The City of Cape Town plans to refine the local spatial development framework (LSDF) for the CBD as a guide towards its ‘City of Hope’ vision for 2040.
Calling on the public for comment, the LSDF proposes a pedestrian-friendly CBD that links Table Mountain to the Atlantic Ocean through key public spaces, each with their own identity, and more green recreational spaces as well as the upgrade of squares such as Grand Parade, Civic Square, Riebeeck Square, Greenmarket Square, and Harrington Square.
A key priority is the implementation of an integrated transport solution for the Foreshore with road restructuring projects proposed along Philip Kgosana Drive to link Vredehoek, Zonnebloem and District Six with the possibility of closing Long Street at night between the intersections with Dorp Street and Green Street to facilitate nightlife activity along the popular stretch.
“The LSDF intends to transform the CBD into an environment that is more people-centred with urban design interventions to improve mobility and access for pedestrians, efforts to optimise heritage areas, a public land programme to inform land release in support of affordable housing opportunities, and an appropriately scaled urban form and interface to encourage mixed-use intensification. With mixed-use, we mean development that accommodated multiple uses such as business, retail, and residential opportunities for existing and new buildings,” says the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The study area is the core economic area of the CBD, bounded by Helen Suzman Drive / FW de Klerk Boulevard to the north; Nelson Mandela Drive and Sir Lowry Road to the east; Mill Street/Orange Street to the south; and Buitengracht Street to the west, divided into eight precincts namely De Waterkant, Convention District, Mid-City, Company Gardens, East Foreshore, Cape Town Station, East City, and Lower Gardens.
The draft LSDF is informed by existing policies such as the Table Bay District Spatial Development Framework (DSDF) of 2023; the recently approved LSDFs for District Six and Bo-Kaap, the newly approved policy for Designing Quality Places, the City’s Climate Change Strategy and action Plan, and Tall Buildings Policy.
The Table Bay DSDF and Municipal Spatial Development Framework support higher densities for the CBD area and the intention of the LSDF is to determine the appropriate building heights considering the view of key landmarks such as Table Mountain, public spaces, and the interface with heritage buildings, cultural resources, and residential areas.
The municipality says that it is estimated that Cape Town’s CBD will have to provide residential opportunities to an additional 50 000 people by 2040 with this projected demand translating into a specific form that needs to be managed through spatial and land use policy and regulation.
With access to and from the CBD from the rest of Cape Town poor, the resurrection of passenger rail as the backbone of public transport is key. The CBD is still dominated by vehicles and interventions are needed to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment and public spaces.
The draft LSDF is available on the City of Cape Town’s website. The deadline for the submission of comments is the 31st of October 2024.
