Building on Walkersons Estate Dullstroom April 2025

As with any Estate, when building a home on Walkersons there are architectural guidelines and rules that need to be followed. Here is a short summary of a few of the guidelines and rules. For the full guidelines, please contact your Zest Property Practitioner.  

 Architectural guidelines

 There are three fundamental architectural styles to which one must adhere.

There are three villages within Walkersons Estate, these villages are clusters of smaller stands. Each village has one of these three styles – Stone Village follows the “homestead” style, the Pastures village follows the “veranda” style and the River View village, the “barnyard” style. Homes must be designed according to the theme of the village in which it is located.

The balance of the stands in Walkersons are Estate stands. These stands are larger and spread out over the Estate. Homes on the Estate stands can follow any one of the three styles mentioned above.

 The three styles:

• Typically, the “Homestead” features parapet gable roof ends, cottage pane windows and doors, brick and stone chimneys possibly with chimney pots, and lean to roofs over the verandas with simple posts. External walls can only have a maximum of 10 to 20% corrugated sheets.
• The “Verandas”, on the other hand, have “hip” roof ends, distinctive veranda columns, large windowpanes with shutters. The chimneys should be 80% plaster and 20% stone.
• The “Barnyard” – as the name suggests, replicates a contemporary barn with at least part of the home being double storey and with double volume spaces, industrial type steel chimneys and metal frame infrastructure, in some instance.

We can provide you with a brochure that gives more detail re the different styles.

The disturbance area:

 Each Estate stand has a “central peg”. A circle of 20m radius is drawn around the peg and is known as the “disturbance area”. All buildings, verandas, pergolas, and garages etc must be contained within this disturbance area. There is no opportunity to move the central peg.

 General requirements common to all the styles:

• A “plum brown” chromadek roof and external finishes that allow for stonework, corrugated iron, face brick and plaster;
• The maximum height of the building is 8,5 meters from the NGL (natural ground level). A maximum footprint of 35% of the “disturbance area”;
• Outbuildings must be linked to the main dwelling and there may only be one dwelling per stand;
• Consolidation of stands is not allowed;
• Staff quarters are allowed but must be incorporated in the main dwelling and staff cannot be in residence without the owners of the property being present. Staff may not live on the property on a full time basis;
• Garages must have pitched roofs, may only have two doors and the doors must conform with stated materials and designs;
• Each home must have a drying yard that contains the washing lines, the refuse bins etc. This yard must be contained within a 1,8m wall;
• Boundary fences are discouraged but if built must be “werf” type walls, a maximum of 60cm and must be within the disturbance area. Retaining walls cannot be higher than 1 meter. The materials used for any other fences is controlled and these fences must be discrete;
• Solar heating is encouraged but panels must be flush mounted, and all associated structures must be approved;
• Rainwater harvesting is allowed. Water storage tanks must be clad in painted corrugated iron sheets;
• Grey and brown water must be split and drain into conservancy tanks. Only grey water may be used for irrigation;
• No external or decorative burglar bars are allowed;
• Dormer windows are not allowed;
• There are regulations controlling balustrades, roof and fan lights, paving and driveways and external lighting;
• Satellite dishes must be mounted below the eaves line;
• Driveways must follow the shortest route from the access road;
• Building lines are applicable to “village stands” and allow for 5m on the street front and 1m on the side and back boundaries.

From planning to building

 Owners may elect to use their own qualified architect.

Approval of plans is a two-phase process:

 ·        CONCEPT DRAWINGS

Which must take into consideration the following aspects and must comply with conditions of approval issued by the WDRC ( Walkersons Design Review Committee)

• Site plan • Orientation and slope. • Trees and other significant vegetation. • Adjacent buildings. • Access points to the site and/or restrictions. • Drainage and services. • Potential views. • Prevailing winds. • Privacy requirements. • Potential noise sources. There is a fee payable.

 ·        TECHNICAL DRAWINGS

Once these have been approved, “technical” drawings must be submitted to WDRC to include any amendments that may have been noted in the initial submission.

                Four sets of drawings must be submitted.

 ·        SUBMISSION TO EMAKHAZENI

Following approval from the WDRC, two sets of plans must then be submitted to the Emakhazeni Municipality for approval and must include elevations, and sections.  Window, door, roof light, shutter and gate schedule. Details of balustrades, railings, columns, external staircases or structures:

 ·        SURVEY OF THE STAND

In the case of a “village stand” the survey serves the purpose of confirming the boundaries of the stand as a “central peg” is not applicable. In the case of an “estate stand” the position of the “central peg” is confirmed. Every stand must be surveyed and surveyor drawings submitted to the Walkersons Management.

Approximate costs:

 -        The cost of the two submissions to the WDRC are approximately R9414 PLUS Vat (April 2025) for the Concept Drawings submission and approximately R6276 PLUS Vat for the Technical drawing’s submission. 

-        The Emakhazeni submission is a basic of R882.65 plus R265.39 for the Occupation Certificate per submission plus an additional R8.65 per sqm as at April 2025.

-        There is a R20,000 “construction deposit”, refundable should no damage be done to the common area infrastructure. 

-        A construction levy of R4000 per month is payable, in addition to the standard levy for the entire period of the build.

-        There is the cost for a Surveyor that needs to confirm the position of the “central peg”, subject to a quote.

ONLY ONCE ALL THE APPROVED PLANS AND REPORTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO  WALKERSONS MANAGEMENT, CAN THE BUILD BEGIN.

If you have any question, contact the Zest office 074 551 4624