Council Approval :
24 November 2010
Amended Spatial Development Framework (SDF) for the Drakenstein Municipality Amended to incorporate urban edge amendments approved by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009
Amended Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework
Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...... 10
1.1 The Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework ...... 14
1.2 The planning process ...... 14
1.3 The planning program ...... 14
1.4 The aim of the Drakenstein SDF ...... 15
2. Legislative and policy framework ...... 16
3. An overview of the Municipal Area ...... 18
3.1 Natural Environment and attributes ...... 18
3.1.1 Climate ...... 18 3.1.2 Ground cover ...... 18 3.1.3 Natural resources within the Drakenstein Municipality ...... 19 3.2 Socio-economic profile ...... 30
3.2.1 Demographics ...... 31 3.2.2 Economic activity and the labour force ...... 35 3.2.3 Social development and poverty ...... 43 3.2.4 Crime ...... 45 3.2.5 Socio-economic snapshot ...... 46 3.3 Land use and settlement patterns ...... 49
3.3.1 Urban areas ...... 49 3.3.2 Services infrastructure ...... 66 3.3.3 The Rural Areas ...... 78 3.3.4 Land redistribution ...... 83 3.4 Key Issues ...... 84
4. A vision for the spatial development of the Drakenstein Municipality ...... 93
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4.1 Key Priority Areas, Goals and Strategic Guidelines identified through the IDP Process ...... 93
4.2 Strategy formulation ...... 94
4.2.1 Key policies and strategies ...... 97 5. The Drakenstein Municipality Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Management Framework (EMF) ...... 100
5.1 Biodiversity Resources ...... 100
5.2 Water resources ...... 119
5.3 Agricultural resources ...... 119
5.4 Heritage resources ...... 128
5.4.1 Survey of heritage resources ...... 129 5.5 Urban edge ...... 141
6. The Drakenstein Municipality Spatial Development Framework (SDF) ...... 144
6.1 Introduction ...... 144
6.2 Spatial Planning Categories (SPC’s) and land use development informants ...... 144
6.3 Heritage resource management...... 155
6.3.1 Heritage management recommendations ...... 155 6.4 Integration of historically segregated communities ...... 157
6.5 Densification and Urbanisation Strategy for the Drakenstein Municipality ...... 181
6.6 Creating sustainable human settlements ...... 190
6.6.1 Housing projects ...... 193 6.7 Open Space ...... 195
6.8 Economic development ...... 204
6.8.1 Small-scale agricultural development ...... 206
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6.9 Community facilities ...... 207
6.10 Services Infrastructure...... 209
6.10.1 Water Master Planning ...... 209 6.10.2 Sewer Master Planning ...... 211 6.10.3 Electrical Master Planning ...... 212 6.11 Movement (traffic and transport) ...... 213
6.12 Spatial development ...... 215
6.12.1 Paarl/Wellington/Mbekweni ...... 219 6.12.2 Paarl south of the N1, including Simondium ...... 222 6.12.3 Gouda ...... 226 6.12.4 Saron ...... 229 6.12.5 Hermon ...... 229 6.12.6 Windmeul...... 227
6.12.7 Nieuwedrift...... 231
6.12.8 Bainskloof...... 231
6.13 Safety and security ...... 232
6.14 Rural development ...... 239
6.15 Land use management ...... 241
7. Implementation...... 242
8. Development Proposals, Definitions & Explanatory notes………………..242
9. Way forward for review...... 248
ANNEXURES ...... 25553
LIST OF FIGURES
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Figure 1 Drakenstein vs South Africa
Figure 2 District and regional context
Figure 3A Climate conditions (annual maximum temperature)
Figure 3B Climate conditions
Figure 4 Ground cover
Figure 5 Biodiversity priorities for the Drakenstein Municipality
Figure 6 Vegetation types of the Drakenstein Municipality
Figure 7 Income below R800/month by ward
Figure 8 Drakenstein tourism map
Figure 9 Paarl Tourism map
Figure 10 Ward development index
Figure 11 Broad land use categories
Figure 12 Paarl land use
Figure 12A Paarl existing facilities – Map 1
Figure 12B Paarl existing facilities – Map 2
Figure 12C Paarl existing facilities – Map 3
Figure 13 Wellington land use
Figure 13A Wellington existing facilities
Figure 14 Gouda land use
Figure 15 Saron land use
Figure 15A Gouda/Saron existing facilities
Figure 16 Hermon land use
Figure 17 Simondium land use
Figure 18 Windmeul land use
Figure 18A Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul existing facilities
Figure 19 Major transport links
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Figure 20 Public transport facilities : Paarl
Figure 21 Public transport facilities : Wellington
Figure 22 Public transport facilities : Rural areas
Figure 23 Major transport links in the district
Figure 24 Travel to work by ward
Figure 25 Farming areas
Figure 26A Drakenstein environmental map
Figure 26A1 Paarl environmental – Map 1
Figure 26A2 Paarl environmental – Map 2
Figure 26A3 Paarl environmental – Map 3
Figure 26A4 Wellington environmental map
Figure 26A5 Gouda/Saron environmental map
Figure 26A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul environmental map
Figure 27A Drakenstein wetlands map
Figure 27A1 Paarl wetlands – Map 1
Figure 27A2 Paarl wetlands – Map 2
Figure 27A3 Paarl wetlands – Map 3
Figure 27A4 Wellington wetlands map
Figure 27A5 Gouda/Saron wetlands map
Figure 27A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul wetlands map
Figure 28 Nature reserves
Figure 29A Drakenstein agricultural land use
Figure 29A1 Paarl agricultural land use – Map 1
Figure 29A2 Paarl agricultural land use – Map 2
Figure 29A3 Paarl agricultural land use – Map 3
Figure 29A4 Wellington agricultural land use
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Figure 29A5 Gouda/Saron agricultural land use
Figure 29A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul agricultural land use
Figure 30 Drakenstein Heritage map
Figure 31A Drakenstein draft heritage map
Figure 31A1 Paarl heritage – Map 1
Figure 31A2 Paarl heritage – Map 2
Figure 31A3 Paarl heritage – Map 3
Figure 31A4 Wellington heritage map
Figure 31A5 Gouda/Saron heritage map
Figure 31A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul heritage map
Figure 32 Paarl historical area of significance
Figure 33 Saron heritage sites
Figure 34 Broad Spatial planning categories
Figure 35A Urban vacant land - Map 1
Figure 35B Urban vacant land – Map 2
Figure 35C Urban vacant land – Map 3
Figure 35D Urban vacant land – Map 4
Figure 35E Urban vacant land – Map 5
Figure 36A Rural vacant land – Map 1
Figure 36B Rural vacant land – Map 2
Figure 36C Rural vacant land – Map 3
Figure 36D Rural vacant land – Map 4
Figure 36E Rural vacant land – Map 5
Figure 37A1 Paarl Land suitable for residential/industrial development - Map 1
Figure 37A2 Paarl Land suitable for residential/industrial development - Map 2
Figure 37A3 Paarl Land suitable for residential/industrial development - Map 3
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Figure 37A4 Wellington Land suitable for residential/industrial development
Figure 37A5 Gouda/Saron Land suitable for residential/industrial development
Figure 37A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul Land suitable for residential/industrial
Figure 38A1 Paarl urban restructuring – Map 1
Figure 38A2 Paarl urban restructuring – Map 2
Figure 38A3 Paarl urban restructuring – Map 3
Figure 38A4 Wellington urban restructuring
Figure 38A5 Gouda/Saron urban restructuring
Figure 39A1 Paarl new development potential – Map 1
Figure 39A2 Paarl new development potential – Map 2
Figure 39A3 Paarl new development potential – Map 3
Figure 39A4 Wellington new development potential
Figure 39A5 Gouda/Saron new development potential
Figure 39A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul new development potential
Figure 40 Housing projects and pilot projects
Figure 41A Paarl/Wellington open spaces map
Figure 41A1 Paarl open spaces – Map 1
Figure 41A2 Paarl open spaces – Map 2
Figure 41A3 Paarl open spaces – Map 3
Figure 41A4 Wellington open spaces map
Figure 41A5 Gouda/Saron open spaces map
Figure 41A6 Hermon/Simondium/Windmeul open spaces map
Figure 42 Constraints to development
Figure 43 Distinctive elements
Figure 44 Paarl/Mbekweni/Wellington Development Proposals : composite plan
Figure 45 Paarl south of the N1 development proposals
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Figure 46 Simondium development proposals
Figure 47 Gouda development proposals
Figure 48 Saron development proposals
Figure 49 Hermon development proposals
Figure 50 Windmeul development proposals
Figure 51 Nieuwedrift development proposals
Figure 52 Bainskloof
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Amended Spatial Development Framework (SDF) for the Drakenstein Municipality Amended to incorporate urban edge amendments approved by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009
1. Introduction
The Drakenstein Municipality (refer Figure 1) was legally constituted in December 2000 and includes the following areas:
. Paarl; . Mbekweni; . Wellington; . Gouda; . Saron; and . the rural areas adjacent to and between these towns.
The municipality forms part of the Cape Winelands District Municipality (refer Figure 2), which includes the following Category B municipalities:
. Stellenbosch . Drakenstein . Breede Valley . Witzenberg . Breede River/Winelands.
No overarching spatial planning document currently exists for the entire municipal area and Macroplan Town and Regional Planners has been appointed to complete a Spatial Development Framework for the municipality in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998 as amended by the Amendment Act 58 of 1999).
The following existing planning documents for the municipal area or parts thereof are currently in use:
. The Drakenstein Municipal Integrated Development Plan (IDP) 2002/2003 dated May 2002 (approved); . Drakenstein Municipality IDP Review Report dated March 2003 (approved); . Paarl Farms Land Use Management Policy dated October 2002 (draft); . Wellington Urban Structure Plan dated 1988 (approved); . Konsep-Struktuurplan: Noorder-Paarl dated August 1989 (approved); Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. Groot Drakenstein Draft Spatial Plan dated March 2002 (draft); . Windmeul Spatial Development Framework dated May 2001 (approved by Drakenstein Municipality, but not by Western Cape Provincial Government); . Development Plan for Benbernhard Environment (draft); . The Draft Paarl Huguenot Local Structure Plan dated August 1998 (draft); . Saron Structure Plan (approved); . Draft Winelands Integrated Development Framework Spatial Plan, May 2000 (accepted by WDC as input to Boland Municipality SDF); . Cape Metropolitan Area Guide Plan Volume 4: Paarl / Wellington dated 1991 (approved); and . Boland Integrated Development Plan: Spatial Development Framework dated March 2002.
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Due to the relatively local focus of most of these planning documents and the fact that some date back to the late 1980’s this study has relied mostly on the information contained within the two Drakenstein Municipality IDP documents as well as the Boland Spatial Development Framework document. The fact that the Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework is to form an integral part of the IDP is further motivation for this. Cognizance have, however, been taken of the planning proposals emanating from these planning documents in so far as they are aligned to the principles contained in this SDF.
1.1 The Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework
The Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework consists of two component parts:
. a Status Quo Report (Part 1), presenting a broad profile of the municipality; and . a Spatial Planning Document (Part 2), which includes: o an overarching planning document providing principles and strategies for the future spatial development of the municipality, including maps detailing the broad development proposals for the municipality as a whole; and o a series of maps addressing detailed planning issues within each of the component parts of the municipality addressing the priority issues identified during the Integrated Development Planning process.
The Spatial Development Framework will therefore focus on the issues raised during the IDP process, but will also address the long-term spatial development of the municipality as well as issues raised during the course of this planning exercise.
1.2 The planning process
The preparation of the Drakenstein Municipality Spatial Development Framework has been guided by the input of the relevant role-players within the municipal area. These role-players include councilors, IDP committees, organs of civil society, the business community, various state/provincial departments, land owners and others. The SDF constitutes a chapter in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) of the municipality and as such all development aspects raised during the IDP process has been included in so far as they can be addressed spatially. These aspects include, amongst others, housing, infrastructure development, community and health facilities, crime, job creation and tourism.
The SDF has therefore been reliant on the input of the various community and social structures across the municipality, including legally constituted ward committees and the final document reflects the comments and input received through the extensive public participation process. In addition, the SDF has been discussed at Departmental Head level within the municipality to allow for the best possible alignment with other sectoral plans and an integrated approach to development planning processes within the municipality.
1.3 The planning program
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The Spatial Development Framework has been completed over a period of time with the completion of the Status Quo Report (Part 1) as the first phase. This was followed by the preparation of a “broad-brush” overarching spatial framework for the entire municipal area. The final phase involved the development of policies and strategies to address (spatially) the issues identified during the IDP process, supplemented by a series of maps detailing the spatial development of the major urban areas within the municipality.
