​The City of Cape Town will, in the coming months, engage with communities, interest groups, and other affected parties about the review of the spatial development frameworks (SDFs) for the eight planning districts across Cape Town, namely:
•  Table Bay
•  Blaauwberg
•  Southern
•  Northern
•  Cape Flats
•  Helderberg
•  Tygerberg;
•  Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha and Greater Blue Downs
 
We are currently updating the plans with the latest available information about the state of the population, environment, development, economy, and property market in these districts. All of this information will be included in a Baseline and Analysis Report (BaAR) for each district, inclusive of the challenges, needs and opportunities on a local planning level.
 
Thus, the BaAR will tell residents about the status quo or current status of the district they live in. The BaAR will provide crucial detail: from the size of the local population; their employment levels and income; to the state of the local economy, natural environment, the urban environment, and current services.

The following information will be presented in the BaAR for each planning district:
•  the size of the population, number of households, and densities;
•  the average household income, and employment rate;
•  the state of the natural environment, conservation areas, wetlands, rivers, catchment areas, and coastline;
•  the current status and trends of residential, industrial, and retail developments;
•  location of vacant, undeveloped, and underutilised land, and the applicable zonings;
•  public transport, commuter patterns, road infrastructure;
•  infrastructure for the provision of basic services such as water, sanitation, and electricity, where it is sufficient and where it is lacking;
•  the supply of and demand for housing, the typologies, tenure status, opportunities and constraints;
•  public facilities such as libraries, parks, recreational facilities, clinics, courts, etc. where it is sufficient and where it is lacking;
•  the economic outlook, and analysis of the health of the local property market; and
•  the risks and opportunities in terms of development going forward.
 
If all goes as planned, we will present the BaARs to the residents in each district from November to mid-December 2019. We will host meetings where officials will explain the details, and where residents can comment on what is being presented in the BaARs.

I am encouraging residents to participate in this process which is to kick-off soon, and to attend the meetings. Residents have a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience of the areas they live in, and can assist us in further identifying and prioritising the challenges, needs, and opportunities insofar as it relates to planning.
 
The review of the spatial development frameworks will be based on the BaARs. It is therefore crucial for residents and interested and affected parties in each district to make their voices heard, and to provide comments and input. It is also important for the City and residents to consider the status quo in each planning district before we embark on a review of the spatial development frameworks.

The spatial development frameworks will be finalised during a second round of public participation in 2020/2021. Once approved by the City Council, the SDFs will guide future decisions about developments, land uses, and interventions to create integrated and inclusive communities across Cape Town.
 
Simply put, the SDFs will be the City’s response to manage urban growth on a district level and in a manner that is sustainable, resilient, and equitable. It will determine how we should intervene on a local planning level to mitigate against constraints, and to enhance opportunities that will improve residents’ quality of living.
 
The plans will focus on the nature and location of development on a local level to promote economic growth and job creation. It will guide the City’s decisions on how and where the private sector and public sector can and should pursue development; how land should be used; and where we should protect our natural environment and resources to become more resilient to climate change and other shocks, prevent urban sprawl, but also ensure that we direct our resources to vulnerable communities.
 
We will announce the details of the information sessions and community meetings in due course. We will also inform the public once the BaARs are available for public comment, and where and how the residents can access the documents.
 
 
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