Public participation
Documents and information about current public participation processes can be accessed below.
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Proposed Milnerton Lagoon Dredging

Public Participation
  • Status: Final Report
  • Reference Number: 16/3/3/1/A1/18/3048/25
  • Authority: Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
  • Date of notice: 2026-02-02

PROPOSED DREDGING OF THE MILNERTON LAGOON IN THE DIEP RIVER ESTUARY, CAPE TOWN

The applicant, the City of Cape Town: Environmental Management Department Biodiversity Management Branch, is proposing to dredge the lower reaches of the Milnerton Lagoon. The main purpose of the dredging is to reshape the channel profile and enhance tidal exchange.

SITE DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND

The Milnerton Lagoon is the lower part of the Diep River Estuary where the Diep River enters the sea at Lagoon Beach in Cape Town, and extends from the Otto du Plessis road bridge over the estuary to the mouth between Woodbridge Island and Lagoon Beach. Water quality in the lagoon has declined significantly in recent years due to high levels of pollution and other anthropogenic impacts. 

PROJECT PROPOSAL

The City of Cape Town intends to dredge the lower section of the Milnerton Lagoon from just upstream of the Loxton Road bridge to the estuary mouth. The proposed dredging is intended to improve the hydrodynamic function of the lower section of the lagoon, including increased oxygenated seawater intrusion and tidal exchange. The dredged material would create raised intertidal mudflats exposed to air, increasing the sediment oxygen levels.

APPLICABLE LEGISLATION

Application has been made for an environmental authorisation (Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Reference No.: 16/3/3/1/A1/18/3048/25) to undertake listed activities in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended, and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of 2014, as amended:

  • Listing Notice 1 (GNR 327 of 2017): Activity 15 and 19 A

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE

A 30-day commenting period for the draft Basic Assessment Report and its associated appendices occurred from 05 November 2025 until 05 December 2025. The comments received during this process have been responded to, where appropriate, in the final Basic Assessment Report and Public Participation Process Report (Appendix F). Registered Interested and Affected Parties will be notified of the Department's decision on the application in due course.

The final BAR can be accessed by following the link below or on request by contacting the Environmental Assessment Practitioner, Infinity Environmental (Jeremy Rose or Kelly Gilmour), using the following options:
•    By sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
•    By sending a WhatsApp message to 060 524 7676 or telephonically on 021 834 1600

The final Basic Assessment Report and appendices are available for download below, for information purposes, not for comment:

  folder 2026-01 final BAR Milnerton Dredging