Architectural Guidelines

These architectural guidelines for Royal Ascot were originally issued to developers and contractors, many of the requirements refer to the original development phase. However, many apply to home-owners who may want to alter or extend their homes. Please keep in mind that these guidelines are in addition to those of your Home Owner’s Association, RAMPOA and the City of Cape Town.

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Introduction
•	The main business of RAMPOA is to carry on the promotion, advancement and protection of the interests of the members from time to time and the maintenance and control of the fynbos reserve and public areas within the development.
•	The guidelines contained in this manual should be read in conjunction with RAMPOA’s Constitution, and the constitutions of the precincs Home Owners Associations or Bodies Corporate. In the event of any discrepancy between these documents, RAMPOA’s Constitution shall take precedence.
•	All Site Development Plans are to be submitted to RAMPOA for approval. In the case of alterations and additions by the individual owners, plans are to be submitted to the precinct HOA or Body Corporate for approval, before being submitted to RAMPOA for approval.

Membership of RAMPOA (Royal Ascot Master Property Owners Association)
•	Membership of the Association shall be compulsory for every registered owner of anl erf in Royal Ascot and such membership shall commence simultaneously with the transfer of the erf into the name of the purchaser.
•	When a member ceases to be registered owner of an erf, he shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Association.
•	A member shall not transfer a residential erf unless it is a condition of the transfer that the written consent of the trustees of the Association has been obtained, to ensure that all outstanding levies have been paid and that the Constitution forms part of the sale agreement.

The Approval Process
[This section was originally written for the Development Phase, but has now been rewritten to reflect current requirements in terms of the RAMPOA Constitution and the Land Use Planning Ordinance, 1985. Please note that the printed copy has not been amended.]
•	Detailed drawings shall be prepared so as to comply with the conditions of the architectural guidelines and submitted to RAMPOA for approval. For residential properties, the plans must first be approved by the respective Home Owners Association or Body Corporate.
•	No alterations to approved plans, elevations and specifications of residential or commercial buildings may be made without the written consent of RAMPOA.
•	After the detailed drawings have been stamped and endorsed by RAMPOA, the endorsed drawings shall be submitted by the owner or his nominated representative to the Council for its approval, prior to construction. It is the sole and final responsibility of the Council to approve building plans.
•	The rules and guidelines contained herein shall also apply to any alteration, addition, renovation or external redecoration undertaken.
•	The submitted drawings must comply with the Council’s requirements for building plans. » Click here for more info.

Definitions (for these guidelines only)
•	“Dwelling” means a self-contained inter leading group of rooms used only for the living accommodation and housing of a single family.
•	“Outbuilding” means a subsidiary and single storied structure used or intended to be used for the housing of servants, the garaging of motor vehicles and for storage purposes, ordinarily and reasonably required in conjunction with the main structure.
•	“Lateral boundary” or “ side boundary” of an erf means a boundary other than a street boundary or a rear boundary.
•	“Street boundary” means the boundary of an erf, which forms the boundary of a street/road reserve, as demarcated on the subdivision plan.
•	“Rear boundary” in relation to a site, means every boundary thereof (other than a street boundary) which is parallel to, or is within 45 degrees of being parallel to every street boundary of such site or erf; and which does not intersect a street boundary.
•	Words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice a versa.

Information required on Architectural Drawings
•	Apart from the requirements of the Local Authorities, the following information shall be indicated on the detailed drawings:
	•	total floor area of dwelling
	•	total floor areas of outbuildings
	•	proposed floor levels
	•	stormwater management to be coordinated with the overall management plan
	•	proposed elevations of dwellings and outbuildings. The elevations shall give a clear indication of the exterior treatment of such, the materials to be used and the colour of roofs, walls and boundary walls
	•	a Landscape Master Plan, as required by the Local Authority, indicating all existing trees, the trees to be removed and those that will be retained
	•	typical streetscape
	•	entrance / gatehouse details
	•	proposed development name, logo and street names & signage
	•	draft Home Owners / Body Corporate Constitution
	•	full services drawing indicating all connections etc
	•	proposed streetlighting layout and specification
	•	proposed paving details
•	It must be made clear that the final plans shall be scrutinised for endorsement by RAMPOA with final approval of the Local Authority.
•	No items in the above shall be construed as permitting the contravention of the conditions of title of any erf or by-laws of the Local Authority.
•	All the above requirements apply to the initial Site Development Plan submission. Only applicable details will be required for alterations and additions.

General Architectural Requirements
(These requirements are in addition to the Local Authority’s building regulations)
•	The Royal Ascot estate shall be developed to reflect an equestrian theme, by means of:
	•	the names of each of the separate developments being named after, for example, famous racecourses or famous horses,
	•	road names, and
	•	where demarcation of areas is required without the use of walling, ranch style fencing and hedges are used.
	The styles within the Estate should be compatible and harmonious, but not closely repeated.
•	The various pockets of Group Housing sites and Sectional Title developments will each have their own specific style of architecture and design criteria. A variety of individual architectural designs are allowed, for diversity and interest, being French Provencal, Tuscan, English Colonial and Victorian designs. No Cape Dutch with ornate gables, curvy Sardinian architecture or flat-roof houses are permitted. Whilst there may be similar architectural elements between the Group and Sectional Title land pockets, these can be diversified, for example, by means of having Terracotta roofs and earthy paint colours for a Tuscan feel, whilst charcoal roofs and pastel paint colours with white bands would give a more Colonial aspect.
•	The number of units per development should be between 30 – 80 units, with sufficient open landscape areas being provided.

