Louis Botha Avenue Development Corridor Strategic Area Framework
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LOUIS BOTHA AVENUE DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR STRATEGIC AREA FRAMEWORK 1 Strategic Area Framework for the Louis Botha Avenue Development Corridor FOR: BY: CITY OF JOBURG IYER URBAN DESIGN UTHO CAPITAL STUDIO 10th Floor A Block, Lillipark Office Park, Metropolitan Centre, 28 Devonshire Avenue, 2nd Floor, 158 Civic Boulevard, Glenwood, 4001 354 Rivonia Boulevard, Braamfontein, Durban Rivonia, 2128 Johannesburg Johannesburg P.O. Box 17390 Congella 4013 Tel: +27 (0)11 407 6870 Tel: +27 (0)31 202 9550 Tel: +27 (0)11 234 1370 Email: [email protected] Fax: +27 (0)31 202 9551 301E Fax: +27 (0)11 234 1380 Email: [email protected] / The Main Change, 20 Kruger Street (Cnr. Main), Maboneng, 2001 Johannesburg JOHANNESBURG Tel: +27 (0)11 592-0510/ 0511 DEVELOPMENT AGENCY Fax: +27 (0)86 566-0003 The Bus Factory, Email: [email protected] HATCH GOBA 3 President Street, www.iyer.co.za Newtown, No. 15 Harrowdene Office Park, Johannesburg Western Service Road, Woodmead, Tel: +27 (0)11 688 7851 Johannesburg Fax: +27 (0)11 688 7899 Email: [email protected] Tel: +27 (0)11 236 3300 Fax: +27 (0)11 807 85 Email: [email protected] www.hatch.co.za LOCAL STUDIO 173 Fulham Road, Brixton, 2092 Johannesburg Tel: +27 (0)11 837 4185 Cell: +27 (0)71 850 7990 Email: [email protected] MAYATHART ARCHITECTS www.localstudio.co.za Email: [email protected] 2 Contents STRATEGIC AREA FRAMEWORK FOR THE LOUIS BOTHA AVENUE DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR 01. POINT OF DEPARTURE 01A. Challenges & Issues 09 01B. Contextualising the Corridor 12 01C. Intentions 13 01D The Corridors of Freedom & Transit Oriented Development 14 01E The Role of the SAF 18 01F Broad Outcomes 20 01G Approval & Update of the SAF 21 01H Supplementary Studies 21 02. STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT 02A The Study Area 27 02B. Key Issues & Opportunities 29 02C The Role of the Corridor 30 02D. Optimising the BRT 31 02E. Infrastructure. 34 02F Heritage Overview 41 02G The Spatial Economy 45 03. STUDY AREA ASSESSMENT 03A Approach & Strategy 51 03B. Structuring Elements 52 03C. The Framework Plan 65 03D. Development Guidelines 66 04. LOCAL AREA IMPLICATIONS 04A. Defining Local Precincts 83 04B. Anchor Precincts & Building Blocks 84 04C. Priority Interventions 132 05. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 05A. Institutional Mechanisms 137 05B. Developing Strategic Interventions & Key Actions 140 05C. Capital Program 147 05D. Critical Success Factors 150 Strategic Area Framework for the Louis Botha Avenue Development Corridor 6 Section Title 01. POINT OF DEPARTURE A. Challenges & Issues B. Contextualising the Corridors C. Intentions D. The Corridors of Freedom & Transit Oriented Development E. The Role of the SAF F. Broad Outcomes G. Approval and Update of the Strategic Area Framework H. Supplementary Studies 7 Strategic Area Framework for the Louis Botha Avenue Development Corridor 8 Point of Departure 01. POINT OF DEPARTURE 01A Challenges & Issues “…We envisage a Past spatial planning practices The social fabric of families in the future where the city have left Johannesburg with city is compromised as a result of sprawling low-density areas of absent parents, already on their way will consist of well- settlement, lacking viable public to work when their children prepare planned transport transport systems. The majority for school and arrive back at home of working class and poor citizens late, unable to share a family meal, arteries - the “Corri- are still living on the fringes of supervise homework or spend dors of Freedom” – the city, commuting daily, often at quality time with their spouse and considerable cost, long distances children. linked to mixed-use to access work and economic The Corridors of Freedom will usher development nodes opportunities. Private car use a new era of access to opportunity with high density is a significant driver of energy and a choice for residents to work, consumption and greenhouse gas stay and play within the same space accommodation, emissions in the City. without the inconvenience and supported by of- The “Corridors of Freedom” are one high costs of travelling over long of the ways in which the City will distances every day. fice buildings, retail transform entrenched settlement The majority of South Africans have developments and patterns that have kept many been forced by apartheid social opportunities of ed- marginalised communities at the engineering to live on the outskirts outskirts of the City, away from of cities and towns. In terms of ucation, leisure and economic opportunities and access these policies they were temporary recreation….” to jobs and growth. sojourners, fit only to provide cheap Future growth in and around these labour to industry and commerce, corridors