The Sibaya Coastal Precinct launched in 2016 and has proven to be one of South Africa’s best performing residential precincts. Back in 2016, development in this node was unheard of, however Tongaat Hulett and its development team had a holistic vision in mind. Today we see the thriving estates within the Precinct and the growth of the node. Invest Sibaya is proud to share the phenomenal success of this pioneering KZN precinct.
The Sibaya story
Sibaya, if you go back 20 years, was previously sugarcane land owned by Tongaat Hulett. According to their larger strategy, the entire region from Umhlanga Ridge to Sibaya is part of a decades-long development vision for the region.
As Umhlanga Ridge began to see successful mixed-use developments come up, it opened doors to develop Cornubia, setting up a successful retail and industrial hub. With this complete, Tongaat Hulett turned its vision towards the Sibaya Coastal Precinct and began working with developers to bring about a bustling residential node.
Developers get involved
There have been a number of strategic partners involved in the development of the Precinct. The first residential component to launch in the precinct was Devmco Group’s OceanDune. The development attracted mass market appeal and set the bar for living within Sibaya Coastal Precinct.
The launch of Sibaya Precinct marked a phenomenal shift of homebuyers in terms of people, place and purpose to the KZN North Coast. Whereas at first there was a question in buyer’s minds about being situated away from Durban town area, buyers began to see the proximity to King Shaka International Airport, Umhlanga centre, Umhlanga Beach and Gateway Theatre of Shopping.
The big precinct being developed between Umhlanga and Umdloti became an overnight success as people quickly saw the ideal location with quick commute to major areas. The fresh, architectural designs of the residential development also caught the eye and even to this day still has an enduring appeal. What was once a question mark in terms of location, is now a sought-after node.
In 2023, The Sibaya Coastal Precinct is home to the following residential estates:
- Balize Private Estate
- Gold Coast Estate
- Coral Point
- Ocean Dune
- Pebble Beach
- Signature Sibaya
- Shoreline Sibaya
Secure managed precinct
One of the cornerstones of Sibaya Coastal Precinct is the Sibaya Precinct Master Management Association, known as SPMMA. This is a non-profit entity that manages the servicing of public areas and, The Sibaya Conservation Trust which dedicates itself to the conservation of the Hawaan Coastal Forest and the beaches.
By managing landscaping and maintaining the precinct, it adds an extra layer of security and it ensures that value is always evident in the precinct. This value equates to healthy capital appreciation each year and underpins investor confidence, ensuring the precinct remains on an upward trajectory.
Nature Conservation
From the beginning, we’ve had a large thinktank involved, including environmentalists to help us conserve the natural coastal forest. The local community is involved too, and we’ve enlisted guides to create walking paths and to list all the different flora and fauna.
The Precinct is mandated to conserve 60% of the area as the natural Hawaan Forest and we take pride in doing so. There is a healthy amount of tourism that drives interest in this area, from hiking to bird watching, the public has really made the most of this new leisure conservation node.
7 years on
After 7 years from launching, the precinct maintains its new status and is able to market some of KwaZulu-Natal’s most upmarket real estate. When people hear the name Sibaya Coastal Precinct, it immediately registers as a place where the utmost care is taken from nature conservation to sophisticated residences to secure leisure zones within estates.
The original vision to create a precinct took into account how the market was responding at the time. There was, and still is, a need to move away from the traditional freestanding home. Families began opting rather for secure estates where they could walk freely and have retail and leisure within close proximity. We’ve seen that shift become even more pronounced following COVID, where people want to feel secure but still have a sense of community and convenience within closed estates.
In 2020, it was announced that Sibaya would include a retail shopping centre. According to the developers the mall really showcases world class global trends. It takes into account the indoor-outdoor needs of our post-covid world and compliments the coastal lifestyle that residents crave. Today in 2023, the Marine Walk Shopping Centre is thriving as one of the most innovative malls in KZN.
In the past 7 years we’ve introduced healthy job creation into the region and created an upmarket lifestyle that is an attractive semigration destination for South Africans from across the country. The public’s massive interest in this node continues to grow and we cannot wait to see what the next 7 years bring.
