CANAL DISTRICT PRECINCT PLAN
Supplementary Information to the Heritage Indicators Report Case Number: 17062901AS0627E
27TH NOVEMBER 2017 CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND 3
2. EVOLUTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT OF THE V&A WATERFRONT 4 2.1. National and Local Authority Policy Context 4 2.2. Development Context 5
3. THE V&A WATERFRONT’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND INVESTMENTS 6 3.1. V&A Waterfront Ownership and Investment Context 6 3.2. Socio- Economic Value 6
4. V&A WATERFRONT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS 8 4.1. The Package of Plans Approach 8 4.2. The Evolution of the Precinct Plan and Boundaries 10 4.3. Approved Precinct Plan 10
5. V&A WATERFRONT BUILT FORM AND DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER 12 5.1. Urban Grain and Building Typologies 12 5.2. Investments in the Public Realm, Heritage and Cultural Resources and the Public Realm 14
6. CURRENT CHARACTER AND QUALITIES OF PRECINCT 16 6.1. Character and History of Gateway Precinct (Canal District) 16 6.2. Existing Grain and Massing 16 6.3. State of Precinct Heritage Resources 18 6.4. Streets and Public Realm 20
7. HERITAGE INDICATORS & PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES 22 7.1. The Amsterdam Battery remnants and axis 23 7.2. Views of Signal Hill from Battery Park and Battery remnants 24 7.3. The Original Coastline 25 7.4. View of the Synchro-lift and Silo Elevator Building from Dock Road and Transit Plaza 26 7.5. Views of the harbour from Signal Hill over the Canal District 27 7.6. The historic Queens Hotel and Dock Road remnants 28 7.7. The Waterfront Theatre School 29 7.8. Visual indication of the battery from Dock Road & the Canal 30 7.9. Harbour Views Down Buitengracht Street 31
8. VIA RECOMMENDATIONS 32
9. CONCLUSIONS 34
2 V&A WATERFRONT CANAL DISTRICT |Supplementary Information to Heritage Indicator’s Report LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. The Central City As A Key Investment Node In The Ct Sdf 7 Figure 2. Amsterdam Battery Connected To The Wider Network Of Heritage And Cultural Landmarks 7 Figure 3. Canal And Granger Bay Transit Plazas And Public Transport Network 9 Figure 4. The V&A Waterfront As A Regional Destination (2015) 9 Figure 5. Package Of Plans 10 Figure 6. V&A Development Framework 1991 11 Figure 7. V&A Character Districts 11 Figure 8. Gateway Precinct 1991 13 Figure 9. Gateway Precinct 1992 13 Figure 10. Gateway Precinct 1994 Amendment 13 Figure 11. Roggebaai Canal Precinct 13 Figure 12. Ferrymans: Fine Grain - Single Storey 14 Figure 13. Harbour Cafe: Victorian Pavilions 14 Figure 14. Portswood: Low Rise Medium Grain - 3-4 Storey 14 Figure 17. Gradation Of Grain And Scale From V&Aw Core 15 Figure 15. Boe/Silo District: Large Footprint, Taller Buildings 15 Figure 16. Table Bay Hotel: Large Footprint, Taller Buildings 15 Figure 18. Heritage Resources Enhanced And Protected By The V&Aw 16 Figure 19. Canal District Transit Plaza 17 Figure 20. Silo District 17 Figure 21. The Canal District Within Its Context 18 Figure 22. The Existing Building Footprints Of The Canal District 18 Figure 23. Heritage Resources Within The Canal District 20 Figure 24. Existing Public Realm 22 Figure 25. Built Form - Edge Conditions And Height 22 Figure 26. Heritage Informants 24 Figure 27. The Amsterdam Battery Remnants And Axis 25 Figure 29. Proposed Battery Park (Dhk