Public participation and input by IDP structures are considered important components of the process and ample opportunity has been created for this. The Drakenstein Municipality SDF can be approved by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality as it is being prepared as a sectoral plan of the municipal IDP.
1.4 The aim of the Drakenstein SDF
In facing the challenges confronting the municipal area, the primary focus of the Drakenstein Municipality through this Spatial Development Framework (SDF) should be geared towards:
. The alleviation of poverty through the spatial restructuring of the municipality over time and in so doing redress the imbalances created through the system of apartheid; . Reverse the practice of located the poor away from opportunities, facilities and places of employment in dormitory suburbs on the urban fringe; . Increased densities and a compact urban environment that will spread the benefits of urban living to a wider section of the population; . Increased accessibility to existing and new services, infrastructure and opportunities to enhance the overall quality of life of communities; . Providing new and reinforcing existing opportunities for economic development and spreading the benefits thereof to a large majority of the population; . Protection of the natural resource base of the municipality; and . Protection of the agricultural resource base of the municipality.
This SDF aims to give strategic direction to achieving the above on a spatial level and will not attempt to be comprehensive. It is not intended, nor should it be intended, to provide “quick fixes” or solutions to the numerous challenges within the Drakenstein Municipality, but rather to guide municipal decisions with regard to the use of space and its relation to the general well-being of the population.
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2. Legislative and policy framework
Various national and provincial policies and strategies have a bearing on spatial development in the Drakenstein Municipality’s area of jurisdiction. The legislative framework for the SDF is provided for by the Municipal Systems Act, 2000 and the Western Cape’s Land Use Planning Ordinance, 1985 (Ordinance 15 of 1985). Table 1 below lists the various legislative and policy documents considered during the preparation of this SDF.
NATIONAL LEGISLATION/POLICY PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL LEGISLATION/POLICY
Development Facilitation Act, Act 67 of 1995 Western Cape Planning and Development Act, Act 7 of 1999
National Spatial Development Perspective Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (WCPSDF)
Land Use Bill Draft Cape Winelands District Municipality Spatial Development Framework (CWDM SDF)
Housing Act, Act 107 of 1997 Manual for the application of Bioregional Planning in the Western Cape
Rental Housing Act, Act 50 of 1999 Western Cape Provincial Urban Edge Guidelines
White Paper on Local Government, 1998 Guidelines for the Management of Development on Mountains, Hills and Ridges in the Western Cape
National Integrated Rural Development Strategy Policy Guidelines for Golf Course and Polo Field Development in the Western Cape
Rural Development Framework Cape Winelands District Municipality Integrated Development Plan (IDP)
National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), Act Drakenstein Municipality Integrated Development Plan 107 of 1998 (IDP)
National Environmental management: Protected Areas Draft Drakenstein Municipality Housing Strategy Act
White Paper on Environmental Management Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Working Draft)
National Heritage Resources Act Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework
White Paper on Energy Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilization Policy for the drakenstein Municipality
National Water and Sanitation Policy Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge Study
Water Services Act
National Employment Strategy Framework
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Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy
Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000
Human Settlement Policy: Breaking New Ground
Land Reform Act
Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA)
Restitution of Land Act
Table 1: Relevant legislation and policy
Selected planning legislation/policy relevant to this study is discussed in Annexure I: Summaries of Relevant Policies and Legislation.
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3. An overview of the Municipal Area
3.1 Natural Environment and attributes
The Drakenstein Municipality covers an area of approximately 1 538km². It stretches from just south of the N1 freeway including Simondium in the south up to and including Saron in the north. The Klein Drakenstein, Limiet and Saron mountain ranges form its eastern edge and the agricultural areas immediately to the west of the R45 its western border. Paarl and Wellington are the main urban centers in the municipality located in close proximity to the N1 in the south with smaller rural settlements at Saron and Gouda in the north and Hermon in the mid-west.
3.1.1 Climate
The climatic conditions within the municipality can best be described as Mediterranean in nature with its characteristic warm, dry summers and cold to moderate, wet winters. The vast expanse and topographical diversity of the municipal area result in differing weather conditions and patterns between the various “regions” within the municipality (refer Figures 3 and 3A). The climatic conditions are discussed in detail in Chapter 4 under the various farming areas constituting the municipal area.
3.1.2 Ground cover
The ground cover in the Drakenstein Municipality is indicated on Figure 4. The area is characterized by five strong categories of ground cover:
. Shrubland and low Fynbos occurring on the mountain slopes, particularly along the eastern “spine” of the municipality; . Farmland consisting of: . Permanently cultivated commercial dryland; . Permanently cultivated commercial irrigated land; . Temporary cultivated commercial dryland . Degraded unimproved grassland; . Urban built-up land of the major urban areas; and Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. A host of waterbodies, wetlands, rivers and streams
3.1.3 Natural resources within the Drakenstein Municipality1
Drakenstein Municipality is located within an area of both international and national biodiversity significance. Internationally, South Africa is recognized to be the third most biologically diverse country in the world, after Indonesia and Brazil. Within South Africa, the Cape Floristic Region (which stretches from Nieuwoudtville in the west to Port Elizabeth in the east) is one of the richest areas of the world in terms of plant diversity and endemism (approximately 70% of the plants are endemic, meaning that they are found nowhere else on Earth). The Cape Floristic Region was declared a World Heritage Site in June 2004. The Cape Floristic Region World Heritage Site is made up of eight separate protected areas, which together are considered important representative examples of the Cape Floristic Region. This includes the Boland Mountain Complex within Drakenstein Municipality.
Drakenstein Municipality is therefor the custodian of some of the last remaining lowland renosterveld and fynbos habitats. While the mountainous areas are relatively well protected, the river valleys and fertile lowlands are highly threatened by uncontrolled urban and agricultural development. In this fragmented modern landscape, with only limited amounts of natural habitat left, it is crucial that human activities are considered and managed to prevent the further collapse of the unique and irreplaceable biodiversity, and related ecosystem services, within the Drakenstein Municipality.
South Africa's first national assessment of spatial priorities for conservation action, the National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment, was completed in October 2004, led by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. This assessment describes how intact and well functioning terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystems currently are in South Africa, based on four categories:
least threatened (still largely intact); vulnerable (reasonably intact, but nearing the threshold beyond which they will start to lose ecosystem functioning); endangered (have lost significant amounts of their natural habitat, impairing their functioning); and critically endangered (have so little natural habitat left that not only has their functioning been severely impaired, but species associated with the ecosystem are being lost).
1 South African National Biodiversity Institute, SANBI Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable ecosystems may be listed by the Minister or MEC as “threatened ecosystems” in terms of the Biodiversity Act (Chapter 4). In terms of the Act, these ecosystems are subject to special precautions. The National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment found that five percent of South African ecosystems are critically endangered, and that the majority of these (approximately sixty percent) are located in the Western Cape. Drakenstein Municipality is one of five Western Cape municipalities containing the highest number of critically endangered ecosystems (Figure 5: Bio-diversity priorities for the Drakenstein Municipality).
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3.1.3.1 Overview of terrestrial environment2
The Cape Floristic Region in general has a high faunal diversity (more than 560 vertebrate species) in both its terrestrial and aquatic environments, and high levels of unique invertebrates. Over fifty-five percent of the forty-four frog taxa recorded in the Cape Floristic Region are endemic. Two species of tortoises occur almost exclusively within this region. The Cape Floristic Region is also a priority endemic bird area (Birdlife Africa).
Vegetation types (Figure 6) provide a good indication of important areas for biodiversity, because most mammals, birds, insects and other organisms are associated with particular vegetation types.
Fynbos is the dominant vegetation group of the Cape Floristic Region, largely confined to nutrient-poor soils. Unlike mountain (sandstone) fynbos, which is well-conserved in provincial nature reserves and generally not threatened, lowland fynbos is severely threatened in the municipality.
Renosterveld is the other main vegetation group within the Cape Floristic Region. Renosterveld occurs on fertile clay soils where shrubs of the daisy family (including renosterbos) are usually dominant, along with an exceptional diversity of flowering bulb species. It is also one of the most threatened habitats in the Cape Floristic Region and within Drakenstein Municipality. Less than three percent of the original renosterveld remains, with less than one percent currently formally protected. The largest remaining fragment of renosterveld within the municipality is in the Elandsberg Contract Nature Reserve.
Six vegetation types have been mapped as critically endangered within the municipality (SANBI, 2004; Mucina et al, 2004). They are:
. Cape Flats Sand Fynbos; . Elgin Shale Fynbos; . Swartland Alluvium Fynbos; . Swartland Granite Renosterveld; . Swartland Shale Renosterveld; and . Swartland Silcrete Renosterveld.
2 South African National Biodiversity Institute, SANBI, 2004 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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A further three vegetation types have been mapped as endangered. They are Atlantis Sand Fynbos, Boland Granite Fynbos and Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos (SANBI, 2004; Mucina et al, 2004).
Loss and fragmentation of natural habitat severely threatens the integrity of the remaining natural habitat in the municipality. Ecological processes typically only function well where natural vegetation remains, and in particular where the remaining vegetation is well- connected with other nearby patches of natural vegetation.
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3.1.3.2 Description of aquatic environment
South Africa is a water-scarce country with multiple competing demands on our limited water resources. It is projected that South Africa will experience water stress or water scarcity by 2025 under all United Nations population growth projections. The average amount of water available per person per year has been projected to decrease by more than 50% by 2025 as a result of population growth (River Health Programme, 2003).
The condition of our rivers, wetlands and groundwater is also heavily influenced by the way the land is managed throughout entire catchments, for example by agricultural and forestry practices, and infestation by invasive alien plants.
The Berg River system has been identified as one of the most severely threatened river ecosystems in the entire South Africa (SANBI, 2004).
The River Health Programme State-of-Rivers 2004 report on the Berg River system identifies the following issues of concern within the Berg River catchment.
. Farming practices along the river banks have resulted in the removal of natural vegetation. This, in turn, has resulted in eroding river banks causing downstream sedimentation problems in some areas and alien vegetation infestation in other areas; . Farming activities (levees, bulldozing) have destroyed much of the riparian zone of the Berg River mainstem and lower reaches of tributaries that provide shade, shelter and food for fish. . Inappropriate use of fertilizers, pesticides and the transfer of inferior quality water from Theewaterskloof Dam into the Berg River in summer has reduced water quality and negatively impacted indigenous fish. . Excessive water abstraction from certain tributaries (Bosmans, Hugos, Dwars, Vier-en- Twintig) has further reduced habitat quality and fish diversity. . The presence of invasive alien fish has also impacted severely on the indigenous fish populations in the Berg River system. . Alien trees such as black wattle use large amounts of water throughout this catchment. . Water hyacinth reduces habitat and water quality in the lower Berg River. . Major sources of nutrient pollution occur in the Paarl and Wellington areas and are associated with wastewater discharges. . Irrigation return flows are a noted problem particularly downstream of Voelvlei Dam.
Any infrastructure, including buildings and hardened surfaces such as roads and parking lots, built within a river floodplain dramatically increase the likelihood of flooding and damage to property. The City of Cape Town Stormwater Management Guidelines (2002) state that the management of land use, development or activities adjacent to rivers and wetlands is important for the following reasons:
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. It is generally more cost effective in the longer term, to develop in locations that are intrinsically safe from flooding rather than engaging in flood mitigation works to protect such development, which often has to be carried out retrospectively; . Modifications to natural systems require a long-term commitment to the maintenance thereof, particularly as natural processes seek to establish the former status quo; and . Floodplains, wetlands and vleis fulfill important ecological and social functions.
Some wetlands may be seasonal, that is they appear to be wet only at certain times of the year. Seasonal wetland habitats and intermittent drainage lines are particularly vulnerable because they are often not identified as important habitats, especially during the dry season.
3.2 Socio-economic profile
The Drakenstein Municipality is, next to the City of Cape Town, the second-largest municipality in the Western Cape Province and as such is an important entity in the development of the Western Cape Region. This strategic position becomes even more significant when considering the extent of poverty and deprivation that exist side by side with high levels of wealth and abundance reflecting the inequalities caused by the system of apartheid and evident in modern-day South African society.
This section aims to provide a brief socio-economic profile of the Drakenstein Municipality and to provide a social and developmental perspective of the area.
