ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF INDUSTRIAL/BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL/BUSINESS TOWNSHIPS IN THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT AREA, WINDHOEK, KHOMAS REGION, NAMIBIA 11 December 2013 Prepared by: Prepared for: African Precast Concrete Industries (Pty) Ltd CONTACT DETAILS Dr Jacko Koen African Precast Concrete Industries (Pty) Ltd African Precast Concrete P.O. Box 1575 Industries (Pty) Ltd Windhoek Namibia Tel: +264 61 300327 Fax: +264 61 300328 E-mail: [email protected] Dr Lima Maartens LM Environmental Consulting P.O. Box 1284 Windhoek Namibia Tel: +264 61 255750 Cell: +264 81 2458790 E-mail: [email protected] ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations: Environmental Management Act 7 of 2007, African Precast Concrete Industries (Pty) Ltd appointed LM Environmental Consulting to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment and prepare an Environmental Management Plan for the proposed development of an Industrial/Business Township (Development Area A; 118 hectares), as well as a Residential/Business Township (Development Area B; 108 hectares) on the remainder of Farm Elisenheim No. 680 (referred to as the Northern Development Area; 475 hectares), Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia. It is foreseen that the Development will consist of 154 erven plus remainder and including two core areas, i.e. one Industrial (42 erven plus street) and one Residential/Business (85 erven plus street). Depending on market forces and servicing economics, either Development Area A will be developed first (in six (6) phases), followed by Development Area B, or two core areas (i.e. one Industrial and one Residential/Business) will be developed within each of the Development Areas. An overall construction period of between seven to ten years is expected. Engineering services, i.e. access and internal roads, stormwater infrastructure, water supply, sewer drainage and treatment, and electrical infrastructure will be developed in close consultation with the City of Windhoek, the Namibian Water Corporation, the Namibian Power Corporation, and TransNamib Holdings Limited. As part of the EIA process, comprehensive physical, biophysical and socio-economic baselines were compiled. An Archaeological, a Hydrogeological, and a Vertebrate Fauna and Flora (including a Vegetation and Habitat Assessment) Specialist Studies were carried out. An overview of the most pertinent legislation pertaining to the proposed Development, and with the aim of informing African Precast Concrete Industries of the legal requirements pertaining to the Project during the planning and construction/operational phases, is provided. A Public Consultation Programme was also conducted. Stakeholder consultation to date has not identified any issues or concerns that cannot be successfully addressed or mitigated. The Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix Software Package was used for the assessment of the potential impacts. Scoring takes place within a matrix, the latter that was designed to allow subjective judgments to be quantitatively recorded. The system thus provides an impact evaluation, as well as a record that can be re-assessed in the future (e.g. should more information become available). The Environmental Impact Assessment and the preparation of Environmental Management Plans for the planning and construction/operational phases of the proposed Development have been completed. The ultimate goal of an Environmental Management Plan is to ensure that the physical, biophysical and socio-economic objectives are met to such an extent that the overall product of the activity will not result in a net negative impact. The proposed Development will have potential impacts on the environment and these will be of a positive, as well as a negative nature. The provision of temporary employment (and the associated economic benefits) during the construction phase will result in a significant positive change. Major positive impacts include the provision of additional housing, as well as industrial and business facilities, and the provision of permanent employment and the associated economic benefits during the operational phase. iii The moderate negative, negative, and slight negative impacts would be, either temporary in nature, or could be relatively easily and effectively mitigated through the implementation of certain management measures. Should the proposed Industrial/Business and Residential/Business Townships not be developed, no new temporary and/or permanent jobs will be created and there will be no economic benefits. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 15 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 15 1.2 Terms of Reference .................................................................................................... 18 1.3 Environmental Assessment Practitioner ...................................................................... 18 2 Description of the Project ................................................................................................. 20 2.1 Project Location and Land Use ................................................................................... 20 2.2 Proposed Activities ..................................................................................................... 23 2.3 Engineering Services .................................................................................................. 28 2.3.1 Access and Internal Road Network.................................................................. 28 2.3.2 Stormwater Infrastructure ................................................................................ 29 2.3.3 Water Demand and Supply.............................................................................. 29 2.3.4 Sewer Drainage and Treatment ....................................................................... 30 2.3.5 Solid Waste Management ............................................................................... 30 2.3.6 Electrical Infrastructure .................................................................................... 31 2.4 Need and Desirability .................................................................................................. 31 3 Natural Environment .......................................................................................................... 34 3.1 Physical Environment ................................................................................................. 34 3.1.1 Regional Setting .............................................................................................. 34 3.1.2 Climate ............................................................................................................ 34 3.1.3 Archaeology .................................................................................................... 35 3.1.4 Geology and Hydrogeology ............................................................................. 37 3.2 Biophysical Environment ............................................................................................. 42 3.2.1 Fauna .............................................................................................................. 43 3.2.2 Avifauna .......................................................................................................... 44 3.2.3 Flora ................................................................................................................ 45 3.2.4 Sensitive Areas ............................................................................................... 48 3.2.5 Recommendations .......................................................................................... 49 3.3 Socio-Economic Environment ..................................................................................... 50 3.3.1 Population Characteristics ............................................................................... 51 3.3.2 Economic Profile ............................................................................................. 51 3.3.3 Poverty Levels ................................................................................................. 52 3.3.4 Housing ........................................................................................................... 52 3.3.5 Access to Services .......................................................................................... 52 3.3.6 Developmental Challenges .............................................................................. 53 4 Regulatory Framework ...................................................................................................... 54 5 Stakeholder and Public Consultation ............................................................................... 67 5.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................... 67 5.2 Consultation Process .................................................................................................. 67 5.3 Summary of Issues and/or Concerns .......................................................................... 68 6 Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................................. 70 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................