And Planning Partners) 25 Figure 28. Yacht Club Building Obstructing Visual Axis From Battery Park 25 Figure 30. View Axis From Signal Hill 26 Figure 31. Massing Stepped To Retain View To Signal Hill From Battery Park 26 Figure 32. Signal Hill From Dock Road And Trough Waterway House 26 Figure 33. The Original Coastline 27 Figure 34. Landscape Upgrades Erf 9588 (Ovp) 27 Figure 35. Canal Pedestrian Upgrades (Ovp) 27 Figure 36. Canal Pedestrian Upgrades (Ovp) 27 Figure 37. Canal Pedestrian Upgrades (Ovp) 27 Figure 38. View Of The Synchro-Lift And Silo Elevator Building From Dock Road And Transit Plaza 28
Prepared by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers | November 2017 3 Figure 40. View Of Synchro-Lift And Silo From The Transit Plaza 28 Figure 39. Current View Of The Synchro-Lift And Silo Elevator Building From Dock Road 28 Figure 41. View Of The Harbour From Signal Hill Over The Canal District 29 Figure 42. Section Illustrating Visual Connection From Signal Hill To The Harbour Maintained 29 Figure 43. View Over The Canal District From Signal Hill 29 Figure 44. The Historic Queens Hotel And Dock Road Remnants 30 Figure 45. Queens Hotel Restoration And Re-Purposing 30 Figure 46. Section Through Alfred Street 30 Figure 47. View Across Landscaped Space To Queens Hotel And Old Dock Road 30 Figure 48. The Waterfront Theatre School 31 Figure 50. View Of The New Shared Forecourt Between The Theatre And Development Parcel I 31 Figure 49. The Waterfront Theatre School Precinct Plan Response 31 Figure 51. View Of The Battery Remnants From Dock Road & The Canal 32 Figure 52. View Across Landscaped Space To Queens Hotel And Old Dock Road 32 Figure 53. View Across Landscaped Space To Queens Hotel And Old Dock Road 32 Figure 54. Harbour Views Down Buitengracht Street 33 Figure 57. View Corridor Maintained - Canal District Development From Buitengracht Pedestrian Bridge 33 Figure 55. Existing View From Waterkant Street Pedestrian Bridge 33 Figure 56. Development Proposal For Erf 9588 As Per 2016 R.O.D. From H.W.C. 33 Figure 58. View Of The Precinct With Table Mountain In The Background 35 Figure 59. View Along Buitengracht Street Towards The Precinct And The Harbour 35 Figure 60. View Of The Precinct From Signal Hill 35 Figure 61. Enhanced Public Realm In The City And Waterfront : Battery Park And Canal, Plaza & Walkways 36 Figure 62. Canal District Precinct Plan (November 2017) 37
4 V&A WATERFRONT CANAL DISTRICT |Supplementary Information to Heritage Indicator’s Report 1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
In September 2017 a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the V&AW Canal District (formerly Gateway) Precinct Plan was submitted to Heritage Western Cape (HWC). Following the assessment of the HIA at the Impact Assessment Committee (IACOM) on 11 October, an Interim Comment from HWC was issued on 1 November 2017. This supplementary report is a response to the Interim Comment. The report addresses the following: The evolution of the development context over the last 25 years and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront’s response; The background to the V&AW’s planning and development parameters; The built form and character of the V&AW; V&AW socio-economic impacts and investments; Character and built form qualities of the precinct; Heritage Indicators and Precinct Plan Responses; Visual Impact Assessment Findings; Conclusions.