•	Height Restrictions:
	•	Group Housing – no building shall exceed two storeys, this includes the incorporation of possible lofts.
	•	Sectional Title – a maximum of three storeys are allowed, however this must be mixed with two storey buildings, to create a varied skyline and only two storey adjacent to existing properties adjacent to the development.

•	Roofs:
	•	No reflective roofing material may be used.
	•	Flat roofs to a maximum of 20% of the building coverage will be permitted but must be concealed behind parapet walls on all sides and generally confined to outbuildings.
	•	Roof pitches shall not be less than 17 degrees. Flat roofs and verandas excluded.
	•	No thatch, fibre cement (unless painted Victorian Profile), or see-through sheets are permitted.
	•	No more that one type of roofing material shall be visible from any immediate street elevation.
	•	Roof colours shall be terracotta, Kalahari, grey, charcoal, black or green ex La Farge or equal approved.
	•	Concrete roofs shall be covered with brown stone chips/pebbles.
	•	Dormers shall be limited to 50% of the roof space and external elevations shall be vertical. (Vertical dimensions must exceed horizontal dimensions).

•	External Colours and Finishes:
	•	Wall colours shall be limited to whites, earthy shades and light pastels. Samples may be requested.
	•	The use of plaster mouldings is encouraged.
	•	Facebrick shall be permitted, in conjunction with a minimum of 20% plaster bands and detailing.
	•	No timber log/wendy house buildings will be permitted.
	•	Composite painted timber and masonary buildings will be permitted.

•	Boundary Walls and Fences:
	Internal Precinct Walling:
	•	All road facing walls to complement the architectural style, which can include wooden ranch style fencing, hedges, low boundary walling (columns and cappings) and palisade fencing. These may not exceed 1.8 metres in height. If the walls are required to be higher for aesthetic reasons, or if retaining walls are required, these are to be approved the review committee.
	•	All yards shall be screened by a wall of 1.8 metres high.
	•	Staff toilets, if required, shall lead onto the yard.
	•	Washing lines shall be installed in this area, and may not be visible.
	•	Yard walls shall be constructed out of the same material as the main building, to be finished uniformly on both sides.
	•	No pre-cast concrete walls shall be permitted facing onto road frontage.
	•	Lateral internal boundaries may include pre-cast walling, which shall not exceed 1.8m in height.
	External Precinct Walling:
	•	Precinct boundary walling to public road to be palisade / plastered and painted masonary walling.
	•	No modifications or additions to any external boundary walls/palisade fences around the Estate shall be permitted unless it is for the purpose of improving security and approval has been obtained from the HOA in writing.
	•	All masonary walling is to be plastered and painted.
	•	Precinct boundaries to the training track to be visually permeable i.e. palisade fencing but must prevent all access (including pets).
	•	External boundary walls are to be constructed prior to commencement of general building operations.

•	General:
	•	Awnings, TV aerials, external blinds, and other items, which do not form part of the basic structure, should be clearly shown and annotated.
	•	TV aerials, satellite dishes, antennas etc may no be attached to any chimney or mast. Preferably these should not be visible from the road.
	•	Solar heating panels, if used, should be incorporated into the buildings to form part of the basic structure, should be clearly shown and annotated, and should not extend above the roof profile.
	•	Outbuildings and additions should match the original design and style, both in elevation and material usage.
	•	Lean-tos and temporary carports will not be allowed.
	•	Bargeboards, gable tiles or gable walls must be used on gable ends.
	•	Windows and glass doors shall have vertical proportions unless behind verandas and/or patios.
	•	Burglar bars are discouraged. If, however, they are required, design details to be submitted to the HOA for approval.
	•	All street facing and first floor plumbing to be concealed.
	•	Driveways must be constructed over carriageway crossings. Driveways and parking areas visible from the public road must be hardened. Tarmac is not encouraged. Brick paving with cobble edging is suggested, inclusive of stone aggregate, either loose or cemented.
	•	Internal roads to be of premix, with brick or cobble inserts.
	•	No glass balustrades.

•	House Forms:
	•	The forms of the dwellings shall be rectangular and composite rectangular. Curved forms are discouraged unless designed for architectural features.

Please Note:
Notwithstanding the fact that the building plans may comply with the above, the endorsement of such plans shall be at the sole discretion of RAMPOA, with final approval by Council.
Nothing in the above shall be constructed as permitting the contravention of the Conditions of title of any erf or By-Laws of the Local Authority.

Purchasers are to note the requirements in terms of the zoning schemes relating to, inter alia, open space etc. Apart from the Design Guidelines, all building plans shall comply with the conditions stipulated on the Approved Development Framework / Site Development Plans.
•		Building Lines:
		All building lines are to be negotiated with Council via submission of the Site Development Plan.

Access
Residential access is only permitted off internal precinct roads.

Site Environmental Issues
For site environmental issues the Construction Environmental Management Plan must be consulted. Developments or building alterations that could have an effect on the environment (physically or visually) must be referred to the Environmental Management Committee for before submission to RAMPOA or the Council.

Verge Deposit (Builders/Damages Deposit)
•		Before any construction activities commence the registered owner of an erf shall pay a deposit to the Home Owners Association or its Managing Agent of R500 per residential unit, up to a maximum of R20 000,00 per precinct. This amount is not interest bearing and may be amended from time to time.
•		On occupation of the dwelling, or completion of the landscaping contract, or final removal of building rubble, or any other activity where the Home Owners Association might foresee a threat of damage to its property, (whichever of these activities occur last), the Verge Deposit will be refunded.

Maintenance of Road Verges and Undeveloped Erven
•		Undeveloped erven shall be kept neat and tidy at all times by the relevant landowner.
•		Where owners fail to adhere to the above within 7 days of written notice by the HOA, the HOA may instruct its agents or an outside contractor to carry out the necessary work at the owner’s expense.