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3.2.1 Demographics
The Drakenstein Municipality is the second-most densely populated municipality in the Boland District Municipality with a population density of 121.0 people per square kilometer (refer Table 2 hereunder) and second only to Stellenbosch Municipality3. According to the Boland Integrated Development Plan: Spatial Development Framework (MCA, March 2002), this is “largely due to their location closer to the Cape Metropolitan Area, in close proximity to the N1 and their relatively diversified economies”. The municipality’s total population of 194 3854 is the highest in the Boland District Municipality and accounts for approximately one third (33%) of the total population of the District.
The municipality is also home to the largest number of households (42 114) in the Boland District Municipality with the resultant pressure on housing provision and municipal and social service delivery.
Population density Municipality Area (km²) Total Population No of households (people/km²) DMA 10 760 6 539 0.6 1 586 Witzenberg 2 851 74 006 26.0 16 124 Drakenstein 1 538 186 159 121.0 42 114 Breede River 3 334 66 604 20.0 16 125 Winelands Stellenbosch 811 103 718 128.0 26 034 Breede Valley 2 995 127 958 43.0 29 213 Boland District 22 289 564 984 25.o 131 196 Municipality Table 2: The Drakenstein Municipality within the Boland District Municipality
(Source: Boland IDP: Spatial Development Framework, MCA, March 2002)
The bulk of the population of the Drakenstein Municipality lives in and around the urban areas of Paarl, Mbekweni, Wellington, Gouda, Saron and Hermon with the rest living on the farms and rural hinterland of the municipal area.
3 Boland Integrated Development Plan: Spatial Development Framework, MCA Planners, March 2002 4 Census 2001 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Paarl is the most populated of the urban areas with a population of approximately 126 000 inhabitants. This is followed by Wellington with around 34 000 people, Gouda with approximately 7 400 and Saron with 5 134 people5.
Drakenstein: Sex by population group Western Cape: Sex by population group 100000 (Census 2001) (Census 2001) 2000000
1000000 total 0 0 Black Coloured Asian White Black Coloured Asian White African African Male Male
Population composition
The Drakenstein population consists mainly of Coloureds (64%), followed by Black Africans (21%) and Whites (15%)6 and differs only slightly from that of the Boland District Municipality where the White population represents 18% of the total population and the African Black population 15%7 (refer Table 3 hereunder).
Total Asian Black Coloured White Other DMA 6 539 4 667 5 179 587 102 Witzenberg 74 006 85 10 001 54 942 8 276 702 Drakenstein 186 159 446 29 263 122 015 31 108 3 327 Breede River /Winelands 66 604 53 7 417 47 226 10 981 927 Stellenbosch 103 718 270 16 305 58 099 26 993 2 051 Breede Valley 127 958 386 20 153 84 251 22 072 1 096 Boland District 564 984 1 244 83 806 371 712 100 017 8 205 Table 3: Boland District Municipality: Population by Population Group
The population of the Drakenstein Municipality is almost equally split between the two gender groups with females only slightly outnumbering males in respect of all population groups.
This gender composition reflects a trend similar to the gender distribution in the Western Cape population.
5 Drakenstein Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003 6 Census 2001 7 Boland Integrated Development Plan: Spatial Development Framework, MCA, March 2002 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The age distribution amongst males in the Drakenstein municipality is indicated below. The economically active age group is the group falling between the two red lines with those outside
of the lines indicating the dependency factor.
The age distribution amongst females in the Drakenstein Municipality reflects a similar tendency to that of their male counterparts.
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The age distribution for all persons within the Drakenstein Municipality is indicated in the Graph below. A significant difference in this graph is the slope of the curves representing the 0 to 19 age group. The previous slopes representing the age distribution amongst the Coloured community showed a flatter profile compared to the Graph below indicating a higher dependency of this age group in the Coloured community on the economically active age group.
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3.2.2 Economic activity and the labour force
The graph alongside indicates the rate of unemployment in the Drakenstein Municipal area. Compared to the other B Municipalities the Drakenstein Municipality has the highest rate of unemployment (23%) in the Boland District Municipality and does not compare favourably with the average rate of unemployment for the District as a whole (14%)8.
Unemployment in the municipality, however, shows a similar tendency to the rate of unemployment in the Western Cape where, according to information made available through Census 2001, the current rate is 26%.
Agriculture and related industry forms the backbone of the Drakenstein municipality’s economy. More than a quarter of workers (27%) are employed in the agricultural sector, 16% in social services, 14% in manufacturing and 12% in trade. As can be expected this reflects a similar trend to the pattern within the Boland District municipality where 34% of workers are employed in the agricultural sector9.
Forty percent (40%) of workers within the municipal area are employed in elementary occupations. Nine percent are employed in crafts and trades, a further 9% as clerks and 8% in the service related category. Only 4% and 5% are employed in the senior management and professional categories respectively.
8 Boland IDP: Spatial Development Framework, MCA, March 2002 9 Boland IDP: Spatial Development Framework, MCA, March 2002 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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People with no income at all make up 2% of the population of the Western Cape as well as that of the Drakenstein Municipality. More than half (52%) of the Drakenstein population earn between R400 and R1 600 per annum, which translates to between roughly R33 and R133 per month. The spatial distribution of income in the Drakenstein Municipality is indicated on Figure 7.
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The agricultural sector
Nearly 25% of the South African agricultural sector’s total gross income is generated in the Western Cape. Although agriculture’s share of the Western Cape’s Gross Regional Product (GRP) is only around 6%, the Western Cape contribution to the national agricultural sector is by far the biggest of the nine provinces10. The diverse climatic conditions and unique topography of the Western Cape provides for numerous opportunities for the cultivation of a wide variety of agricultural products (refer Table 4 below).
Product Percentage of gross value Fruit 20% Winter grain 15% White meat 14% Viticulture 12% Vegetables 12% Red meat 7% Other animal 8% Dairy 6% Eggs 4% Animal fiber 1% Other crops 1% Table 4: Western Cape Agriculture (Source: Sector Fact Sheet: Agriculture, Wesgro, September 2002)
The Western Cape has a strong winegrowing sector boosted by favourable climatic and soil conditions. The province “is home to most of South Africa’s wineries and accounts for 91% of total national production”11. Production is concentrated in the Coastal, Breede River Valley, Olifants River and Klein Karoo regions with the agricultural areas in and around Paarl being second only to Worcester in terms both the number of vines and the total hectares covered by vineyards (refer Table 5).
Wine areas % of total vines % of total hectares Worcester 19.6 16.6 Paarl 17.5 16.5 Stellenbosch 16.4 15.3 Orange River 9.2 14.7 Malmesbury 11.4 13.4 Robertson 13.9 11.7 Olifants River 8.6 8.7 Little Karoo 3.4 3.1 Total 100 100 Table 5: Wine growing areas, 1999 (Source: The Wine Industry in the Western Cape, Wesgro, December 2000)
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Wellington is one of the key towns in the Boland Agricultural belt. The area produces significant amounts of deciduous fruit and wine grapes. The climatic and soil conditions provide for excellent opportunities for the cultivation of particularly apricots, peaches, pears, prunes and guavas. Conditions are also suitable for the cultivation of strawberries, youngberries, cabbages and olives. Some of the largest olive farms in the country are found in the Wellington area.
Whilst agriculture is the single biggest driving force in the Drakenstein economy (it provides for 27% of employment opportunities in the municipality), opportunities still exist for further expansion and investment in:
. wine farms/wineries; . cultivation of table and oil olives; . fruit farming and processing; . expanding dairy production; . extracting oils from herbs and grape seed; . production of organic fertilizers; . bulbs, flowers, seeds and hydroponics; . storage, cooling, drying and packing facilities; . processing of high value niche products; and . road haulage equipment12.
The tourism sector
A 1999 Satour survey of South Africa’s international tourism market has revealed that 58% of all foreign visitors to South Africa visited the Western Cape13. This makes the Western Cape South Africa’s top foreign destination which can, in part, be ascribed to the fact that “8 out of South Africa’s top 10 main attractions” are located within this province14. The Wine Routes of the Western Cape is ranked fourth nationally in popularity after the V & A Waterfront, Table Mountain and Cape Point.
The Western Cape is South Africa’s second highest domestic holiday destination attracting 22% of South Africa’s domestic holiday market. According to Thornton and Feinstein, of the attractions in the region most frequently visited by the rest of South Africa, the wine routes of the Boland proved the most popular (94%). The wine farms, beautiful scenery and mountainous terrain of the Drakenstein Municipality therefore provides for a multitude of opportunities in the tourism industry.
12 Drakenstein: Jewel of Cape Town’s Hinterland, Wesgro, undated 13 Breede River District Council: Tourism Organisational Strategy, Grant Thornton and Kessel Feinstein, May 2000 14 Breede River District Council: Tourism Organisational Strategy, Grant Thornton and Kessel Feinstein, May 2000 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Figures 8 and 9 indicate the major tourist attractions in Wellington and Paarl. Although the tourism industry is fairly well-developed in these two towns, the industry is still very much in the hands of a small minority of the total population. No detailed tourism plan is currently available for the entire municipal area and historically disadvantaged communities do not feature on any of the tourist route maps. Saron, with its wealth of historic buildings and sites, must be marketed aggressively to local as well as foreign tourist as a cultural tourism destination.
The municipality’s location in close proximity to the Cape Metropolitan Area, the rest of the Winelands, the Breede River Valley, the Koue Bokkeveld and the West Coast is considered an advantage in terms of tourism development and opportunities. Together with Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Pniel, Paarl and Wellington forms part of the impressive “Wine Route” experience of the Western Cape. Wellington, Paarl, Mbekweni and Saron are steeped in rich historical and cultural heritage providing the building blocks for an ideal investment opportunity in cultural tourism.
Further investment opportunities within the tourism industry in the Drakenstein Municipality include:
. development of theme resorts; . craft products and retail facilities for tourist travelers; . recreation, “activity” and sports-related facilities; . specialized farm and township tours; . health tourism facilities; . retirement/tourism residential developments; . upgrade of tourism infrastructure; . further accommodation facilities – hotels, guesthouses, backpackers, homestays; and . convention and exhibition facilities15
15 Drakenstein: Jewel of Cape Town’s Hinterland, Wesgro, undated Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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3.2.3 Social development and poverty
The Western Cape is considered to be a “rich” province in the South African context. However, “a vast proportion of its population is living in absolute poverty and displays a level of human development more often associated with the ‘poor’ provinces”16. There are glaring inequalities within the province, especially between racial groups, between the genders and between rural and urban.
A Human Development Index (HDI) is used internationally to measure human development of countries and communities. The index is calculated using life expectancy, literacy and income as indicators. The Sub-Directorate: Social Research and Population Development in the Western Cape has used a composite measure, the Provincial Human Development Index (PHDI) to monitor development and identify priority communities in the Western Cape. Four indicators – income, employment status, literacy and water supply – were used to generate this index. The composite index is the sum of these four indicators with an index of 0 equal to a best case scenario and an index of 1 a worst case scenario. The PHDI attempts to identify communities in terms of their poverty and vulnerability with those high on the list being the most poor and vulnerable. Table 6 below shows how communities within the Drakenstein Municipality are ranked out of a total of 647 communities across the Western Cape.
Rank order Place Name Population Size Provincial HDI 27 Fairyland 3 356 0.545 80 Mbekweni 21 040 0.401 134 Wellington Non-urban 9 856 0.332 173 Paarl Non-urban 38 615 0.289 174 Gouda 1 861 0.287 175 Saron 4 561 0.286 178 Groendal 4 972 0.279 285 Wellington 31 531 0.204 337 Paarl 79 776 0.178 351 Newton 3 837 0.168 477 Parkland 1 591 0.107 Table 6: Provincial Human Development Index (PHDI) ranking of communities in the Drakenstein Municipality (Source: Sub-Directorate: Social Research and Western Cape Population Unit, Western cape Province, November 1999)
The PHDI indicates the relative levels of poverty within the municipality (from the very poor Fairyland to the rich Parkland) as well as the state of communities within the municipality relative to that of the rest of the Western Cape. Fairyland at 27 and Mbekweni at 80 rank amongst the poorest communities in the Western Cape. The inequalities between the various race groups (Fairyland 27, Parkland 477) as well as the urban/rural divide (Wellington and
16 Poverty in the Western Cape, Western Cape Government, November 1999 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Paarl Non-urban areas at 134 and 173 respectively) within the municipality is also highlighted in the rankings. It is also interesting Drakenstein: Levels of education (Census 2001) to note that the two rural settlements, Saron 30000 and Gouda, rank amongst the bottom third of 25000 communities in the Western Cape in respect 20000 of human development. 15000
10000
The series of graphs alongside indicate the 5000 level of access to basic services in the 0 Drakenstein Municipality. The graph indicating Black African Coloured Indian or Asian White No schooling Some primary Complete primary the level of education for the various Some secondary Std 10/Grade 12 Higher population groups and clearly shows that the majority of the Coloured and Black population have only completed some level of secondary education whilst most Whites have achieved Standard 10 or higher education levels.
