Other Amenities
The Gowrie Farm Development
Besides golf, Gowrie Farm Golf and Fly-fishing Estate will provide property owners with a range of recreational amenities including an ibndoor swimming pool, tennis court and fly fishing for trout in all the dams on the property. In addition, the Estate has made provision for up to 16 privately owned stables (Sectional Title Ownership) for home owners who love horses.
Aesthetically, one of the most appealing features of Gowrie Farm will be reflected in the architectural style of the estate homes. This style, with its roots in the historic farmhouses of the Petrus Stroom and Dargle areas of the midlands, combines low pitched iron roofs with hips or gables, roof vents and chimneys and generous protective lean-to verandas into an aesthetic which is full of variety and distinctive of the Midlands character.
In certain areas of the estate the houses might even find their inspiration from homes such as Shafton Grange in the Karkloof area. Property owners, in association with the developer's architects, will be encouraged to develop modern interpretations of this architectural style as well as traditional farm homes. An attractive aspect of investing in this particular estate is the fact that purchasers have a full ten years in which to start building their homes. Once building commences, however, the home must be completed within 12 months.
Perhaps one of the most unique features of this country estate is that a portion of it will remain a fully functional farm for the purposes of farming cattle, game, sheep and horses and planting crops. The farmland area has been be leased to a farmer who is responsible for the upkeep of farm property as well its roads and fences. This generates an income that offsets a portion of the operating costs of the estate with positive benefits in terms of the Home Owners Association (HOA) levy.
Gowrie Farm is the portion of the development property which falls outside the boundaries of the individual subdivisions, the workers cottages and the golf course. This land has been be leased by the Developer to Ian Murray Greene for a period of 10 years for the purpose of operating a farm. The lease is subject to the following terms and conditions:
- The period of the lease is 10 years from 1st June 2005. The farmer will be entitled to renew the lease for a further two periods of 5 years each.
- The land may only be used for the purposes of farming cattle, game, sheep and horses and the planting of crops.
- The farmer must allow all home owners to traverse over Gowrie Farm on foot, or on horseback. Home owners may utilise roads for the purpose of cycling and driving vehicles.
- The farmer must maintain all farm roads (i.e. those roads that are used primarily for farming purposes only) in reasonable condition at his expense.
- The farmer must maintain all farm fences. Fences around the residential houses must be maintained by the HOA and/or the individual home owners.
- The grassland areas will be maintained in accordance with the management plan for the estate which will be produced in conjunction with the trustees of the Bill Barnes Crane and Oribi Sanctuary.
All property owners are obliged to become members of the HOA which is responsible for managing the affairs of the Estate. Home owners will have the right to traverse Gowrie Farm on foot or horseback and will have a right of way over all farm roads. A management plan is being formulated in conjunction with the trustees of the Bill Barnes Crane and Oribi Sanctuary to ensure the ecological health of the natural grasslands on Gowrie Farm.
- The HOA is a section 21 company incorporated in terms of Section 21 of the Companies Act No. 61 of 1973. The responsibilities of the HOA are to manage the affairs of the Estate including the landscaping, upkeep of the common areas, administration and any other matters that may be of communal interest to its members.
- All property owners are obliged to become members of the HOA and remain members for as long they own property in the estate. Any successors in title will also be obliged to become a member of the HOA. The title deeds to the property will incorporate a condition to this effect.
- All home owners are bound by the terms and conditions of the memorandum and articles of association of the HOA and any other rules and regulations that the directors of the HOA may decide to impose in accordance with the provisions of the memorandum and articles of association.
- All property owners will pay a levy to the HOA. This levy will not cover the consumption of electricity and water and the rates levied by the uMngeni Municipality. The levies for the year of commencement of the development (2005) have been set at R850 per month. The HOA has the power to revise these levies from time to time.
- Levies are only be payable in respect of residential sites to which all services have been provided. The developer will not be liable for levies in respect of any of the undeveloped erven, but will be responsible for paying any shortfall between the total levies collected and payable by the home owners and the cost of maintaining the estate during its development.
- The memorandum and articles of association of the HOA provide that during the development period the developer will be entitled to control the majority of the votes in the HOA and will be entitled to nominate the majority of the board of directors of the HOA. The board of the HOA will consist of 7 persons, 1 of which will be elected by the owners of the workers cottages.
- The developer or his agent will act as the managing agent for and on behalf of the HOA during the development period, or for a period of 10 years, whichever is the shorter. Once 75% of the properties have been sold the developer will be entitled to hand over the management of the estate to the HOA.
Pets
Dogs and cats will not be allowed on the estate except with the express consent of the HOA, the developer and the farmer. This consent will only be given in exceptional circumstances and upon such terms as may be imposed by the HOA, farmer and the developer. With regard to caged birds and other such pets, only those specifically permitted by the developer/HOA and the farmer will be allowed. Small caged birds which remain indoors (such as budgies) will generally be allowed. Larger birds which are likely to cause a nuisance to neighbours will generally not be allowed. In special circumstances, the purchaser may apply to the developer/HOA to have these regulations amended. If any pet causes a nuisance to other residents, then permission to keep the pet on the estate may be withdrawn. The developer/HOA will be entitled to impose any rules which they consider necessary regarding the keeping of pets on the estate.
As part of a social upliftment scheme for workers in the village of Nottingham Road, the developers of Gowrie Farm Golf and Fly-fishing Estate have donated land and services on a remote portion of the property for the development of 54 workers cottages. Fourteen of these are for workers employed by the estate and farm while the remaining 40 will be allocated to approved members of the local community who qualify for a government housing subsidy. The owners of these cottages will be required to be members of the Gowrie Farm HOA and will collectively nominate a member of the Board of Directors of the HOA.