The public has every right to protest against a new development in the Cape Town Metropole (in indeed, anywhere else) but far too often this happens without any reference to the zoning laws.
When, therefore, the objections are heard but rejected, allegations of bias or favouritism are all too often levelled against councillors and/or the city planners, who are even accused of being in cahoots with the developer.
This was said recently by Paul Henry, MD of Rawson Developers.
'Cape Towns development rules are, in fact, some of the most exacting in South Africa and have deterred many a developer from trying to do business here. It certainly does not help to have objectors who, to add to our difficulties, do not consult the zoning legislation but simply lodge a protest on the 'not in my territory' principle.
'What protestors sometimes fail to understand,' said Henry, 'is that the City Council is trying to reverse the injustices caused by apartheid which forced poorer (non-white) people to live on the urban fringe and spend hours (and cash) each day travelling to and from their work places.
'The only way this can be done is to allow in-city residential development and to densify residential areas that are reasonably close to the city or industrial nodes. The good news is that, although this policy is accepted by the Council, they have gone about it with extreme caution and with due regard, wherever possible, for the existing residents privacy and view rights.
'That said, it has to be accepted that the knocking down of single residential units or small flat blocks and their replacement with four or five storey blocks will often not be to the liking of those who live nearby, even when the new schemes landscaping is taken seriously and the aesthetics are put up for widespread comment '“ but developers cannot be expected to forgo the opportunity now open to them to create higher density complexes in areas like the Southern Suburbs, where these are zoned for this'
Cape Towns new Integrated Zoning Scheme, which will shortly become law is, said Henry, not a departure from the existing policy but a combination of/coordination of the 20 or more different zoning schemes on which the City Council has worked.
In terms of the Metropolitan Spatial Development Policy of 1999, densification in selected areas ('urban corridors') of 40 to 100 units per hectare is allowed. The urban corridors, said Henry, have to lie within one kilometre of major roads or railway lines.
Protestors who run to their councillors as soon as a scheme is announced should, said Henry, first become familiar with the zoning rulings. These can be viewed in colour-map format on http://map.capetown.gov.za/PBDM_Viewer/.
'Most major developers are, I find, community sensitive and always consult with residents in areas they want to develop,' said Henry, 'but there is no point in residents trying to overturn existing planning/zoning legislation. Instead they should cooperate with the developers to ensure that their neighbourhood gains the maximum benefit out of the scheme'
Henry commented that no high density Rawson project had ever lowered the value of other units in its area.
'On the contrary, they almost invariably raise values '“ as we have seen recently at Rondebosch Oaks'
Footnote:
The apartheid policy which pushed thousands of people out into areas where they did not want to live was, said Henry, contrary to the evolutionary nature of cities because the poor have traditionally lived within half an hours walk of their workplaces.
'One has only to look at Londons East End in the last half of the 19th Century and the early 20th Century to see how beneficial close proximity can be,' he said. 'The architect, Lord Holford, has shown that in every major city in Europe the lower classes throughout history occupied houses close to the core, although usually on the 'wrong' side, of the city, creating lively communities (like District Six) with their own spirit. In a small way, high density developments with communal facilities do the same'
For further information contact Paul Henry on 021 657 1000 or email paul@rawson-developers.co.za.