Whilst most people (70%) live in formal brick houses a total of 16% of the population still reside in informal structures either in an informal settlement or in a backyard.
The vast majority (87%) of the residents in the municipality have access to electricity. Only 8% rely on paraffin and a further 5% on candles for their energy needs.
Eighty-eight percent of residents have access to a flush toilet system, whether connected to a water-borne sewerage system or a septic tank. Of concern, however, is the 8% of the population that have no access to sanitation facilities and or services. This is an even more unacceptable state of affairs when considered in conjunction with the fact that only two-thirds (66%) of residents have access to piped water within their dwellings.
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3.2.4 Crime
Crime and violence is closely associated with high levels of poverty prevalent in historically disadvantaged communities. Extreme levels of violence in urban areas, and more particularly in the former townships, along with a general feeling of insecurity among urban dwellers, rank among the most acute problems post-apartheid South Africa is faced with. There is a host of underlying causes and contributing factors that cannot be addressed by unco-ordinated piecemeal efforts, but rather requires strategic intervention at all levels - government, community, NGO’s and private sector.
The release of crime statistics is controlled on a national ministerial level and specific statistics in respect of the various areas within the municipality were not available at the time of writing of this report. Statistics for the Boland Police Area for the period 1994 to 2001 is contained in Annexure II.
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A comparison of the 1994 to 2001 increase/decrease in the crime ratios (per 100 000 of the population) for the Boland Police Area is given in Annexure III. It is significant to note that although murder and attempted murder have shown a steady decrease over this period, robbery with aggravating circumstances and social fabric crimes (rape, serious assault, common assault) and property related crimes such as residential house breakings and robbery have registered steady increases.
When thinking about reducing levels of violence and crime in a community one needs to distinguish between different types of crime and violence as preventative measures need to be well-targeted. The complexity of the prevalent culture of poverty in combination with high levels of crime and violence makes it difficult do devise appropriate strategies to combat crime. In developing these strategies, however, and more specifically from a spatial development perspective, the following critical issues, amongst others, should be given high priority:
. create local employment opportunities; . create opportunities for vocational training and advice to small-scale entrepreneurs; . supplement income by providing opportunities for gardening/small scale urban agriculture, etc; . create opportunities for meaningful pastime for the youth; . establish multi-purpose recreational facilities; . reduce walking distance to transport facilities such as taxi ranks; . improve visibility on main pedestrian routes; . regulate the operation of shebeens; and . introduce additional police stations.
3.2.5 Socio-economic snapshot
The following socio-economic snapshot of the municipality is made up of extracts from the Final Draft IDP Review Report & Budget 2004/2005 of the Drakenstein Municipality:
“Of all households, a total of 21.9% receives less than R800 per month (average of R5 273 per month income). The racial composition of the population (194 419 in total) is as follows: African – 21%, Coloured – 64%, Indian – 0.3%, Whites 15%. In terms of such racial perspective, there are also notable differences which impacts on life sustenance. The average household income is R5 494, but varies as follows: White – R13 747, Indian – R8 080, Coloured – R3 900, African R1 679. The largest component of unskilled workers is also found in the African group (±60%), followed by the Coloured group (±50%), Indians (±18%), and Whites (±5%). In terms of skilled the Whites and Indians are just under 50%, with the Coloureds approximately 40% and Africans just over 30%. In terms of highly skilled workers the White group is largest at just under 50% followed by the Indian group at just under 40%, Coloureds at approximately 10% and Africans the lowest at approximately 5%. The biggest increase in unemployment is also in the African group at an estimated 15%, followed by Indians at approximately 8%. The percentage of households with no reported income is approximately 25% for African, followed by just under 10% for Indian and Whites and approximately 5% for Coloureds.
From a spatial perspective there are geographic areas of poverty that are largely concentrated in the rural areas and historically non-white urban neighbourhoods (refer
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Figure 10: Ward Development Index). In the urban areas poverty largely corresponds to the former non-white neighbourhoods, black townships and informal settlement areas.
The wards with the highest percentage of households living on a household income of less than R800 per month are as follows (progressively from a high of 48% down to 20%): wards 23, 25, 21, 1, 11, 24, 26, 18, 27, 15, 3, 13, 17, 16. The geographic areas constitute the urban areas of Mbekweni, some areas of Paarl East and Wellington, as well as the rural areas, mainly to the north.
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In terms of a gender perspective, women constitute in many instances the primary member and only breadwinner in single parenthood families with dependant children. With the historic exclusion of women from mainstream economic and social life, as well as such negative influences like violence and abuse, women have limited access to means of basic life sustenance as well as opportunities to better their lives. Their dependant children in effect also suffer from such poverty and also do not have the opportunities …”
“A total of 51% of the population represent women and 49% males. On average women earn higher wages for the income bracket under R800 and less than males per month for the income bracket above R800 per month. The figures for households with a monthly income of less than R800 per month from a gender perspective are as follows:
Male-headed households – 16.89% and average monthly income of R6 077 Female-headed households – 33.78% and average monthly income of R3 278.
The elderly and disabled, as well as youth/children, are in many instances experiencing low standards of life with little prospects to change their circumstances due to limited means and/or their inability to access normal economic and social life.
A total of 28% of the population represents children under the age of 14 years. A total of 7 204 children are on the School Feeding Scheme with Voor Groeneberg, Bergrivier NGK, Kersboslaagte SSKV, Blouvlei and Groenberg NGK the most notable numbers. The total number of Foster Care and Child Support grants by the Department of Social Services (October 2003) amounts to 548 and 8 835 respectively.
A total of 4% of the population represents elderly citizens over the age of 65 years. The total amount of elderly who receive grant payments from the Department of Social Services (October 2003) amounts to 4 601. The total number of people with disabilities who receive grant payments from the department (October 2003) amounts to 4 239”.
3.3 Land use and settlement patterns
The broad land use pattern within the municipality is indicated on Figure 11. Commercially cultivated agricultural land represents the majority land use occurring mainly in the central and western regions of the municipality with the eastern areas characterized by mountain ranges forming a spine along the municipality’s eastern edge. Urban development occurs intermittently along the central areas from north to south with the highest concentration in the central southern regions in close proximity to the N1 at Paarl and Wellington.
3.3.1 Urban areas
Urban development in the Drakenstein Municipality occurs at:
. Paarl; . Wellington; . Gouda; . Saron; and . Hermon.
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The overall spatial structure of the various towns reflects the apartheid policies of the previous government. Characteristic of all towns is the racial and socio-economic divide, giving rise to a distorted land use pattern, inward-looking residential neighbourhoods and a divided and potentially polarized community.
3.3.1.1 Paarl
Paarl is the economic and administrative hub of the municipality. It is also the largest town and home to the seat of municipal power. The town is well-located next to the N1 National Road providing easy access to the lucrative markets of the Cape Metropolitan Area to the south-west and those to the north. It is a mere 60km from Central Cape Town with access to Cape Town International Airport and Cape Town Harbour.
The town is wedged between the Lemiet and Paarlberg Mountains to the east and west respectively with the Berg River running centrally through the town from south to north. It is this Berg River, together with the railway line running parallel to it, that has been used effectively as a barrier to divide the community along racial and class lines. Three distinct residential zones can be identified with Paarl West (containing the Paarl North and South communities) providing for low-density high-income residential areas representing the historically white suburbs of town (Figure 12: Paarl land use). Historically disadvantaged communities reside in the higher density middle to low-income areas to the east of the Berg River with Mbekweni, a Black African township located in the north-eastern portion of town. The bulk of Paarl’s population is therefore resident in the eastern portion of the town.
Residential development represents the major land use in the town with business uses concentrated along Lady Grey Street and Main Road in Paarl West. Business development in the historically disadvantaged areas is low key and the business areas at Klein Drakenstein and Huguenot Station appears depressed and neglected in comparison to the booming business areas of Paarl West. In Mbekweni formal business development is even more limited. Major industrial activities in Paarl are confined to the area between the Berg River and Jan van Riebeeck Drive with the main industrial area at Dal Josafat where large tracts of undeveloped land indicate an oversupply of land for industrial purposes.
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A social assessment of Paarl completed as part of the Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003 dated 28 May 2002, reveals the following:
Facility/Service Paarl West Paarl East Mbekweni Total Library 1 1 1 3 Post Office 1 1 1 3 Community Hall 5 Religious Denom. 58 Museum 3 3 Gallery 6 6 Sports field 7 Sports club Approx 50 Sport stadium 3 Golf course 1 1 Swimming pool 3 Hospital 2 Clinic 6 Educare/Preprimary 68 College 2 Primary School 28 Secondary School 12 Police Station 1 1 1 3 CPF 1 1 1 3 Bus transport 15% of pop Minibus taxi 30% of pop Private transport 40% of pop Train 30 000 people/d Unemployment 21.5%
Seventy percent of all residents in Paarl and Mbekweni have a telephone and 100% of all residents have access to a telephone within 5km of their place of residence. Criminal activity includes gang-related violence and rape, robberies and break-ins and ninety percent of all crime in Paarl is perpetrated by youths. Three informal settlements exist at Mbekweni, Fairyland and on Drommedaris Road west of Huguenot.
TABLE 7: Paarl Social Assessment (Source: Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003)
3.3.1.2 Wellington
Wellington is the second largest town in the municipality and situated just to the north of Paarl. The town is, similarly to Paarl, divided along racial lines and consists of five distinct residential areas – Berg-en-Dal in the north, Ranzadale and Uitsig in the east, the central areas of Highfield, Ou Dorp and Onverwacht, with Hillcrest, Weltevrede, Van Wyksvlei, Newton-west, Carterville and OR Tambo in the south and Newton in the south-east. Forty-one percent of the town is currently zoned for residential purposes and consists of approximately 6 900 residential plots (Figure 13: Wellington land use).
The town, located a mere 70km from the Cape Metropolitan Area, is part of an excellent road and rail network, including the N1 National Road which is easily accessible via the R44 and Jan van Riebeeck Drive. The town is centrally located in one of the most productive agricultural belts in the Western Cape with excellent opportunities in the vine, fruit and vegetable and leather industries.
Wellington is laid out in a typical grid pattern with low density middle to high income residential development located in the northern section of the town around the historical core or “Ou Dorp”. This northern section of town also represents the historically white
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residential suburbs. Middle to low higher density residential suburbs are located in the southern section of town in close proximity to Paarl and Mbekweni. Wellington’s economic activity is concentrated mainly in its Central Business District located in the Ou Dorp mainly along Church Street and Van Riebeeck Drive. Little or no formal business development is located in the historically disadvantaged southern portions of town.
Industrial development, mostly linked to the agricultural sector is located along the R44 linking Wellington with the northern areas of the municipality and Ceres in the north and the N1 in the south. Phase 1 of the Wellington Local Industrial park has recently been developed on a 46 hectare industrial site. Twenty-two erven averaging 1 500 to 5 000 square meters have been fully serviced and industries already established or committed include:
. Wood processing firm; . Large transportation contractor; . Distribution depots; . Cooling storage; and . Fruit and vegetable juice factory.
The Wellington Social Assessment completed as part of the Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan is summarized in the Table (Table 8) hereunder.
Total Population Approx 34 000 Number of households Approx 7 700 Average household size 4.42 Clinic 4 Library 2 Place of worship 25 Crèche 9 Primary School 7 High School 3 Special School 1 Sports facility 2 Cemetery 3 (2 full) Community Hall 2 Meeting Venue 21 Households in temporary structures 1 869 Housing waiting list 3 254 Unemployment 15.1% Developed park 26
A quarter (25%) of all births in 1997 by unmarried teenage mothers and almost half (49%) of all births over the past 10 years out of wedlock. Three gangs are active in the town and the influence of discos, game centers and idleness on morality and youth development is a priority social issue.
TABLE 8: Wellington Social Assessment (Source: Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003)
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3.3.1.3 Gouda
Gouda is a predominantly residential rural town situated alongside the R44 between Wellington and Ceres (Figure 14: Gouda land use). The town is typical of rural towns in the Boland region established in support of the agricultural activities in the surrounding area.
Even here the policies of segregation have left their mark as the approximately 450 residential properties are divided along racial lines by the main road linking the town with Saron and Porterville to the north. The historically Coloured eastern portion of the town is characterized by two distinct residential areas – a southern low density area and a northern higher density area dominated by low-income subsidized housing development.
