new parkland project next to table mountain national park in newlands

on 24 March 2025

Thanks so much for taking an interest in this exciting project to clear the problematic corner of woodland between the Newlands Avenue traffic lights and the Forest station along the M3.

The map on the left outlines the area.

Owned by the City, and just outside the TMNP fence, it is several hectares of thick bush which has been taken over by roughsleepers - many of whom are regularly involved in criminal activity.

This is just outside the Newlands CID boundary but, again and again, 'our' suspects have been detained in this area.

It is the single most active crime hotspot for Fernwood and Upper Newlands.

Numerous roughsleepers make camps and fires in this piece of woodland which is massively overgrown with invasive plants. The thick bush, and the distance from established pathways, make locating and managing criminal activity hard.

But once you get into the thick of it, evidence of burglary, cable theft and cable stripping are all over the place.

It has become so frustrating that a couple of months ago we started work on more positive, long-term, solution.

Our plan is to turn this problem area into a beautiful woodland park with walking and cycling paths - and no place to hide! In February, Fernwood and Newlands residents clubbed together to clear the first 200m up from the M3 traffic lights. A beautiful avenue of trees appeared along the footpath - and the camps closest to the road disappeared. That gave us the measure of the job. It's big - many months big - but it's doable, especially as the City is removing truckloads of cuttings as quickly as we can drag them to the road.

We have now found a bit more funding and today (24/03) the communities of Fernwood and Newlands started working with U-Turn in this space.

U-turn do amazing work with homeless people and give their most committed participants an opportunity to learn new skills. One route to a proper is a start with the Living Roots garden services team.

You may have seen the Living Roots nursery at the old Bowling Club, below the padel courts.

How to get get involved!

The an element of 'If you build it, they will come' about this project. We have enough funding to start - so that's what we are going to do. But we don't yet have enough to finish.

Can you help?

The Newlands CID is happy to project manage the process, and the money, without taking a penny of donated funds.

Fernwood Residents Association have already stepped up the bravest of donations - the very first one. It's in all of our interests that we make this happen as it is worthwhile on so many levels:

Public safety for all of us who use the Newlands side of the mountain.
How often do we see smoke coming from in there? Reduce the risk of man-made fire which puts vegetation and property at risk.
Create a huge, brand new public space to walk our dogs, ride our bikes, let our children ride to school and varsity with confidence.
Give meaningful work opportunities to a local charity which has proved that it can help people get off the street and into productive lives - if they are given the chance. Here is that chance.

To make a donation, however big or small, please visit

Newlands CID SnapScan

You can use SnapScan, a credit card or do an EFT from your bank account. Please let us know that you made a donation at info@newlandscid.org, so that we can thank you properly on behalf of the whole community.

Newlands Community Improvement District NPC is a registered non-profit company which submits monthly financial reports to its Directors and the City, and is audited annually.

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