Industrial Zoning Cape Town industrial property zoning details
Industrial Zoning Cape Town industrial property. Firstly, the industrial areas in Cape Town are primarily designed to accommodate manufacturing and related processes. Ranging from general industrial uses, which may impact surrounding areas, to hazardous uses. Also, harmful uses have a potentially high impact and must be carefully managed. Industrial development has particular requirements for road and waste infrastructure. Industrial-zoned land should be reserved for industrial purposes to optimise this infrastructure and mitigate potential impacts. In the General Industrial Zone, two different subzones accommodate variations of built form. Opportunities are provided for consent uses associated with industrial areas, such as factory shops. In addition, a particular zone is provided for noxious and risk industries.
INDUSTRIAL ZONING CAPE TOWN: GENERAL INDUSTRY: SUBZONES GI1 & GI2
Click here to view the City of Cape Town Zoning Map.
Purpose
The GI zone accommodates all forms of industry, except toxic trade and risk activity. It is accepted that the intensive nature of the industrial activity or the scale of the operation could generate some adverse impact on adjacent properties. As Epping Industria is the most central business location, it fits in very well with the current zoning scheme.

Click here for a full copy of the City of Cape Town Zoning Scheme.
Use of the property
The following use restrictions apply to property in this zone:
(a) Primary uses are industry, restaurant, service station, motor repair garage, funeral parlour, scrap yard, authority use, utility service, crematorium, rooftop base telecommunication station. Freestanding base telecommunication station, transport use, multiple parking garages, agricultural industry, private road, open space and additional use rights as listed in subsection (b).
(b) Additional use rights are factory shop and adult shop, subject to the provisions of section 10.1.5 or 10.1.6, whichever is applicable.
(c) Consent uses are an abattoir, place of worship, institution, clinic, place of assembly, adult entertainment business, adult services, aquaculture, informal trading. Shop, office, the sale of alcoholic beverages, place of entertainment, helicopter landing pad, wind turbine infrastructure and container site.
Development rules
The following development rules apply:
(a) Floor factor and coverage
Floor factor and coverage shall be determined by the following ‘Table of floor factor and coverage in General Industrial Zones’.
General Industrial Zoning Cape Town – Table of floor factor and coverage
Subzone | Floor factor | Coverage |
GI1 | 1,5 | 75% |
GI2 | 4,0 | 75% |
Epping Industria is the most central business location in Cape Town. Mainly zoned GI 2.
(b) Height
(i) The maximum height of a building in General Industry Subzone GI1 shall be 18 m measured from base level to the top of the roof;
(ii) No height restriction applies to buildings used for manufacturing purposes in General Industry Subzone GI2;
(iii) Any building in General Industry Subzone GI2 that is not used for manufacturing purposes shall not exceed a height of 18 m measured from the base level to the top of the roof;
(iv) Earth banks and retaining structures are subject to section 18.6; and
(v) Shipping or transport containers, when stored or stacked outside a building, may not extend higher than 15 m above average ground level.
(c) Street boundary building line
The street boundary building line is 5 m, subject to the general building line encroachments in section 18.1.
(d) Common boundary building line
The common boundary building line is 3 m, subject to the general building line encroachments in section 18.1.
(e) Boundary walls
Where a land unit has a common boundary with another land unit that is not zoned General Industry or Risk Industry, Council may require a 1,8 m high wall to be erected, to its satisfaction, along with the common boundary.
(f) Parking and access
Parking and access shall be provided on the land unit by Chapter 19. (g)
(h) Loading
Loading bays shall be provided on the land unit by section 19.4.
(h) Screening
The Council may require screening by section 18.5.
Hazardous substances
Notwithstanding the fact that an activity constitutes a primary use right regarding this zone, no activity or use which includes the on-site storage of hazardous materials shall be permitted. Unless a risk management and prevention plan have been submitted and Council has approved it.
Service station and motor repair garage
The development rules applicable to a service station and automobile repair garage in Local Business Zone 2 shall also apply to a service station and motor repair garage in this zone.
Factory shop
The occupant of an industry may operate a factory shop provided that:
(a) the total floor space devoted to the sale of goods shall not exceed 10% of the total floor space of all the buildings on the land unit; and
(b) any goods offered for sale but not manufactured on the property must be directly connected with the products produced on the property.
Adult shop
The following development rules shall apply to an adult store:
(a) An adult store shall not be located within 100 m walking distance of an existing adult shop, adult entertainment or adult services premises;
(b) The street front and entrance shall be discreet and unobtrusive, and no pornographic, sexually explicit or erotic material shall be visible from outside the premises;
(c) Outdoor signage must comply with Council’s by-law on Outdoor Advertising and Signage; and
(d) No form of public address or sound amplification shall be audible from outside the premises.
Informal trading
Informal trading only permitted on sites demarcated for informal trading regarding Council’s informal trading by-law.
Epping Industria is the most central business location in Cape Town. Mainly zoned GI 2.