Business development in the eastern portion of town is non-existent with the only economic activity a fruit storage and packaging facility, five shopping facilities and a hotel located in the western portion of town. The town is home to some 7 400 people and the average annual population growth is 7.8%. The Drakenstein Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003 attributes this high growth rate (nationally averaging around 2%) to, amongst others, the completion of various housing projects over the past number of years as well as an influx of job seekers from the surrounding farming areas.
3.3.1.4 Saron
Saron is a historically Coloured Settlement Area. The town, steeped in history, is located at the foot of the Saron Mountains and consists of 1 266 erven of which 920 are zoned for residential purposes. Three distinct residential areas are identifiable (Figure 15: Saron land use). A low density middle to high income residential area is located at the entrance and to the north of the only entrance road into town. The older residential area is located in the north-eastern portion of the town with the latest addition, a subsidized residential development of some 600 housing units, located to the south-east.
A number of historically significant buildings and sites are scattered over the older core area of the town and a holiday resort with accommodation facilities is located at the entrance. Industrial development is non-existent and the business development is limited to eight general dealers spread across the town. The Table hereunder represents the results of the Saron social assessment completed as part of the Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003.
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Population 5 134 Average household size 4.9 Library 1 Post Office 1 Sports field 1 High School 1 Primary School 1 Police Station 1 Clinic 1 Church 3 buildings
Sixty percent of the population has only passed Standard 6 or lower. Eighteen organizations are active in the community indicating a high level of involvement in community affairs. No formally developed parks exist, but vacant land is available for this purpose.
TABLE 9: Saron social assessment (Source: Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003)
3.3.1.5 Hermon
Hermon is located to the west of the R44 between Wellington and Gouda and consists of a number of residential properties, two primary schools, two churches, a post office, a hotel, a shop and a filling station (Figure 16: Hermon land use).
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3.3.2 Services infrastructure
The following Table (Table 10) presents a summary of the infrastructure assessment completed as part of the preparation of the Drakenstein Municipality: Integrated Development Plan 2002/2003.
Paarl Wellington Gouda Hermon Saron Rural Water Wemmershoek Two main Provided by Main source: Dam is main sources: West Coast Leeuwen source (90% of Wemmershoek District River demand) Withoogte Council All 10% from All All households Nantes and communities households have access Bethel dams have access to have access to potable 14 reservoirs potable water to potable water 8 pump in dwellings water inside Water stations dwellings demand All legal extremely communities high due to have access at vegetable home except gardening parts of Fairyland & “It can be Mbekweni (795 accepted households use that all communal services are taps) inadequate Sewage Paarl Works All households All All in most of the being (with few households households rural area. upgraded to exceptions) have access have access There are provide have access to to to limited public capacity until waterborne waterborne waterborne transport 2010 sewerage system sewerage modes and Also serves rural Carterville (120 237 not linked the vast subregions households) to system, majority of (trucked use bucket use bucket workers sewage) Smallholdings, commute to All households farms use and from the have access to soakaway workplace water-borne Current intake on foot”. sewage works 400 households insufficient in need Roads 337km tarred 127km tarred 6km tarred 1km tarred 5km tarred 15km gravel 7km gravel 6km gravel 1.5km gravel 18km gravel stormwater Large areas system experience insufficient in inefficient some areas stormwater drainage Refuse 14 000 bins 7700 Household Removed Household removal serviced once residences waste once per waste per week & serviced once removed week removed 4000 twice per per week once per once per week 90 businesses week week 1316 serviced 2 to 3 households times per week without service
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Table 10: A summary of infrastructural development in the Drakenstein Municipality (Source: Drakenstein Municipality: IDP 2002/2003)
The Wemmershoek Dam (belonging to the City of Cape Town) is the Drakenstein Municipality’s biggest supplier of water (MEGA et al, 2008). It is, however, the intention of the municipality to reduce its dependence on external water sources through “greater use of the mountain water”17 and expanding the Antoniesvlei scheme, supplemented Berg River water.
According to the Environmental Management Framework (EMF) for the Drakenstein Municipality, “lack of services has been found to be a significant contributor to pollution of the Berg River”. Specific areas that are over-populated and under-serviced include:
. Mbekweni; . Oliver Tambo and Newton; . Fairyland; . New Orleans; . Klein Nederburg; . Klein Drakenstein; and . Zakwaziwana (MEGA et al, 2008).
Roads and transportation
The Drakenstein Municipality has a well-developed road infrastructure (refer Figure 19):
. The N1 National Road cuts across the municipality from east to west in its southern regions providing easy access to the Cape Metropolitan area to the west and Worcester and the northern provinces to the east; . The R44 runs north-south along the length of the municipality on its western side connecting the all the major urban areas (Saron, Gouda and Hermon to the north and Wellington, Mbekweni and Paarl in the central and southern areas) in the municipality to each other. This road also connects the municipality with its neighbours the municipalities of Bergrivier to the north, Witzenberg to the north-east and Stellenbosch to the south; . Paarl Main Road runs north-south through the center of the most urbanized area in the municipality (Paarl) and becomes the R45 connecting the town to Malmesbury in the north-west and Franschhoek and Stellenbosch in the south; . The R310, Jan van Riebeeck Drive connects the urban areas of Wellington, Mbekweni and Paarl and provides an additional road link to Franschhoek; and
17 Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Draft Working Document), MEGA, December 2008 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. In addition to this the municipality is the gateway to some of the best scenic routes/mountain passes in the Boland providing tourist links to Ceres, Tulbagh and Wolseley (Bainskloof Pass and Nuwekloof Pass), Stellenbosch (Helshoogte) and Worcester and beyond (Du Toitskloof Pass).
This system of roads therefore provides good connectivity between the municipality (and especially its main urban center of Paarl-Wellington-Mbekweni) and the towns of:
. Ceres, Tulbagh and Wolseley in the Witzenberg Municipality; . Porterville and Piketberg in the Bergrivier Municipality; . Stellenbosch and Franschhoek in the Stellenbosch Municipality; . Malmesbury; . Durbanville and the City of Cape Town; and . Worcester.
Paarl-Wellington-Mbekweni has a well-developed sophisticated internal road network providing for good vehicular access to its many urban facilities and opportunities. This road network supports a road-based public transport system dominated by mini-bus taxis providing an internal as well as external service, connecting the towns with the rural settlements (Figures 20, 21, 22, and 23).
The railway line providing for a rail-based passenger service runs through the length of the municipality in a north-south direction with stations located at:
. Paarl; . Hugenot; . Mbekweni; . Dal Josafat; and . Wellington in the urban center of Paarl-Wellington-Mbekweni and . Malan; . Soetendal; . Hermon; and . Gouda in the rural areas.
Although the railway line passes the town of Saron to its west en route to Porterville, there is no station or direct rail link with the town. The most common mode of transport to travel to and from work in the Drakenstein Municipality is indicated spatially on Figure 14.
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3.3.3 The Rural Areas
The Drakenstein Municipality has an extensive rural component with vast expanses of agricultural land covering the majority of the municipal area from Simondium in the south to Saron in the north. The rural areas with its scenic beauty and world-renowned wine farms and wine route do not only provide for extensive and intensive agricultural activities but also a host of tourism related opportunities. Significant topographical and climatological variations occur within the rural areas and eight distinct farming areas within the municipality (refer Figure 25) have been identified by the Department of Agriculture18:
. Agter Paarl . Bergrivier/Paarl . Drakenstein/Groenberg . Franschhoek/Simonsberg . Hermon/Gouda . Vier-en-twintig Riviere
3.3.3.1 Franschhoek/Simonsberg Farming Area
It is only the southern-most portions of the municipality between the N1 and the southern boundary that fall within the Franschhoek/Simonsberg Farming Area. The area is divided into two production areas, La Motte and Simonsberg, on the basis of topographical, soil and climatological differences. The variety of topographical conditions causes variations in the climate across the area and is especially evident in the rainfall patterns. Average rainfall varies from exceptionally good along the mountain ranges in the south to poor in the north- western portions. More than 60% of the average annual rainfall recorded occurs between May and August which means that even in the dry north-westerly regions the winter rainfall is intense. Summer temperatures follow a similar pattern ranging from mild on the slopes of the mountains in the Franschhoek Valley to high in the north-west. Heat waves are a common occurrence and maximum temperatures above 34 degrees are measured three to four times per month in some areas in the Franschhoek Valley. Winter temperatures, on the contrary, are generally mild throughout the farming area.
18 Boland Substreek Ontwikkelingsprogram, Elsenburg Landbou-ontwikkelingsinstituut, 1990 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The area is known for its variety of agricultural products. Measured in terms of area of cultivated land, the most important produce are wine grapes, prunes, peaches for canning, pears and citrus fruit. In most cases wine grapes and fruit are cultivated in combination with large wine estates occurring in the Groot-Drakenstein and Simondium areas. Natural grazing is not considered to be of economic importance in this farming area.
3.3.3.2 Drakenstein/Groenberg Farming Area
This farming area covers the western slopes of the Klein-Drakenstein, Hawequa and Limiet Mountains up to the Limiet River in the north. It consists of two production areas, Klein- Drakenstein and Groenberg, totaling an area of approximately 14 300 hectares. Average annual rainfall drops significantly from very good on the mountain slopes in the east (Welvanpas, 800mm) and south-east to poor in the western portions (Landau, 500mm) of the farming area. Summer temperatures significantly high (above 34 degrees five to six times per month) to the extent that the climate is sometimes not suitable for the production of premium wine grape cultivars. South-easterly (summer) and north-westerly (winter) winds occurring generally across the area is a significant characteristic of climatic conditions in the area with the former being more devastating to crops. Some farms are more exposed to these wind conditions and in some cases crop damage of 50% or more is caused in this manner every five to six years.
The production of wine grapes (main cultivars Chenin Blanc, Cinsaut, Colombar and Riesling) is the most important agricultural activity in the area with guavas, table grapes, prunes and citrus fruit being the most important supplementary products. Natural grazing is not considered to be of economic importance in this farming area.
3.3.3.3 Bergrivier/Paarl Farming Area
This farming area covers the agricultural land on both sides of the Berg River from the N1 National Road in the south up to the farm Majuba in the north and covers an area of approximately 17 800 hectares.
Average annual rainfall is considered to be average to low with the exception of the mountainous areas. More than 65% of the annual rainfall occurs between May and August. High summer temperatures (above 34 degrees on average seven to eight days per month) create unfavourable conditions for the production of premium wine cultivars whilst mild winter temperatures exclude the production of some deciduous fruit requiring certain low level temperatures. The Berg River is the main source of irrigation water for farms along its banks and provides sufficient amounts of water throughout the summer for intensive irrigation. The availability and quality of irrigation water in this farming area is considered to be favourable.
The most important agricultural products in the area are table and wine grapes. Small amounts of prunes, desert and canning peaches and pears are also produced. Strawberries and melon for export are produced in limited amounts during the early stages of vineyard establishment. Natural grazing is not considered of economic importance in this farming area.
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3.3.3.4 Agter-Paarl/Paardeberg Farming Area
The Agter-Paarl/Paardeberg Farming Area stretches from Simondium in the south, between the Paarl Mountain in the east and the Paarl Magisterial District boundary in the west up to the Berg River in the north-east. The farming area covers a total of 15 812 hectares of land.
A characteristic of the region is its relatively moderate climate promoted by a regular afternoon sea breeze. Average annual rainfall varies from moderate to poor with low summer rainfalls and more than 60% occurring between May and August. Periodic droughts occur during the winter growing season for grain and have a limiting effect on harvests. Summer temperatures are sometimes high and increase from south to north. Heat waves occur during summer and the mild winter temperatures exclude the production of some deciduous fruits. Although the area sometimes experiences windy conditions, damage to crops as a result thereof is limited.
Wheat production together with dry land grazing and its associated livestock farming are the most important agricultural activities in the area. The production of wine grapes is an important supplementary activity on most farms whilst some deciduous fruit, nuts and even citrus fruit is produced where adequate amounts of water is available. Natural grazing is not of economic importance for this farming area.
3.3.3.5 Hermon/Gouda Farming Area
The Hermon/Gouda farming area stretches from the Lemiet River in the south to just north of Saron in the north with the Berg River forming its western boundary and the Elandskloof, Voëlvlei, Obikwa and Saron Mountain ranges the eastern boundary. The area covers a total of 42 741 hectares of land.
Average annual rainfall in the area decreases rapidly from moderate along the slopes of the mountains forming the eastern boundary to poor in the west. Rainfall is concentrated in the winter months, creating perfect conditions for the production of winter grain. Periodic droughts during the rain season, however, present an important risk factor. Summer temperatures are generally very high and together with strong south-easterly winds have a severely limiting effect on the production of summer crops.
