A prominent Jeffreys Bay property developer is forging ahead with several major developments despite allegations that more than a dozen of his past developments were built without planning approval from the Kouga municipality.

A number of buildings belonging to Abraham Lamprecht have allegedly either not had any plans submitted or the plans had not been approved.

Minutes of a meeting between Lamprecht's representatives and municipal officials on June 6 show that seven buildings belonging to him were discussed because they did not comply with building regulations.

Another municipal agenda shows that previously 13 of Lamprecht's buildings were discussed for the same reasons.

The minutes of a site inspection at a property in Verbena Circle said the site had been cleared on April 23 and construction had started seven days later.

Building plans had not been approved, pending an appeal lodged with the provincial local government and housing department.

"In view of the continued disregard of and non-compliance with the notice and verbal warning," the minutes said Lamprecht was summonsed to court for contravening the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act.

A senior Kouga official said the summons had gone missing in court. The court asked that a new summons be issued, but the municipality asked that the matter be settled out of court.

According to the minutes, two dwellings had been built on a farm without approved plans, rezoning had not been finalised and Lamprecht had ignored an instruction to stop work.

A building in De Reyger Street was completed long before plans were approved.

On land in the Smithtown industrial area, the minutes said, the municipality was considering issuing summons as construction on certain erven was taking place without building plans.

In Diaz Road, plans for a block of flats exceed the town's height restriction of 11 metres.

On a plot of land in Da Gama Road, the minutes said, a service agreement was outstanding and a final inspection was yet to be carried out.

Yet, an official in the municipality has told The Herald that Lamprecht obtained an occupation certificate for the first floor of a building by allegedly bribing building inspector Fred van Willing.

"You can't get an occupation certificate for one floor. The whole building has to be completed," said an official, who declined to be named.

Bribery charges have been brought against Van Willing in connection with some of Lamprecht's projects. Van Willing admitted to The Herald that he had been charged, but denied the charges.

Kouga mayor Robbie Dennis declined to comment, saying it was an internal matter.

Lamprecht and his partners, through a company called Anchor's Rest Investment (Pty) Ltd, acquired the Kabeljous Caravan Park, which was zoned as a private open space.

But the company intends putting up a hotel, shops and flats on the land. Documents in The Herald's possession show that the municipality has recommended rezoning despite more than 100 objections.

Dennis said: "The developer did indeed start with construction on a number of erven without approved building plans.

It is also stated that some plans were submitted, returned to the architect for the necessary revised drawings and then resubmitted for approval" He said penalties would be enforced where necessary.

Lamprecht was not available for comment and Andre Bloom, of Lamprecht Projects, refused to respond to a list of questions.

Eastern Province Herald