Durbanville Area Profile

Durbanville at a glance

Durbanville is located within the Western Cape province of South Africa and is part of the greater Cape Town metropolitan area. The town is known for the surrounding farms that produce wine and wheat. Durbanville boasts a diverse community, from young entrepreneurs to seasoned business leaders and retirees. It's renowned for its coffee shops, upscale eateries, vibrant restaurants and renowned wineries. The area exudes energy, success, trendiness and tranquility, while also offering easy access to Cape Town's top attractions.

Durbanville is situated on the outskirts of urban areas and harmoniously blends an urban economy driven by retail, hospitality and real estate, with a traditional rural economy centred around agriculture and rural tourism. Key agricultural sectors in the area comprise viticulture, dairy and wheat farming. Durbanville also serves as a vital service hub for the neighbouring rural communities of Fisantekraal, Philadelphia and Klipheuwel, maintaining strong economic connections with these areas. 

While searching for real estate, you'll discover contemporary offices boasting premium finishes, retail spaces offering excellent visibility and bustling foot traffic as well as secure warehouses. Whether you're launching a business or seeking a new property to lease or purchase, Durbanville is a top choice. 

History 

Durbanville's origins trace back to a freshwater spring, now located behind the Durbanville Children's Home, designated by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the mid-1600s as a water replenishment station for travellers journeying from Cape Town to southern Africa's interior. 

During the late 1600s, the VOC allocated farms to free burghers surrounding the town, some of which still exist today, renowned for their wine production, including Bloemendal, Meerendal, Diemersdal, and Altydgedacht. 

In 1806, the first residential properties were allocated, marking Durbanville's development. In 1826, a Dutch Reformed Church was inaugurated, and a village emerged between the church and the overnight stop. 

In 1836, the village was renamed D'Urban in honour of Sir Benjamin d'Urban, the Governor of the Cape Colony. In 1886, it became Durbanville to prevent confusion with the port city of Durban in the east. 

Durbanville had its courthouse, jail, and magistrate from the 1870s, becoming a Magisterial District of Bellville. The village management board was established in 1897, and a municipality in 1901, with John King as the first mayor. The King Brothers Wagon Works, once the largest in South Africa, played a significant role in the local economy around the turn of the 19th century.

In 1996, Durbanville lost its municipal status, merging into the Tygerberg Municipality, and later becoming part of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality in 2000. Despite these changes, Durbanville retains its status as a unique and historically significant town within the larger City of Cape Town.

Residential property hotspots 

Durbanville still stands as a stunning residential area, distinct from its neighbouring industrialised suburbs of Bellville, Brackenfell and Kraaifontein. Today, it has evolved into one of Cape Town's most sought-after addresses in the northern suburbs. This desirability stems from its unique offering of a semi-rural lifestyle at the edge of the bustling metropolis. There are various property types in the Durbanville area with the most popular suburbs being Aurora, Durbanville Hills, Durbell, D'Urbnvale, Durmonte, Eversdal, Goedemoed, Kenridge, Sonstraal, Skoongesig, Uitzicht, Vierlanden and Vygeboom. 

Commercial property hotspots 

The historic heart of Durbanville, its central business district, preserves its traditional role as the town's commercial hub. Along Wellington Road, the main thoroughfare, you'll find shops, bars, cafes, boutiques and restaurants, with additional hidden gems nestled along the side streets.

As a peri-urban town, Durbanville harmoniously blends its urban economy, primarily centred on retail, hospitality and real estate, with its traditional rural economy rooted in agriculture and rural tourism. The rural sector remains a pivotal component of the local economy, featuring key farming segments such as viticulture, dairy and wheat cultivation. With wine at the forefront of this stunning town, you can expect some of the top vineyards in the country to reside here such as the acclaimed Durbanville Hills, Klein Roosboom Boutique Winery, D'Aria, Bloemendal, Diemersdal, De Grendel and Maastricht Wines.

As the area has remained a commercial hub you can also expect some great business parks in the area. One of the more notable parks is Buena Vista Office Park which has a variety of business types including PathfindMedia.com, Astra Brokers, Easy Online Accounting and Deep South Technologies to name a few.  

Some of the prime commercial business parks in the area include:

• Buena Vista Office Park
• Roodebloem Office Park
• Wellington Park
• Bella Rosa Office Park
• Monaco Square

Some of the prime retail parks in the area include: 

• The Village Square
• De Ville Centre
• Graanendal Shopping Centre
• Ipic Shopping Centre Aurora 

Industrial property hotspots

Durbanville is surrounded by several stone quarries on the Tygerberg range, where companies like Afrimat, Portland and Ciolli Bros are actively engaged in operations. 

While predominantly a residential region, Durbanville boasts a modest light industrial sector situated just beyond its boundaries, known as Durbanville Business Park. This industrial park houses over 16 well-established businesses offering a range of services including electricians, plumbers, biltong production and more. The Durbanville Business Park stands out as a rapidly expanding commercial hub in the Western Cape. Promising advancements within this zone are attracting an array of investors who are eager to establish their businesses in this secure and esteemed development area. The vision of the Durbanville Business Park Property Owners Association is to foster a secure environment where investors can confidently establish and operate their businesses with peace of mind. 

Some of the prime industrial parks in the area include: 

• Durbanville Business Park
• DuVille Industrial Park
• New Tech Park

Transport and infrastructure

Durbanville benefits from the extensive coverage provided by Golden Arrow Bus Services, offering commuter bus connections from Durbanville to numerous locations across the Greater Cape Town region, including the City Centre, Atlantis, Killarney Gardens, Fisantekraal, Kraaifontein and Khayelitsha. 

Minibus taxis also play a major role in public transportation within Durbanville, with a majority of these taxis concluding their routes at the Durbanville Public Transport Interchange, situated in Durbanville Central. 

Staff shuttles are another option used by many in the Durbanville area and these are some of the best-rated ones: 

• JC Transport Service
• KPH Travel
• Dial a Bus Staff Transport & Shuttle Service
• Teddos Transport Staff CC and Charter Services 

Durbanville is 39 minutes (29,7 km) away from Cape Town via the N1 and Cape Town International Airport is only a 32-minute drive (20,3 km) via Jip De Jager Drive. 

Amenities

Durbanville has so much to offer from beautiful scenery, lovely attractions and some amazing restaurants where you could pop in on your lunch break or conduct business meetings. Some of the top eateries in the area worth noting include The Hussar Grill, Cattle Baron, The Olive Bistro, Saltwater Grill, Lupa Osteria, Die Boer Restaurant and Kapstadt Brauhaus. 

When it comes to choosing a location for your business, there are many factors you need to consider. One of those aspects is the healthcare facilities available within the area. Should you or any of your employees end up requiring medical assistance, you can have peace of mind knowing that Mediclinic Durbanville Hospital is within the area and provides exceptional service and care. Hills Medical Centre and Durbanville Clinic are also options for those seeking day-to-day services. 

Find where you belong in Durbanville

Durbanville is a vibrant, beautifully scenic town with so much to offer its residents and visitors alike. Maintaining its historical status as a commercial hub, you cannot go wrong setting up or relocating your business to the Durbanville area. If you would like to know more about the area, book a viewing, or simply wish to browse some of the available properties we have, contact Harcourts Dunn Commercial today. 

• View our residential properties for sale in Durbanville. 
• View our industrial properties for rent in Durbanville.
• View our commercial properties to let in Durbanville.
• View our retail properties to let in Durbanville.