Prepared by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers | November 2017 5 2. EVOLUTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT OF THE V&A WATERFRONT
2.1. National and Local Authority Policy Context
Since commencement of development in the V&A in 1990, national planning legislation has been r d nd r n d o n r ddr r d ur n gro u n ou ro ng country’s natural and heritage resources. Legislation such as SPLUMA, NEMA and NHRA (National Heritage Resources Act) have been enacted to achieve these objectives and have informed the City of Cape Town’s planning and development policies and by-laws. In 2017 the Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) is the overarching policy guide for cities. The IUDF aims are to unlock the development synergy that comes from coordinated investments in people and places to achieve more inclusive, resilient and liveable cities and towns. The IUDF highlights the unique conditions and challenges facing South Africa’s cities and towns, including the drastic reduction in government funding and the need to work with the private sector to achieve spatial transformation. It provides a new approach to urban investment by the developmental state, which in turn guides the private sector and households. The IUDF is framed around four overall strategic objectives that are being embedded at the national level into departmental and sector policies and budgeting processes. These are: • Access: To ensure people have access to social and economic services, opportunities and choices; • Growth: To harness urban dynamism for inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development; • Governance: To enhance the capacity of the state and its citizens to work together to achieve social integration; • Spatial transformation: To forge new spatial forms in settlement, transport, social and economic areas. At the level of the City of Cape Town, the SDF, Integrated Transport Plan and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Framework all have a bearing on how development in the V&A Waterfront should be managed. “The City is intent on building a more inclusive, integrated and vibrant city that addresses g o r d r ng n n d r u on o d r n o residential development, and avoids the creation of new structural imbalances in the delivery of services. It regards transport as a key driver for addressing Cape Town’s spatial reality and is aiming to achieve a spatial transformation through transit-oriented development (TOD) and o d d n on ) n r or or or r ro n n o r congestion in the CBD while simultaneously redressing spatial inequalities of metropolitan development over the past half century. Integral to the project is the provision of affordable housing and development of City-owned land in the Foreshore precinct and Green Point area. Integral to the project is the maximization of funds to be made available by the private sector via the development of these sites. This project acknowledges that development in the City will not be able to sustain mobility via motor vehicles and that more people will need to live and work in the central city. At the local level the Table Bay District Plan, the Canal District is located within the “mixed-use n n on on o d o n ro o d n r n n n o consideration in terms of mix of use, density and height.
6 V&A WATERFRONT CANAL DISTRICT |Supplementary Information to Heritage Indicator’s Report 2.2. Development Context
Over the past 27 years the context of the V&A Waterfront, and even more so, the Gateway r n no n r ) ng d u n d r d r d n d n on nd conversion has taken place in the CBD, De Waterkant and Green Point. The combined urban management efforts of the City’s CCID and the V&A Waterfront have seen the central city transform into a the most vibrant, pedestrian and transit friendly of all SA cities. This has come hand in hand with increasing scale and densities in the surroundings areas of the CBD, De Waterkant, CBD, Green Point as the central city becomes a place to live-work and play. Challenges of inclusivity remain and it is acknowledged that in addition to improved access by public transport, and greater walkability, more affordable spaces (to live and work) are needed in the central city. As these contexts have evolved, the V&A Waterfront has invested in improving public transport and pedestrian connections into the CBD, Green Point and Mouillie Point.
The PRINCIPLES informing the implementation of TOD Affordability - reduce the cost of public transport for Commuters and the City; Accessibility - facilitate equal access to social and economic activity; n r du r ng and dependence on private vehicles; n n on n on - manage the desired form, composition and location of urban development conducive to affordable, accessible and n u r n or FIGURE 1. THE CENTRAL CITY AS A KEY INVESTMENT NODE IN THE CT SDF
FIGURE 2. AMSTERDAM BATTERY CONNECTED TO THE WIDER PHOTOGRAPH 1. V&A WATERFRONT BROADER CONTEXT NETWORK OF HERITAGE AND CULTURAL LANDMARKS Prepared by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers | November 2017 7 3. THE V&A WATERFRONT’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND INVESTMENTS
3.1. V&A Waterfront Ownership and Investment Context
Initial development of the V&A Waterfront was funded by the parastatal Transnet and later the r n n n on und r r n o und ng o g n dro o n entity unfamiliar with commercial development, during an economic recession and at a time of extreme political uncertainty in the country. Once management proved that development in the Waterfront was a worthwhile investment, further funding became available and spurned consumer and investment interest in the V&AW. In 2006, the property was sold to a consortium of Dubai World and London & Regional Property as a means for raising capital for Transnet. Development from 2006 to 2011 was constrained by the owners’ investment model which limited the injection of additional capital into the project. In 2011, the property was purchased by Growthpoint Properties and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), represented by the Public Investment Corporation Limited (PIC). While o n r o on d r n n r our u no d und ng or projects is in competition with many other properties in South Africa and globally, which may be developed with fewer regulatory and environmental constraints than the V&AW. In addition, all ro r u o r gorou n n ru n r n u n n r r r d u d o n n n r r u r rud n nd n u o ng development rights in the Waterfront. r ron on nu o gn n n n n u u r n or and cultural amenities. The creation of the Canal Transit Plaza is part of this broader investment in MyCiti infrastructure and park and ride facilities, services and incentives to tenants.