The relatively small pockets of natural grazing in the area are not utilized to a significant extent and are therefore not considered to be of economic importance for the farming area. The most important produce is wheat with wine grapes produced under irrigation along the Berg River and irrigated grazing for sheep farming where water is available. Major agricultural problem areas include the small farming units impacting negatively on economic viability and the limiting effect of the strong south-easter.
3.3.3.6 Vier-en-twintig Riviere Farming Area
This farming area is located on both sides of the Vier-en-twintig Riviere River and stretches from the Saron Mountains in the east up to the confluence of the Berg and Vier-en-twintig Riviere Rivers.
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farming patterns between the two areas. Average annual rainfall is moderate to poor and the production of summer crops is only possible because irrigation water is available. The dry summers are very favourable for table grape cultivars whilst the moderate frost-free winters and high spring temperatures are important conditions for vegetable and fruit production. Summer temperatures are very high with strong southerly winds necessitating protective measures for summer crops.
The most important products of the farming area are wine and table grapes and vegetables. The early export market is an important target of grape farmers and the cultivars Alphonse Lavallee en Sultana are sought-after products on the international market. The area is also known for its large-scale production of tomatoes, green beans and squash and other vegetables. Natural grazing is of no economic importance for this farming area.
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3.3.4 Land redistribution
The Land Reform (Labour Tenants) Act, the Extension of Security of Tenure Act and the Restitution of Land Act aim to improve certain landless persons’ tenure insecurities. The Restitution process aims to restore peoples’ tenure rights they lost due to apartheid legislation. “Land reform encompasses three distinct components, namely the restitution, tenure reform and the redistribution programs. The redistribution program, in turn, has different components or ‘sub-programs’:
. Agricultural Development – to make land available to people for agricultural purposes . Settlement – to provide people land for settlement purposes, and . Non-agricultural Enterprises – to provide people land for non-agricultural enterprises, for example eco-tourism projects” (Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Affairs).
The Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) sub-program aims to provide grants to black South African Citizens to access land specifically for agricultural purposes in two distinct ways:
. The transfer of agricultural land to specific individuals or groups and . Commonage projects which aim to improve peoples’ access to municipal and tribal land primarily for grazing purposes.
The District Office of the Department of Land Affairs responsible for processing applications in the Drakenstein Municipal Area is located in Cape Town and is currently dealing with projects at various stages of implementation (refer Table 10 hereunder). The projects involve a total of 468 beneficiaries and at least 47.37 hectares of land.
Project Name Location Property description
LRAD Projects Carterville Tuinier Vereniging Wellington None Cornelissen/Booysen/Pretorius Wellington 159 CD Farming Ballingbrook Farm, Agter- Groenberg De Hoop Wellington None Deugsame Vrou Wellington None Edenhof Paarl None Filander & Morkel Paarl Ptn 1 Nooitgedacht 1236 Hawequa Small Scale Farmers Trust Paarl Dal Josafat Forest Reserve no 582 Jafta Boerdery Wellington None Jimmy Goldstein Unknown None Klein Begin Wellington None Klein Eikeboom Wellington Klein Eikeboom no 1266 Lawrence Holdings Paarl Vredebest Farms (Pty) Ltd Linville Trust Paarl Ptn 2 of Sandkliphoogte no 835 Modesto Boerdery (Pty) Ltd Wellington Ptn 16 ptn of ptn 15 of Zeekoeigat no 80 Mbekweni Boere Paarl None Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Project Name Location Property description
New SA Wineworkers Trust Paarl Rem of Farm no 455 Bellevue Nooitgedacht Farmworkers’ Trust Paarl Nooitgedacht Rennies Farms Werkersgroep Paarl Rem Ptn of Fraaigelegen of Farm Malandene Unlimited Olive Peoples Trust Paarl Cape Olive Trust erven 591, 2594, 597, 599, 1409, 1543, 154, 51 Vendome Verpakkingsaanleg Paarl Ptn of Rem of Boplaas no 396 Well Delivered Farm Projects: Eden Rose Wellington Eden Rose on the Farm De Hoop Nursery Well Delivered Farm Projects: Limietriver Farm Wellington Limietrivier Farm, Wellington Wellington Small Farmers’ Buchu Project Wellington Ptn 6 of Farm 292 Klein Antoniesvlei Housing Projects Khula Boerdery Wellington Fresno Farming Ptn 17, Ptn of Ptn 15 of the Farm Burgersdrift no 40 Rosendal Poultry Paarl Amstelhof Stellenpark Housing Paarl Ptn 2 of Farm 914, Ptn 2, 3 of Farm 914, Farm 1233 Simondium Table 10: Land Redistribution Applications lodged with the Department of Land Affairs, Cape Town Office (Source: Department of Land Affairs, Cape Town)
3.4 Key Issues
Key planning issues in the Drakenstein Municipality can be summarized as follows:
The natural environment (environmental sustainability) – urban expansion and the effects of agricultural development has placed the natural and heritage resources in the municipality under threat.
Large scale, low density developments on the urban fringe puts pressure on environmental sustainability. Identify indicators for monitoring of environmental quality which will assist in evaluation of future development options. In the meantime, exercise a precautionary approach with regard to further large-scale developments. The pressure of continued urban and population growth – it is estimated that the Drakenstein Municipality will needed to provide 8 440 – 10 200 housing units in the period 2001 to 2011 to deal with its current backlog in the provision of housing. This pressure is most severe in the urban area of Paarl/Wellington/Mbekweni but the rural towns such as Gouda and Saron have also not escaped this phenomenon of rapid urbanization.
The challenge is to provide for the housing needs of a growing population in sustainable human settlements which provides a range of housing options, without perpetuating urban sprawl, while at the same time retaining a human scale to development which will not undermine the attractiveness of the Drakenstein municipal area Services infrastructure – bulk services infrastructure in the main urban areas, particularly Paarl/Wellington/Mbekweni has reached capacity and is hampering the ability of the Drakenstein Municipality to attract much needed investment. New projects and new development initiatives are under threat as a result of this infrastructural backlog.
Municipal infrastructural service provision is reaching critical levels in some areas within the municipality. Future infrastructure spending should focus, at least in the short to medium term, on upgrading existing services
Pressure on agricultural land – valuable agricultural land is under threat from low density residential developments with a preference for the tranquillity of the rural/agricultural areas.
Unsustainable spatial growth patterns – the Drakenstein Municipality has seen a pattern of low-density sprawl development over the recent past particularly in the areas to the south of
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the N1. This, coupled with limited access by poor communities to economic and social opportunities has resulted in a spatial structure that could prove to be unsustainable in the long run.
Quality living environments – social facilities and recreational and leisure opportunities are poorly distributed with disadvantaged communities being located in areas with the least favourable amenity value.
Economic deprivation – large sections of the population have limited access to economic and income-generating opportunities in both the formal and informal sector. Minimal opportunities for small-scale farmers and the uneven spread of the benefits of the tourism industry have limited the impact of the agricultural and tourism sectors on the economic disposition of disadvantaged communities.
How to best serve and address the needs of its residents, and especially the poorest and previously disadvantaged sectors of the community in a manner which is affordable, equitable and just
Planning issues as identified through the Drakenstein Municipality IDP process as well as during the course of the development of this SDF are listed in the tables below.
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
Spatial development Threat to valuable All areas Delineate and enforce urban edge . Shift emphasis from mobility to agricultural land maximizing access; . Non-motorised modes of transport Urban sprawl Paarl/Wellington/ Delineate and enforce urban edge . Integration of different modes of movement Mbekweni Consider higher density residential . Maximize the use of the existing development railway infrastructure to increase choice; . Creating new and maximizing Infill opportunities existing opportunities along high movement routes Urban Paarl/Wellington/ Identify areas for urban renewal . DFA principles degeneration, loss Mbekweni projects . WCPDA principles of image
Spatial All areas Infill opportunities segregation and mono- Mixed use development along functionality major routes
Unsustainable low Paarl south of N1 Redirect development densities Infill projects in Paarl/Wellington urban areas
Poorly defined All areas Consider agri-suburbs rural/urban interface Appropriate fringe land uses
Inward-looking Paarl/Wellington/Mb Use major routes as “gateways” neighbourhoods ekweni Residential development to face onto major routes
Poor accessibility Historically Identify areas of need to disadvantaged facilities/services areas Identify land for community facilities
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
Pressure of All rural areas See “conservation” below agricultural development on conservation areas
Economic development & Sustained All areas Develop Economic Development . Support small business initiatives job creation economic growth Strategy . Public works programs . Urban regeneration . Strategic sites for high intensity Unsustainable Provide specific guidelines for the mixed use development non-viable subdivision of agricultural land . Proximity of development to poor farming units communities . New developments must not negate viability of existing CBD’s Segregation of Urban areas Integrate public transportation etc uses increases modes . Promote informal trading activity need for and where appropriate extent of Mixed use development at . Promote skills development movement strategic locations (most accessible initiatives points)
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
Lack of formal All areas Develop Economic Development economic Strategy development opportunities in Identify land for local economic historically development initiatives disadvantaged communities Plan and use all vacant and under- utilized land and promote its development for the most urgent land use requirements Allow use of residential and agricultural premises for occupational practice, business and tourism uses that do not create nuisances in identified special areas without the need for land use applications
Poor/lack of Urban areas Identify informal trading areas informal trading infrastructure Identify land for infrastructure development
Set up frameworks for the use of public land by communities in the creation of jobs
Unbalanced All areas Identify tourism opportunities in spread of the historically disadvantaged areas benefits of tourism Identify land for tourism industry infrastructure development
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
Lack of tourism Historically See above infrastrucure disadvantaged areas
Full tourism Historically Identify eco-tourism, agri-tourism potential not disadvantaged and cultural tourism opprtunities exploited areas
Access to land for All areas Identify land for land reform agricultural projects opportunities for small farmers
Agricultural All areas Explore need for cooling facilities, support services processing plants, haulage and industry infrastructure opportunities not fully exploited Identify suitable land
Housing Provision High demand for Highest in urban Incorporate results of land audit . Location low-income areas of study and identify most suitable . No dormitory suburbs (“quick housing Paarl/Wellington land for residential development fixes”) development . Densification . Co-ordinated public sector Increased Highest in urban Explore improved rural intervention pressure through areas of infrastructure provision . Choice rural/urban Paarl/Wellington . Justness and Transparency migration Identify land for health and other . Partnerships social facilities . Affordability . Feasibility
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
Limited tenure Rural areas Demarcate land for possible LRAD . Integration rights of rural projects and agri-village . Sustainability population development; . Environmental conservation . Cost effectiveness Conduct in-depth survey to determine exact demand;
Develop housing implementation strategy and program
Infrastructure/services Low level/lack of Historically services in poor disadvantaged communities areas
New Urban fringe Provide clear guidelines on land development use management, especially in the trends impact urban fringe area (negatively) on service provision / infrastructure
Limited public Rural areas Develop Rural Service Centers at transport facilities appropriate locations
Inadequate road Saron, informal areas infrastructure
Social facilities Concentration of All areas Cluster facilities along major routes . Contribute to the creation of facilities away community cohesion and sense of from poor Identify strategic land for facilities place communities development . Accessible to greatest amount of users Infill development . Shared facilities . Multi-functionality
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
Lack of facilities in Rural areas Explore rural public transportation . Contribute to the creation of rural areas system outwardly orientated communities
Identify land for rural facilities development
Lack of access to Rural areas Explore rural public transportation urban system opportunities and facilities by rural based communities
Lack of facilities in Urban areas/ highest Identify land for facilities informal/poor in Paarl/Wellington development communities Cluster facilities at most accessible points
Infill residential development
Conservation Pressure on nature South of N1 Develop clear guidelines for land . Minimal intervention areas from low particularly use management in the urban . Respect for all cultures and density up-market fringe periods development . Celebrate diversity (golf estates, etc) . Recognition of the roles of various activities (agriculture, etc) Pressure on nature All rural areas Identify priority nature areas for . Protect quality and ambience of areas from protection towns and areas agricultural . Individual rights to access nature development areas
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Focus Area Broad Issues Specific location Planning action Broad principles
No co-ordinated All areas Zone conservation areas and sites approach to as special areas for conservation protect cultural purposes in applicable zoning heritage schemes and maintain database sites/events of sites and activities Promote redevelopment of inappropriate buildings in sensitive areas Complete Drakenstein Municipality Heritage Resource Study and apply guidelines from Paarl Farms: Land Use Management Policy
Cultural and eco- Historically Identify important cultural heritage tourism disadvantaged sites opportunities not areas fully exploited Identify land for tourism infrastructure development
Safety and Security High crime levels All urban areas, Identify land for community/sports . Crime prevention through in especially highest in facilities development environmental design principles historically Paarl/Wellington disadvantaged area Introduce Safer Environment Design areas Principles
Impact of crime Urban areas Integrate uses on tourism Improve tourism infrastructure
Lack of youth All areas Identify land for development of development youth facilities initiatives and facilities
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4. A vision for the spatial development of the Drakenstein Municipality
Drakenstein Vision
“Working together to create a place of opportunity!”