is envisaged as medium to unable to share in the fruit of their Extract taken from “Corridors of high-rise residential developments production. Freedom” Re-stitching our city to create a new future” growing around the transit nodes, Although the transition to gradually decreasing in height and democracy in 1994 brought density as it moves further away fundamental changes in political from the core. Social infrastructure, freedom to the majority of South schools, clinics, police stations Africans many of the racially-based and government offices will be settlement patterns remained in strategically located to support the place. growing population. These patterns can change through Such a compact City is energy the development of the corridors efficient, provides residents with of freedom based on an effective greater access, promotes social public transport system and high- cohesion and creates a vibrant density neighbourhoods closer to urban environment. For the average the places of economic opportunity Johannesburg resident, the option giving rise to sustainable human to live in close proximity to public settlements. transport facilities with easy access to the City and to make use of an improved transport system can be a life-changing experience. 9 Strategic Area Framework for the Louis Botha Avenue Development Corridor The National Household Travel The cost of transport will also be Survey (2003) conducted by Stats significantly lowered for many SA found that the average travel residents, leaving households with time between home and work for more money to spend on food, commuters making use of public education, shelter and other basic transport is 59 minutes. necessities of life. The quality of More than 1.3 million South Africans life enjoyed by families will be spend more than two hours a day improved because parents will be travelling to and from their places able to spend more time with their of residence. To this can be added families, sharing experiences and at least 30 minutes per trip spent on supporting their educational and walking towards a station and stop leisure activities. and waiting for the bus or train to The average Johannesburg arrive. resident will in future be able to For the Johannesburg resident work, live, stay and play within living in areas such as Diepsloot, the same geographical space. Orange Farm or Ivory Park, this Neighbourhoods will be supported means waking up before dawn every by social infrastructure – local working day to access transport that shops, local parks, local schools, will take them to working places in local clinics and local police the city or the Northern Suburbs. In stations. Residents will be given a the evening the process is repeated. wider range of choices of housing with a strong emphasis on rental The survey also showed that 16.4% accommodation in well-located and of Gauteng residents spend more managed developments. than 20% of their monthly income on transport. Cutting down on carbon emissions and exhaust fumes will lead The “Corridors of Freedom” are to a cleaner environment and designed to reverse these trends. improvements in the health of Medium- and high density housing the population and the quality will be encouraged next to the of life they enjoy. Johannesburg transport arteries and around the will continue to lead South Africa transport hubs – linking home towards a low-carbon economy – and work. Travel time will be ensuring a sustainable future for all FIGURE 1: significantly reduced because its citizens. Spatial Imbalances of shorter distances and more Underpinning the SAF effective public transport. Marginalised Areas Key Industrial Nodes Key Mixed-Use Nodes 10 Point of Departure A 10% shift of private car users • High-density housing will to public transport for their daily stimulate opportunities for commute will result in an 8% the SMME sector and small- reduction in energy consumption. scale operators in the informal Future planning must address both economy the issues of sustainability and • The environmental impact of inequity. public transport in high-density The most efficient urban form is areas will be significantly compact, mixed land-use with smaller than in the case of low- an extensive public transport density urban sprawl reliant on network that includes high intensity private cars movement corridors and with • Residents will benefit because attractive environments for walking they will not have to spend so and cycling. time and money on transport The development of dedicated • Learners will benefit because transport corridors hold a number they will be closer to school of advantages for Johannesburg: Unemployed people will benefit • The City will focus productive because it will easier to get to land use and economic activities places to look for work in areas where transport • Factories will benefit because infrastructure – both rail and workers