By Isaac Mahlangu

Five railway cottages in Pretoria, dating from the turn of last century, could be flattened to make way for Gautrain parking lots, sparking an outcry.

The cottages, situated near the Pretoria Station, date back to the 1900s.

"The oldest cottage is 100 years old. It is unnecessary to demolish them to make way for parking," Anton Jansen, chairman of the Tshwane Building Heritage Association, told Metro. "We are saying; if they need more parking they should go underground," he said, adding his organisation planned to fight the plans.

The law requires that demolitions of buildings older than 60 years must be approved by the South African Heritage Resource Agency (Sahra).

Jennifer Kitto, heritage officer at Sahra, said the committee would discuss the proposed demolition at the end of the month.

The Bombela Consortium, the builders of the Gautrain, have made their plans available for scrutiny at all public libraries in Centurion, Hatfield and Pretoria central.

The deadline for appeals is July 23.

A set of graves was also discovered during the initial environmental inspections.

Etienne van der Lith, Bombela environment manager, said the graves are believed to be part of a graveyard dating to the late 1800s that belonged to the Du Preez family.

"A detailed consultation process was followed during the formal exhumation process. The graves were then exhumed," he said.

The remains would soon be reburied and a plaque erected at the original gravesite, he added.

Sahra has already issued heritage protection permits which require that a 1910 coach washing shed in the Pretoria Station precinct be renovated, preserved and incorporated into the new Gautrain station.

Full construction in Pretoria is expected to begin once the link between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton is completed in late 2009.

• Appeals can be made in writing and sent to the provincial office of the South African Heritage Resources Agency in Joburg. The postal address is: PO Box 87552, Houghton 2041. Fax: 011-403-2609.