Drakenstein Mission
“The Drakenstein Municipality, through a developmental, performance, people and needs driven approach and the forming of strategic partnerships with all stakeholders, will strive to create a place of opportunity to eradicate poverty for a safe, healthy, quality and prosperous living environment by facilitating the optimal and sustainable development of all resources through a quality service and accountable governance”
4.1 Key Priority Areas, Goals and Strategic Guidelines identified through the IDP Process
Economic Development Stimulate and maximize effective and efficient economic development and entrepreneurial opportunities to facilitate economic growth, job creation, the upliftment of living standards and poverty alleviation
Quality Environments Enhance the environmental quality through sustainable practices to create a quality, safe and healthy living environment
Social Development and Community Services Respond to the social development and community services needs of communities through increased access to quality and equitable facilities and services for the upliftment and integration of communities
Safety and Security Increase the safety and security and quality of living environments through the combating of crime, effective law enforcement, road safety, civil protection services, disaster management and related awareness programmes and community involvement
Engineering Infrastructure and related Services Meet basic community needs through the provision of affordable and sustainable engineering infrastructure and related facilities and services to all inhabitants
Institutional Development Develop the municipality into a democratic, enabling, efficient and financially viable institution by capacitating and structuring the organization to meet the people’s needs within functional duties that are developmental orientated and performance driven and facilitates the involvement of private sector and civil society in the development of the area, also with reference to the lowering of operational cost, smarter work practices and culture, the enhancement of and securing of the income base and the creation of strategic partnerships
Values and Principles identified through the IDP Process
Foster people development by being orientated towards and responsive to the people’s needs
. promote and undertake development that gives priority to basic needs;
. align the resources and capacity of the municipality with the implementation of the IDP and use such resources in the best interest of the community; . equal access to minimum level of basic municipal services;
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. deliver basic needs within acceptable standards
Develop a culture and system of participatory governance and contribute to building the capacity for such participation
. encourage the involvement of the community in local government matters and establish clear relationships and facilitate clear co-operation and communication between municipality and local community; . give effect to co-operative governance by ensuring relations with and, where appropriate, the necessary intervention of National, Provincial and District government to align all operations/actions with strategic objectives in terms of IDP
Exercise rights and duties within the financial and administrative capacity of the municipality
. ensure the financial viability of the municipality; . ensure that municipal services are provided in a financially sustainable manner; . maintain existing public investment and infrastructure to protect such assets
Exercise rights and duties in a transparent and accountable fashion
. promote a culture of performance management among political structures, office bearers and councilors and its administration; . provide, without favour or prejudice, democratic and accountable governance for the local affairs of the community; . facilitate a culture of public service, service excellence and accountability among staff and service providers
Create sustainable and quality living environments . promote a safe and healthy living environment with the necessary integration of multi-functional areas; . ensure provision of services to communities in an environmentally sustainable manner; . conserve the natural environment and enhance its resources to the benefit of all communities; . respect and protect the cultural-historic heritage
Effective administration . perform functions through operationally effective and appropriate administrative units and mechanisms with necessary flexibility to respond to changing priorities and circumstances; . maximize administrative and operational efficiency; . maximize efficiency of communication and decision-making within the administration with the delegation of responsibility to the most effective level within the administration
4.2 Strategy formulation
The preparation of the Drakenstein Municipality: Spatial Development Framework is based on broad objectives and strategies for future development of the municipal area: . appropriate spatial development; . the provision of adequate, well-located housing for the poor through the creation of sustainable human settlements; . environmental conservation; . ease of movement; . agricultural development; . efficient and appropriate land use management practices; . adequate provision of community facilities;
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. the provision of basic infrastructure on an equitable basis; . urban conservation and urban renewal; and . safety and security.
It is through meeting these objectives that this Spatial Development Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality intends to provide a policy framework for the spatial implementation (where this is possible) of the key priority issues identified through the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process. The core strategy of the Drakenstein IDP is to “address poverty through economic prosperity and social well-being and the following key priority areas have been identified: . provide housing opportunities to homeless families; . facilitate local economic development that provides access to maximum job opportunities in a pro-poor programme; . improve the quality of life through human development, increased and equitable access to social facilities and a quality living environment and associated infrastructure and basic services; and . improve community safety and safety of the living environment that is conducive to social upliftment and economic growth.19
The core strategies of the Drakenstein Municipality as defined through the IDP processes are illustrated in the diagram overleaf.
19 Drakenstein Municipality: Final Draft Review Report: Integrated Development Plan, 2004/2005 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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4.2.1 Key policies and strategies
Protect and enhance the natural resource base of the Drakenstein Municipality
Protect the Municipality’s special natural features by avoiding the loss of natural habitat in threatened ecosystems and priority ecological corridors.
Create memorable urban environments rich in diversity and character
Hierarchy and structure in an urban environment is important for the creation of areas of varying intensity of use. Monotony of place not only fails to promote a place specific atmosphere but also does not assist inhabitants in making sense of their environment. Settlements with variation in pace – areas that are busy and others that are not so busy, private areas and public areas, areas with intensity and others that are tranquil – creates diversity in the daily lives of their inhabitants. Creating memorable places and streets encourages visitors to return to an area as they tend to be reminded of these more often.
Create a movement system that links people and opportunity
Existing movement routes must be reinforced so as to support existing economic and other opportunities whilst also defining where new development should locate. The current hierarchy must be maintained to ensure that predominantly residential areas remain free of through-traffic whilst providing for maximum accessibility. Mobility routes such as the N1 National Road must retain its current stature and function as link between the municipality and the markets of the Cape Metropolitan Area and the northern provinces.
Routes between high intensity nodes require traffic to be slowed down and an emphasis on public rather than private transportation. Mobility routes, on the other hand, require faster moving traffic and less access points to keep traffic flowing at a higher rate. Establish new routes of high accessibility and development intensity that integrates historically segregated areas and bring social and economic opportunities to disadvantaged communities
Transform towns into compact centers of development by maximizing the use of existing resources without compromising on character and long-term sustainability
Hierarchy and structure must be supported by a variance in the intensity of use of the different areas (nodes). The large tracts of vacant and under-utilised space within the existing urban fabric must be viewed as opportunities to intensify compatible land uses and to increase the range of land uses and economic opportunities in the disadvantaged communities. The
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creation of job opportunities closer to places of residence must be seen as a high priority in this regard.
In the established urban areas such as Paarl/Wellington the historically white neighbourhoods, large green open spaces are well-maintained and cared for, yet in some instances lack an intensity of activity to make them really special and memorable places. These spaces must be utilized for the encouragement of local community and cultural traditions. Transform derelict, unattractive open spaces in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods into high activity use spaces that accommodate a range of activities at various times of the day and night including special events, meetings and rallies.
Maximize the opportunities created by existing services infrastructure and well-located land parcels within existing neighbourhoods through infill development at appropriate densities. Densification of existing settlements must take priority over W Cape PSDF, CNdV, 2005 extension or development of new settlements.
Create a clear distinction between urban and rural and promote strategies to maintain and enhance the unique rural environment
Determine a spatial limit to urban development through the introduction and enforcement of urban edges for the various urban centers. Consider appropriate land uses in the transition zone to limit the impact of urban development on agricultural areas and the unique rural character of the municipality. Apply appropriate design criteria to developments within the rural areas such as residential developments aimed at providing housing for farmworkers. Promote integrated land development in rural and urban areas in support of each other.
Afford appropriate recognition to the value of the agricultural resource base, including both agricultural land and the people that work it
Protect high potential agricultural resources, water resources and the functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Promote the appropriate agricultural use of productive and potentially productive agricultural land through appropriate incentives and land reform initiatives promoting small- scale agricultural activities.
Acknowledge the contributions of farmworker communities to the success of the agricultural sector by, amongst others, encouraging community-based natural resource management, both through public sector and community initiatives as well as conditional requirements of private
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developments in the sector. Pay special attention to the rural poor and their specific needs and recognize the value of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).
Create sustainable human settlements through the integration of people with economic and social opportunities to promote safe, quality living environments
Given historic development patterns in the Drakenstein municipal area, the integration of existing settlements, neighbourhoods and communities remain a key issue to be addressed. Provide strong connections between adjacent neighbourhoods, between places of work and places of residency and across the socio-economic divide (refer WC PSDF principle of Socio- Economic Gradient). Carefully consider new developments, and more particularly residential development, to ensure that they integrate with existing development and services infrastructure. The location and design of new public facilities, in particular must be considered in such a manner that they allow for multi-functionality and provided for the needs of a number of surrounding neighbourhoods.
Well-functioning built environments are those that instill feelings of safety and being secure in an environment that is recognised as one’s own. A mix of uses located along important movement routes and around public spaces that include residential uses and activities that extend into the evening can reduce the opportunity for crimes to be committed. Encourage the development of active public spaces by a mix of uses that include trading activities and regular events.
Create an urban landscape with character and a logical green structure
The provision of green open space in the urban areas, generally, does not follow a logical pattern. Open space in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods are, more often than not, neglected, dirty and become the hunting grounds of criminals. Embark on a dedicated campaign for greening of the residential suburbs and force links between open spaces to create a continuous system of quality green areas. Use pedestrian walkways and cycle routes along river systems and tree-lined avenues to create this continuity. This will contribute to an urban system with character and a sense of relief from the harsh brick and mortar of everyday urban life.
Harness the vast human potential through appropriate integration measures for the common good
Put people first (Batho Pele). Recognize the contribution of all sectors of the community by promoting their active involvement in all aspects of planning and decision-making that affect their lives.
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5. The Drakenstein Municipality Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Management Framework (EMF)
5.1 Biodiversity Resources
The information in this Section (unless otherwise stated) is obtained from the Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality in the process of being compiled by a team of consultants headed by Morris Environmental and Groundwater Alliances (MEGA)20 (Working Draft dated December 2008)and the Strategic Environmental Assessment completed for the Drakenstein SDF by EnviroDinamik.
The EMF groups the “areas that are recognized as being ecologically significant” in the Drakenstein Municipality into five categories, namely:
. Threatened ecosystems; . Special habitats; . Protected areas; . Important areas for the delivery of valued ecosystem services; and . Ecological corridors
Threatened ecosystems
The EMF identifies eleven (11) threatened ecosystems in the Drakenstein Municipal Area, with six of them Critically Endangered ecosystems (one of the highest municipal counts in the Western Cape), three Endangered vegetation types and two Vulnerable vegetation types21.
20 The consultant team consists of MEGA, de Villiers Brownlie Associates, M-GIS, CHAND, EnAct International and MCA Planners 21 Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Draft Working Document), MEGA, December 2008 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The threatened ecosystems in the Drakenstein Municipality are indicated on Figures 26a, 26a1 – 26a6, sourced from the EMF consultant team.
Special habitats
The EMF identifies four (4) special habitats “found at a smaller scale than broad vegetation types”:
. Wetlands; . Silcrete patches; . Indigenous forest patches; and . Locations that accommodates a number of recorded Red data Book plant species.
Protected Areas
The system of protected areas in the municipality currently includes:
. Six provincial Nature Reserves . Groenberg Provincial Nature Reserve . Waterval Provincial Nature Reserve . Groot Winterhoek Provincial Nature Reserve (part of the Cape Floristic region World Heritage Site) . Jan Briers Louw Provincial Nature Reserve . Simonsberg Provincial Nature Reserve . Limietberg Nature Reserve (part of the Cape Floristic region World Heritage Site) . Four Contract Nature Reserves (Elandsberg, Foxenberg, Renosterveld and Bontebok Ridge Contract Nature Reserves)
Contract Nature Reserves are legally binding contracts between Cape Nature and a landowner for the protection of these habitats in the long term. They are valid in perpetuity or a minimum of 50 years (negotiated on a case by case basis). Private ownership of the property is in no way compromised or transferred by this agreement and the Contract Nature Reserve enjoys the same status as a provincial Nature Reserve under the Protected Areas Act (57 of 2003).
