The Overstrand Municipal Council has approved a request from Cape Town Fish Market (CTFM) for a “Relief Event,” effectively hitting the pause button on their lease timelines due to unforeseen legal and planning delays on 25 March 2026.
The Municipality supported the request, noting that Cape Town Fish Market has acted in good faith and has already spent significant money on the project despite delays caused by third-party legal challenges.
The development footprint of remainder of Erf 4771, Voëlklip, remains approximately 500m², occupying the same area as the previous Nautilus Restaurant.
The Background
CTFM was awarded a 25-year lease to develop and manage a new restaurant on the site of the old Nautilus Restaurant at Grotto Beach, Hermanus.
While the project has Environmental Authorisation, it hit a snag in May 2025 when third-party legal action challenged the site’s zoning.
To resolve this, CTFM agreed to apply for a “Consent Use” planning permit (a process that is currently underway).
What the “Relief” Means
Because these delays were outside of the developer’s control, the Council has agreed to shift the project’s deadlines forward by two years. This ensures the lease doesn’t “expire” before the restaurant has a chance to be built.
Changes to the agreement include:
• New Start Date: The official “Effective Date” of the lease moves from April 2024 to 1 April 2026.
• Construction Timeline: CTFM now has two years from the moment they receive their final planning approvals (the “Consent Use”) to finish building the restaurant.
• Rent Payments: Monthly rent of R80 000 (VAT included) will now start on 1 April 2028, or as soon as the restaurant becomes operational, whichever happens first.
• Rent Increases: The first annual inflation-linked rent increase is moved to July 2029.