3.2. Socio- Economic Value
The NHRA, Section 38(3) (d) reads; ‘The following must be included: an evaluation of the impact of the development on heritage resources relative to the sustainable social and economic benefits to be derived from the development’. n on r ron gn n r n g on nd National economy. The V&A Waterfront currently accommodates: 180 business tenants; 624 sectional title apartments + 259 Mid-range apartments; 13 hotels comprising 1800 rooms; Over 450 shops; and 101 Entertainment activities with residents and visitors spending an average of 4hrs per visit. In 2016 the V&A Waterfront contributed R39 billion to the national economy and R34 billion to the Western Cape GDP. The number of jobs created are: 21,790 direct jobs; and 17,516 indirect jobs. ong r n d ru or ng r our r r gu rd ng r r ng the dry dock, tugs and so on.
8 V&A WATERFRONT CANAL DISTRICT |Supplementary Information to Heritage Indicator’s Report Figure 3. CANAL AND GRANGER BAY TRANSIT PLAZAS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK
Figure 4. THE V&A WATERFRONT AS A REGIONAL DESTINATION (2015)
Prepared by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers | November 2017 9 4. V&A WATERFRONT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS 4.1. The Package of Plans Approach
The Canal District Precinct Plan has been prepared in terms of the V&A Waterfront Development Framework and according to the Package of Plans process for local authority assessment of development proposals in the V&A Waterfront. The development rights (bulk of 613 859 m2) development controls and planning approval process , contained in the unique zoning for the r ron o n on r o n u or r ord d in the Municipal Planning Bylaw 2015. This zoning allows for the preparation of a hierarchy of plans n r ng o nn ng nd d o n rogr ro on u level to the scale of individual building plans. The initial allocation of bulk per precinct is indicated in the table below. However, as development has progressed from conceptualisation to implementation the allocation of bulk per precinct has ng d o n on o or fl g n r d r u on o u nd nd u u ro d oun o r n nn ng nd o on of bulk to sites is dealt with in an SDP. This process of clarifying use and physical distribution of bulk as development moves from the general to the particular is consistent with the Package of Plans approach to planning. This approach to development was considered appropriate to a large site, charecterised by a range of land uses and operations, such as ship repair and residential units, to be developed over an extended period of time. nd d on o or n o o n r or o o or fl o r o o od ng ng r d nd n o o n Development Framework and Policies is ensured in the zoning of the Waterfront where “the spatial distribution throughout the Property of the development uses …. shall be approved by the un
CONTEXTUAL FRAMEWORK Broad land use policy for the development and the surrounding area no onfl n
DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Broad policy,goals and principles Infrastructure requirements Development principles and guidelines Any limits within the development including but not Range of uses in precincts d o d n nd floor General spatial distribution and extent of uses no onfl on u r or Transport and pedestrian linkages
PRECINCT PLAN o r n d o n Transport and pedestrian linkages framework Floor Space and environmental management Development objectives and intentions no onfl o n r or Urban form Land use
SITE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Depict detail design and development provisions Show detailed provisions relating to the position or n r n and appearance of buildings, open space, o d d ro on nd u floor d r n n nd r o n space,building lines, height, parking, site no onfl r n n circulation, landscaping etc.
BUILDING PLAN d on r u r d n on Ensure compliance with Development Levy Building Regulations requirements Ensure compliance with all other aspects of Site Approval authorises construction of buildings to Development Plans and all other conditions of commence approval (includes EIA and HIA) no onfl o n n
FIGURE 5. PACKAGE OF PLANS
10 V&A WATERFRONT CANAL DISTRICT |Supplementary Information to Heritage Indicator’s Report As with all Precinct Plans and SDP’s and amendments thereto, the allocation of bulk to a precinct and consequent built form must have due regard for inter alia, heritage informants, public d r n on nd u r r nd o n nd development policies. The submission of this precinct plan to Heritage Western Cape is the commencement of the precinct plan approval process.
