Register to participate in review of plans that determine development in Cape Town
25 May 2026
The City of Cape Town is calling on residents, land owners, and interested parties to register on the Spatial Planning Database by 25 July 2026. Those who register will receive regular updates about the upcoming review of the Municipal Spatial Development Framework and eight District Spatial Development Frameworks and Environmental Management Frameworks that guide the City’s decisions about the nature and form of development, land use, and environmental approvals. This is an opportunity to collaborate with the City as we shape Cape Town’s spatial vision on a metro, district and local neighbourhood level.
The Municipal Spatial Development Framework (MSDF) and eight District Spatial Development Frameworks and Environmental Management Frameworks, or District Plans, are important policy documents that have a direct impact on the shape, nature, location and form of urban development in Cape Town, and within each planning district. These plans also enable spatial transformation and opportunities for development, and determine the strategic priorities specific to each district which in turn guide public investment and interventions over time.
‘All of those who live and work in Cape Town, land and business owners, are impacted by the MSDF and District Plans. The City is now calling on the public to get involved in the review of the MSDF and the eight District Plans, and to collaborate with us in shaping the spatial future of our neighbourhoods and wider Cape Town. I’m encouraging residents to make use of this opportunity and to register soonest so that you can receive regular updates on the process, events and meetings in your district. It is in your interest to make your voice heard, and to have a say in the policies that determine how and where and what form development will take in your district in coming years,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Register to shape development in Cape Town and in your neighbourhood
- Register on the City’s Spatial Planning Database by 25 July 2026
- Go to www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
- Visit your local subcouncil to register in person at reception
- Members of the Spatial Planning Collectives do not need to register
The eight District Plans to be reviewed in coming months are:
- Table Bay
- Blaauwberg
- Northern
- Tygerberg
- Helderberg
- Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and Greater Blue Downs
- Cape Flats
- Southern
Once the registration process has been concluded, the City will commence with community engagements in each district where residents will have the opportunity to collaborate with officials from the Urban Planning and Design Department. During this review process, all interested and affected parties will have the opportunity to submit comments and suggestions.
The review will also incorporate changes in City policies, strategies and plans since 2023; reflect the latest urban context such as population growth and development trends; incorporate all approved local area spatial development frameworks into the District Plans; review existing policies, such as those related to densification, scenic routes, transit-oriented development; and consider alignment with infrastructure planning.
‘In the end, we want to combine the revised Municipal Spatial Development Framework, the eight District Plans and all approved local spatial development frameworks into one overarching and integrated Spatial Development Framework. This will then become the one-stop-shop for spatial planning in Cape Town and the City’s spatial policies. It will also be aligned with the City’s new Integrated Development Plan for 2027 – 2032,’ said Alderman Andrews.
For more information, send an email to
Future.CapeTown@capetown.gov.za
Caption: The map indicates the eight planning districts.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
