 1940’s staircase. But the staircase has been in disuse for many decades and concerns regarding the safety thereof have been raised.

o RECOMMENDATIONS: Site OHV2, a Colonial Period staircase (structure) also displaying on site cultural overlay, pre-dates 60 years of age, the site is thus formally protected under the NHRA 1999, implying an automatic SAHRA High Significance and a Grade 2 Provincial Field Rating. The site is however ascribed a low Colonial Period architectural significance. It is recommended that the remainder of the 1880’s portion of the staircase (4 identified steps) be destroyed under an ECPHRA Built Environment destruction permit. Investigations into the feasibility of retaining the 1940’s staircase is still ongoing: Should continued use of this staircase prove feasible the developer is reminded that any alteration / restoration to the original structure should be done under an ECPHRA Built Environment alteration permit. Should investigations prove that retainment of the staircase would not be feasible, destruction (and rebuilding) should be done under an ECPHRA Built Environment destruction permit.