The attractive lifestyle on residential estates in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs is a huge drawcard for home buyers.
When you think of luxury living in Cape Town, areas like Clifton and Constantia are the first to spring to mind. However, the residential estates of the Northern Suburbs are quietly rivalling them in lifestyle and demand.
The convenience of the location – with easy access to the N1, the airport, the CBD and the Winelands – is the deciding factor for many residents. “The Northern Suburbs is a growth area space-wise and businesses follow that, placing us closer to work and pleasure,” says Hugh Ferguson, a resident at Baronetcy Estate in Plattekloof. The Northern Suburbs area, extending from Plattekloof to Durbanville, Bellville, Goodwood and Parow, has well-established facilities including public and private schools, top medical facilities at Mediclinic Panorama and Tygerberg Hospital as well as shopping and entertainment amenities such as Willowbridge, Tyger Valley and Canal Walk.
The Northern Suburbs area has another big drawcard: several prestigious residential estates are clustered around Tygerberg Hill, a nature reserve and green lung which counteracts the suburban sprawl and links into the green spread of the Durbanville Wine Valley, with wine farms, mountain bike trails and nature, in your backyard.
“I most like the tranquillity of Baronetcy Estate,” says Hugh. “It’s a closed environment and the residents decide on what to do to enrich the quality of our lives. I love the mountain and the feeling of closeness to nature with all sorts of wildlife in the form of birds roaming as if we live in the country.”
On the Durbanville side of the hill, two more prestigious estates flank each other, Kanonberg and longstanding Welgedacht. Demand is so great at Welgedacht that the trend is to buy an older house, demolish and then rebuild just to secure a place within the estate. “Although it’s very central and close to the city, Welgedacht has got a relaxed feel and the houses aren’t close together; it’s very spacious,” says resident, Anita Vos. “We’ve got 8ha of open natural space with parks and dams, which is nice for walking and for kids to play.”
On the other side from Plattekloof and Burgundy, the grand view over Cape Town is the icing on the cake. “The view is of the most beautiful city in the world edged by the mountain and the sea,” says Hugh. “You see the ships at the harbour and a view over tomorrow’s weather before even the weather bureau knows what’s coming.”
The Northern Suburbs are very convenient – they’re close to the city and to the wine farms and beach, to Cape Town centre and the Waterfront, it’s very easy to get everywhere
-Anita Vos, resident.
Where to eat in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs
- Zibaldone: for contemporary Italian cuisine
- Cassia Restaurant at Nitida Wine Farm: for a stylish yet friendly dining experience
- Durbanville Hills Restaurant: for fabulous views
- De Grendel: for excellent seasonal cuisine
- Ton Khoon Restaurant: for sushi and Thai food
Things to do in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs
- Hikes in the Tygerberg Nature Reserve
- Mountain bike trails in the reserve and on the wine farms
- Wine tasting in the Durbanville Valley
- Walks in Majik Forest
- The Barnyard Theatre at Willowbridge: for fun musical shows
- Grand West Casino: for ice-skating, movies and family entertainment
Schools in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs
- DF Malan High School
- Durbanville High School
- Fairmont High School
- Kenridge Primary School
- Welgemoed Primary School
- Durbanville Primary School
- Curro Durbanville
- Reddam House Durbanville
- El Shaddai
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood,Sunday Times.
