The City of Cape Town has approved a new policy to improve the quality of the city’s neighbourhoods, streets, and public places.
The policy’s main objective is to design streets and squares to become multi-functional spaces that are people-centred, and which improve access and connectivity while respecting, protecting, and enhancing the natural features, heritage structures, cultural practices, and memory of immediate neighbourhoods through sensitive design.
“The quality of our cities, towns, neighbourhoods, streets and public spaces has a significant impact on our lives. We have all experienced it before when you arrive in a place – it could be any city or neighbourhood, or even a street – and it just feels good to be there, works well, and makes you want to stay longer. Given that most of us are not professionals in urban design we would not even realise that it is often how these spaces look and function and fit together, that makes us feel that way,” says the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
“Design should be centred around people and communities, and can transform spaces, give it purpose and relevance, and meaning. In September and October last year (2023), the City gave the public the opportunity to comment on the revised Policy for Designing Quality Places. We used these comments to further refine the policy that has now been approved by Council and will guide the City’s Development Management Department in assessing development applications and inform City-led projects.”
The policy will apply where:
- Development proposals deviate from the City’s planning vision and spatial policies.
- When establishing new neighbourhoods, and where applications include new subdivisions into more than 20 urban land units.
- When regenerating sites exceeding one hectare.
- For development proposals that include the creation and upgrade of public open spaces, public or community facilities, and transport interchanges.
- Proposals exceeding 1 000m2 adjacent to or including development edges, natural resources, and ecosystems including biodiversity areas, rivers, wetland systems, coastlines, floodplains, cultural, heritage resources and business nodes.
- Where site development plans are required for shopping centres, commercial developments, industrial and warehouse developments, developments of more than twelve residential units and development within transit accessible precincts.
