Urban Services

Planning & Environment Overview

Updated: April 2006

Objectives

The Planning and Environment function of the ARP seeks to create an urban environment that:

• is safe and offers a range of social amenities, as well as housing tenure, typology and density options;
    
• promotes regional and local economic development;
    
• is well-developed and well-governed in accordance with a comprehensive development framework that is based on sound environmental principles and that fosters civic pride;
    
• is integrated functionally with the City of Johannesburg; and that
    
• has a rehabilitated and well-functioning open space system.

Details follow below

Development framework

The purpose of this framework is to guide the redevelopment of the Alexandra Renewal Project with focus on the following areas:

• movement, space and activity patterns and hierarchies;

• identification of key environmental issues in respect of the redevelopment programme and provision of guidelines for key problem areas;

• recommendations for the identification and prioritisation of precincts;

• specifications for the redevelopment programme in respect of a range of aspects including environmental management, densities, heritage sites, built form, affordability and residential development principles.

There are three components to the development framework, namely a transportation component, an environmental component and a planning and design component.

Land management

The focus of this project is the development and implementation of a land management system for Alexandra. There are six sub-projects:

• Approval of the general plans and opening of the township registers for Alexandra.

• Opening of sectional title registers.

• Ensuring that the land management system for Alexandra is consistent with the provisions of the Development Planning Bill and as well as those of the municipality.

• Identifying scheme amendments required as a result of the development framework and/ or the precinct plans and facilitating these amendments.

• Ensuring that adequate resources and capacity are available for the monitoring and enforcement of urban control.

• Facilitating the monitoring and enforcement of the land management system in areas that are redeveloped.

Geographic information system

Operation of a single geographic information system (GIS) for the Alexandra Renewal Project to serve as a strategic tool for the purposes of planning, development and management.

Precinct plans

Preparing detailed plans (i.e. to erf level) for the redevelopment of each precinct.

Environment (land care, environmental health, environmental management)

• Community participation projects, promoting environmental awareness and education, stimulating an environmental and land care ethic, and promoting the capacity of communities to participate in associated projects.

• The development and maintenance of open spaces, specifically for use as parks and recreation and including items such as fencing, grass levelling, playground equipment and lighting.

• Tree planting in public spaces (such as pavements, walkways, schools, and clinics) and also trees for private spaces (such as residential homes).

• Upgrading of the existing cemeteries in Alexandra, including road network development, water reticulation, horticultural beautification and street furniture, grave numbering and provision of electricity supply and high mast lighting.

• Food, flower and muti gardens, simultaneously addressing issues such as food security, employment creation, income generation and sustainable community resource management.

• Facilitating the improvement of water quality including bio-monitoring and an educational river health programme that allows schools to participate in monitoring activities.

• Facilitating the improvement of air quality, including the establishment of an air quality monitoring station in Alexandra.

• Appointment of an Environmental Control Officer to supplement the capacity of the City of Johannesburg with responsibility for ensuring that development is proceeding in accordance with the parameters set out in the environmental management framework and the environmental authorisation processes.