PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 Figure 3: Proposed Study Area Boundary 3 PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 3. Sandton Context The Sandton of today is the result of an extensive journey of transformation, collaboration and the pursuit of a specific vision during the past 30 years. According to the Sandton Management District (2007) Sandton is without a doubt one of the most important business and financial districts in South Africa, as well as sub-Saharan Africa. Looking back over the past three decades, the rich heritage of the Sandton and Sandton Central of today is clear. The history of Sandton as described by the Sandton Central Management District (2007) can be summarised as follows: 10 000 years ago the plains of Sandton were traversed by stone-age hunters 1000 years ago tribesmen watered their herds at Sandton's many streams and springs 400 years ago the tribesmen ran an iron-smelting economy 120 years ago the richest gold field on earth was discovered 100 years ago Sandton comprised Johannesburg's lush market garden 50 years ago Sandton comprised a world of rich estates and sandy horse trails. Sandtonions were dubbed the 'mink and manure set' Figure 4: The Sandton Skyline 30 years ago the country's premier shopping mall, Sandton City, was built. The 'Southern Suburbs' of Sandton were laid out quite early in the century and by the thirties, they were well established as 'gentleman estate' areas with the majority of the properties being one morgen or larger in size. At this stage they formed the 'northern' suburbs of Johannesburg and in some cases, extended beyond the boundaries of the city. Rivonia was in many respects a rural village - owing its existence to its convenience as an outspan stop on the old wagon road to Pretoria - which joined with Johannesburg when it spread north. It is the only district of Sandton that can claim the distinction of not owing its existence directly to the northward spread of Johannesburg. The first moves by Sandton to achieve independence from Johannesburg date back to the early sixties and were probably prompted by Randburg becoming a Municipality in 1959. Sandton was promulgated as a Municipality in 1969, with the name Sandton being formed from a combination of the names Bryanston and Sandown. The area celebrated 30th year of existence last year Sandton was largely a farming and smallholding community when it was promulgated and at the time was described by former town planner, B Bristow as ‘comprising of 30 000 whites and 15 000 horses’. Figure 5: One of the first Skyscrapers in The first few years of Sandton's existence were turbulent with the town council divided on the issue as to whether or Sandton not Sandton should remain a quiet semi-rural dormitory town or a more balanced entity with significant business and 4 PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 higher-density residential components. In 1956 the Peri-Urban Board had bought some large tracts of land for municipal purposes - one of these being the 11 ha site in Sandown where the Civic Centre now stands. Of this, 3.4 ha was sold to the Transvaal Provincial Administration (TPA) for the building of Sandown Primary School and in 1965 the land directly south of the Civic Centre area was allocated extensive retail and flat rights. The land then belonged to Mr Bob Edmunds, the chairperson of Standard Bank, and was sold to property developers, Rapp and Maister, in 1968. The first step in transforming Sandton from a farming community to a bustling business district came with Sandton City, which was developed and constructed by Rapp and Maister on this site during the early 1970s, and which opened for trade in 1974. The rush of commercial space began in the mid to late 1980s when land in Sandton, Rosebank and Parktown was cheaper than that in the Johannesburg CBD, but could also offer an environment characterised by rolling lawns and fountains and low-density, affordable-to-own office space that could not be accommodated in the CBD. In accordance with Sandton's amendment scheme 292 the council agreed to approximately 200 000 square metres of office space. Today the figure for Sandton Central alone stands at more than a million square metres. 5 PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 4. Policy Context National, provincial and local policy is starting to highlight the importance of an increase in the number of compact, mixed-use developments at appropriate locations. As a principle, such development was introduced in the Development Facilitation Act, 1995. The purpose of this section is not to identify all possible types of legislation and policies that may impact on the area, but rather to focus on current policy or strategy that relates more directly to urban development and investment. It will therefore specifically discuss the implications of the development of Sandton in terms of the following: Development Facilitation Act (DFA) Gauteng Planning and Development Act Relevant transportation legislation The National Spatial Development Perspective (NSDP) The Gauteng Growth and Development Strategy (GGDS) Gauteng Spatial Development Perspective (GSDP) The City of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) The City of Johannesburg’s Spatial Development Framework (SDF) and Regional Spatial Development Frameworks (RSDFs) Gautrain objectives Breaking New Ground From the above, the emphasis will be on the application of the City’s nodal, density and transportation policies. 6 PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 5. Methodology The development of Sandton cannot occur in isolation. It is clear from the previous section that the area has an important role to play in ensuring that national, provincial and City policies are implemented to the good of the City and its many communities over the long term. The intention of the framework is to initiate an approach that will keep the plan alive and ensure its ability to respond to future changes and pressures. For this reason, the project methodology that has been adopted focuses on: A strategic assessment of regional and local conditions and policy requirements Taking a long-term view based on short-to-medium term interventions Providing implementation guidelines and applications at a precinct level A comprehensive engagement process. The methodology is depicted in Figure 6 on the right. Figure 6: Project Methodology 7 PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 The engagement process (depicted in Figure 7 below) comprised of three stages, namely: a period of information sharing and gathering of comments more detailed and individual discussion sessions a second period where final proposals were presented and a second comment session. Figure 7: Engagement Process 8 PART 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 2008 6. Conclusion The existing mix of uses and amenities in Sandton gives it a very distinct, vibrant character – a place of high-rise residential apartments and cosmopolitan commercial centres, public amenities and compact office parks – all within the area’s boundaries. In essence, the Sandton node already possesses all the right ingredients for further development. This framework simply aims to facilitate the management of such development, as well as to pave the way for the orderly increase of land use densities – thereby improving that which already exists. The framework will be focussed around democratic street networks, healthy public spaces and access to quality living and working environments, as well as to areas of trade. It is seen as an intensively mixed-use, residential node where the established character and existing assets of the area will be properly managed and maximised. There exists a tremendous opportunity for Sandton to serve as a showcase of City policies in action as this area, now more than ever, complies with policy requirements. Looking to the future, the current challenge is how to effectively implement and embed these policy intentions. The proposed development framework is not a formula, neither is it a register of every existing detail. Instead, the framework aims to provide enough guidance and description regarding a preferred development approach. It does not specify exactly how fast areas should develop, but rather how areas should be developed and what the important issues are that should influence the timing of development. The framework will not answer all the questions, but certainly offers a clear enough way ahead for those who have the successful long-term development of Sandton at heart. Such success can only follow once officials, community and business decide to embark upon the journey together, addressing challenges as they occur. Without taking that first step, the destination will always remain a pipe dream. 9 PART 2: OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES 2008 PART 2 – OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES Since 1994, much emphasis has been placed on the restructuring and sustainable development of urban areas. In the planning for the Sandton area, there was a need to reflect on needs to be delivered in terms of legislated and stated developmental principles, as well as desired outcomes at national, provincial and City levels. Figure 8 on the right indicates a general legislative and policy framework within which spatial planning, city-wide, regional and local, ought to operate. The Sandton UDF cannot be seen in isolation. It fulfills a specific function in the planning and development of the City. As part of the SDF package, it should reflect the City’s response to the principles, policies and strategies as charted by national, provincial and the City government to better the lives of communities, and to promote economic and social growth and development. The Sandton UDF is given form and responsibility by the various regulations and directives that indicate what it should be and what it should accomplish. It is given legitimacy by being part of the City’s IDP process. In view of the above-mentioned, the UDF should take cognisance of other plans, other intentions to, for example, ensure better transport and create a sustainable environment.