1. Pierhead 2. Granger Bay 3. Breakwater 4. New Basin 5. Upper Basin 6. Outer Basin 7. Gateway 8. Clocktower
Existing Waterfront & Precinct Plans Precinct Summary
FIGURE 6. V&A DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK 1991 CHARACTER bulk register may 2012 1 PIERHEAD PRECINCT DISTRICTS/ land area: 107,965 sqm REBRANDING: approved bulk: 603,859 sqm approved bulk: 76,898 sqm developed bulk: 403,953 sqm developed bulk: 67,398 sqm 1. Pierhead total available: 199,906 sqm total available: 9,500 sqm 10 2. Granger Bay 3. Breakwater 2 2 GRANGER BAY 3 BREAKWATER PRECINCT 3 4. New Basin area: ca 73,830 sqm area: 94,388 sqm 1 5. Upper Basin 6 approved bulk: 72,000 sqm approved bulk: 56,687 sqm 6. Outer Basin developed bulk: 0 sqm developed bulk: 45,633 sqm 7. CANAL DISTRICT total available: 72,000 sqm total available: 11,054 sqm 11 8. SILO DISTRICT
4 NEW BASIN PRECINCT 5 UPPER BASIN PRECINCT area: 59,457 sqm area: 77,597 sqm 9 approved bulk: 53,643 sqm approved bulk: 60,251 sqm 8 developed bulk: 42,744 sqm developed bulk: 60,251 sqm total available: 10,899 sqm total available: - sqm 4
5 6 OUTER BASIN PRECINCT 7 GATEWAY PRECINCT area: ca 10,090 sqm area: 79,421 sqm approved bulk: 800 sqm approved bulk: 61,266 sqm developed bulk: 0 sqm developed bulk: 29,483 sqm total available: 800 sqm total available: 31,783 sqm 7
8 CLOCKTOWER PRECINCT 9 PORTSWOOD PRECINCT area: 68,237 sqm area: 84,946 sqm approved bulk: 110,00 sqm approved bulk: 57,814 sqm FIGURE 7. V&A CHARACTER DISTRICTS developed bulk: 55,831 sqm developed bulk: 48,113 sqm Prepared by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers | November 2017 total available: 54,169 sqm total available: 9,701 sqm 11
current v&a precinct outlines 10 EAST PIER PRECINCT 11 SOUTH ARM PRECINCT area: ca 28,585 sqm land area: ca 65,122 sqm approved bulk: 21,339 sqm approved bulk: 33,161 sqm developed bulk: 21,339 sqm developed bulk: 33,161 sqm total available: - sqm total available: - sqm
12 Development Vision V&A Waterfront | Existing Waterfront Precinct Plans Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town 4.2. The Evolution of the Precinct Plan and Boundaries
Planning for Canal District (Gateway) Precinct commenced at a stage when the notion of a canal linkage with the city was on an alignment past the current Cullinan Hotel. Intially, the precinct on the eastern side of Dock Road , called Gateway Precinct, extended into the harbour area , as this was thought to be redundant to the harbour’s needs. The area then became the Roggebaai Canal Precinct with its hotels and residential units In 1991/1992, there was a proposal for a hotel at the entrance to the Waterfront and hence, in terms of the Package of Plans, a Precinct Plan was required prior to a Site Development Plan which would ultimately enable the submission of building plans. The 1992 Gateway Precinct Plan therefore comprised detail for the hotel site, but little detail for the balance of the precinct, save for the existing buildings and Missions to Seamen building. Later, a proposal for the Caltex Filling Station was mooted and hence the 1993 Amendment to permit d o n n o o d nd or n r ur r r on to enable development of a large building for Auto Atlantic, now the site for Audi Motor Cars (Figure 10). The amendments and revisions to the Precinct Plan demonstrate that the Package of Plans allows or fl r rg u r ron o d o d o r ong r od of time. In assessing and endorsing precinct plan amendments over the years, the authorities have taken cognisance of the overall basket of rights and the need to allocate bulk and uses g ogr d o n ro o r n or ro g n r o Precinct Plan approvals for Gateway Precinct have been as follows: 1. u o ro or o nd r d n d o n 2. 1993 -03- 03 bulk of 46 000m2 plus bulk of 3 000m2 from erf 9588 and 10 000m2 from KIC (now Waterfront studios) site; 3. 1994- 04- 21 no additional bulk allocated; additional land area for Audi site.
4.3. Approved Precinct Plan