Contract Nature Reserves have secure, legal status on three levels:
. According to the new Protected Areas Act, No. 57 of 2003 any land (private, communal or municipal) can be contracted into a National Park or Provincial Nature Reserve, which implies that an entire cadastral
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. property or merely a portion of one can be recognized as a national protected area. Contract Nature Reserves must be declared a provincial nature reserve by the provincial MEC. For this to be effected, the landowner and MEC must sign a letter of consent to declare it a nature reserve, which must also include the restrictions for the site;
. A legal contract (also referred to as a Management Agreement for the site) is entered into between the landowner and the agency;
. A Notarial Deed is drawn up for the site detailing the restrictions which are placed on the title deed. This Notarial Deed is lodged at the deeds office and must be signed by the Notary Public. When the property is sold, the new owner is obliged to continue adhering to the restrictions in the notarial deed.
Note: The old CapeNature designation of Private Nature Reserve has fallen away and is being replaced by the Contract Nature Reserve designation.
Other Protected Areas include
. Local Authority Nature Reserve (Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve); . Cape Winelands UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; . Mountain Catchment Areas (Hawequas, Hottentots-Holland and Winterhoek); . The Paarl Arboretum; and . A number of conservancies
The protected areas in the Drakenstein Municipality are indicated on Figure 28: Nature Reserves.
Important areas for the delivery of valued ecosystem services
Three areas within the Drakenstein Municipality are considered most important in respect of ecosystem services:
. Rivers whose most important role is that of water supply;
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. Wetlands considered to be “the most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems in southern Africa”22 are also one of the most threatened and neglected habitats; and . Mountain catchments protecting habitats that are critical to the continued reliable supply of clean water.
Important wetlands and river systems in the municipality are indicated on Figure 27a: Drakenstein Wetlands (also Figures 27a1 to a6).
Ecological corridors
Ecological corridors “create linkages between ecosystems on land, and between terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems”23.
In the Drakenstein Municipality the Berg River corridor “in particular provides an important link between the mountains and the sea [and] although it has been extensively developed, and the riparian corridor is in a poor condition … it is probably the only refuge for both remnant riverine and terrestrial fauna”24.
The EMF has identified ecological corridors within the municipality based on the following environmental attributes:
. “priority streams and rivers in and beyond the Drakenstein in terms of their role as ecological corridors … . areas protected for conservation … . areas known or likely to constitute Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA’s) … . ecosystem remnants having a Critically Endangered or Endangered status … . ecosystem remnants having a high connectivity and density … . special habitats”
22 Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Draft Working Document), MEGA, December 2008 23 Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Draft Working Document), MEGA, December 2008 24 Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Draft Working Document), MEGA, December 2008 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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5.2 Water resources
According to the Drakenstein Municipality EMF, “surface water is the main source of water” in the municipality. The major rivers crossing the municipal area include: . Berg river . Palmiet river . Sand river . Dal river . Klein Berg river . Bot river . Vier-en-twintig revieren . Krom river
Most of Drakenstein’s water is supplied from the Wemmershoek Dam, a facility owned by the City of Cape Town with the Voëlvlei Dam supplying Gouda. Although there are some private boreholes in the area, the Drakenstein Municipality does not make use of ground water resources.
The EMF states “that it is generally accepted that water resources in the Drakenstein Municipality is stressed”.
5.3 Agricultural resources
The agricultural sector in the Drakenstein Municipality is well-established and comprises both irrigated lands and dry-land farming. The contribution of the agricultural sector towards employment creation and Drakenstein economy is discussed in Chapter 2 and the continued existence of this sector of the economy in the municipality is therefor vital for a significant proportion of the population. The importance of protecting agriculturally productive land is emphasized by the fact that “almost all of the productive land available for agriculture is already being farmed”25.
25 Environmental Management Framework for the Drakenstein Municipality (Draft Working Document), MEGA, December 2008 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The EMF describes agricultural development in the Drakenstein municipality as follows:
. “there is a trend towards mixed crop farming and intensive animal farming … . Farms that involve only vineyards tend to be located within Paarl … . There are an increasing number of composting operations and intensive/feedlot operations [in the areas abutting the City if Cape Town] … . Irrigated lands occur mainly in the southern part of the municipality … . Smallholdings characterize the south-western part of the municipality [nurseries and chicken farms] … . From wellington northwards there is a … shift towards dryland grain farming and stock farming”
Agricultural land use in the Drakenstein municipality is indicated graphically on the series of maps Figures 29a and 29a1 to a6.
On the request of the Department of Agriculture and because of the particular significance of irrigated lands, agricultural resources have been analysed in terms of dry land farming and irrigated lands.
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5.4 Heritage resources
“Our heritage celebrates our achievements and contributes to redressing past inequities. It educates, it deepens our understanding of society and encourages us to empathize with the experience of others. It facilitates healing and material and symbolic restitution and it promotes new and previously neglected research into our rich oral traditions and customs” (National Heritage Resources Act).
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) is the cornerstone of legislation pertaining to heritage resource management and conservation. Section 24, in particular, observes and sets out the rights of every individual to:
. an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being; . have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures that: o prevent pollution and ecological degradation o promote conservation and o secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.
The old National Monuments Council has been replaced by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) in terms of the new National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA). SAHRA is a statutory body responsible for the protection of the country’s cultural heritage. According to the new Act heritage resources must be managed by the levels of government closest to the community. This places a huge responsibility on local municipalities such as the Drakenstein Municipality to ensure that heritage resources are managed and protected as part of their local planning processes. A South African Heritage Resources Survey is being established to co- ordinate the identification of heritage resources on a national level.
According to SAHRA the national estate includes heritage resources that are of cultural significance for both the community of today as well as for future generations. These resources may include:
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. “places to which oral traditions are attached or which are associated with living heritage; . historical settlements; . landscapes and natural features of cultural significance; . archaeological and palaeontological sites; . graves and burial grounds, including ancestral and royal graves and graves of traditional leaders; . graves of victims of conflict; and . sites relating to the history of slavery in South Africa”26.
Responsibility for the identification of places significant in the context of a province (provincial heritage sites) lies with provincial heritage resource authorities. It is similarly required by local (planning) authorities to, “at the time of revision of a town or regional planning scheme, or the compilation or revision of a spatial plan, investigate the designation of heritage areas to protect places of environmental or cultural interest”. As an interim measure permit is required to alter or demolish any structure older than sixty years where a systematic survey to identify conservation- worthy places has not been completed.
5.4.1 Survey of heritage resources
The Drakenstein Municipality has commissioned a survey of the heritage resources within its area of jurisdiction in terms of the requirements of the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA) (No. 25 of 1999). The Act specifies the need for heritage concerns to be addressed in the preparation of a Spatial Development Framework (SDF).
In terms of the current phase of work of the heritage survey study a preliminary strategic heritage map has been compiled for incorporation into the SDF. This entails the identification of areas of high heritage significance, which require protection in the form of heritage overlay zones for which provision is made in the SDF. The identification of these proposed heritage areas is indicated on the series of maps below (Figure 30, 31a and 31a1to a6). Outlined below is a list of the identified heritage areas and brief summary statements of heritage significance for each.
Identification of Heritage Areas (refer Figure 30)
26 New South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) with New Legislation and New Direction, SAHRA, undated Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. HA 1: Paarl Mountain . HA 2: Historical Berg River Corridor . HA 3: Paarl Historical Core (and its agricultural and riverine setting) . HA 4: Simonsberg Slopes . HA 5: Agterpaarl Slopes . HA 6: Wemmershoek Slopes . HA 7: Klein Drakenstein . HA 8: Daljosafat . HA 9: Blouvlei . HA 10: Bovlei . HA 11: Wellington town . HA 12: Paardeberg Slopes . HA 13: Hermon (and its agricultural setting) . HA 14: Saron (and its agricultural setting)
Summary Statements of Heritage Significance for the identified heritage areas are contained in Annexure VII.
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5.5 Urban edge
An urban growth boundary or urban edge is a boundary delineated on a map with clear reference to its geographic location in the area it is located. It is a line drawn around an urban area, outside of which development is opposed, unless such development is of a rural nature, in keeping with the urban edge policy, in order to strengthen such urban edge. Normally, urban edges or urban growth boundaries are considered as long-term growth management tools, established for 15 to 20 year periods. Urban edges could accomplish at least six objectives:
. the preservation of open space (green belts) and farm land surrounding the urban area; . changing urban development trends to increase densities and ensure more efficient use of the available land; . reduction in infrastructure costs by engaging in urban redevelopment, infill and limiting the establishment of bulk infrastructure to service Greenfield developments; . a separation between urban and rural uses, thus increasing the value of urban land and decreasing the value of rural land; . providing the local authority with management tools in order to ensure an orderly transition from urban to rural use; and . providing a clear definition of the urban area and its community and increasing the integration of uses and social groups.
A study to determine the urban edge of each of the urban centers within the Drakenstein Municipality has recently been completed and the results thereof have been included in this report. Similarly, the Western Cape Provincial Government, Department Development Planning has compiled a Provincial policy document that establishes urban edge guidelines for the province. The policy document, prepared by EnviroDinamik, identifies the following issues and criteria to be considered by local authorities when delineating urban edges within their areas of jurisdiction:
“The elements in the environment that offer the most defensible buffers and growth boundaries must be discussed and agreed to, in order to establish a generally applicable policy and guidelines. The following issues, criteria and factors are being considered as informants when considering urban edges for the urban areas:
. Prominent landform and character areas ; . Valuable soils ; . Hydrology (surface and ground water features) ; . Ecological resources (aquatic and terrestrial) ; . Protected areas (conservation sites) ; . High intensity / potential agricultural resources ; Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. Services infrastructure (barrier effect) ; . Services infrastructure (capacity and reach) ; . Vacant / under-utilised land in urban area ; . Higher order roads, access routes and transport infrastructure ; . Cadastral boundaries of adjoining land units ; . Availability of developable land in urban area ; . Growth requirements over 10 – 20 year period ; . Land use applications for new development ; . Visual impact ; . Cultural / heritage resource areas ; . Ownership of land and existing land use rights ; . Informal settlements ; . Urban agriculture and small scale farming ; . Bio-regional spatial planning categories (core and buffer) ; and . Density policy for residential development in rural towns.
It is assumed … that an urban edge for all urban areas … is a continuous line and growth boundary drawn along the outside of an urban area, i.e. it is not a line drawn around features excluded from development inside the larger urban area. The following explanation and evaluation of the criteria and issues must generate an in depth debate of the case for inclusion or exclusion of certain areas or elements in the environment from the urban edge. It is suggested that the criteria and informants be used for the following purposes:
. To determine where the urban edge should be located, often with serious consequences for integrated and continuous development. The criteria would assist in the determination of the edge, by inclusion or exclusion of certain environmental features and in the manner in which the edge is determined in relation to the features. . To support decisions on the distance between the existing development and the urban edge, i.e. the area allowed for urban growth outside of the current development. . Consideration of applications for the expansion or amendment of the urban edge, subsequent to its determination, amongst others to determine a priority model for growth management”27.
27 Draft Provincial Policy Document: Urban Edge Guidelines, EnviroDinamik, March 2005 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The delineation of an urban edge will also assist in the restructuring of urban settlements, so as to address apartheid spatial patterns and urban functional inefficiencies. The role of the urban edge is seen as restricting the land area of urban settlements until such time as average gross densities of 25 dwelling units or 100 people per hectare are achieved. Currently in the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (WC PSDF) it is recommended that at the point at which the WC PSDF is approved, all settlements should implement immediate urban edges, i.e. urban edges should be drawn around the current extent of urban development. In the medium term municipalities are required to determine urban edges around the boundaries of their settlements, bearing in mind the need to achieve densities of 25u/ha. The Drakenstein Municipality has, for the purposes of the SDF, commissioned MCA Planners to determine the urban edges for the various urban centers within its area of jurisdiction. The results of this study are summarized in Annexure IX to this report.
At a meeting of the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009 it was, however, resolved to amend the urban edges as indicated in the maps in this report. The amendment of the urban edge was necessitated by the need for Council to broaden its tax base to ensure the sustainable delivery of services to communities within the Drakenstein Municipal Area. Council has also over recent years been inundated with requests from developers to allow development on the urban fringe. The Council of the Drakenstein Municipality believes that by expanding the urban edges around the main urban centers as per their decision in March 2009, it will encourage the submission of formal proposals for development in these areas. An SDF does not confer any right to development on any portion of land and the expanded urban edge should therefor not be viewed as providing carte blanche for inappropriate development proposals. Council will continue to apply its mind in the interest of the broader Drakenstein community and reserves the right to either approve or reject any development proposal based on sound planning and development principles and procedures.
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6. The Drakenstein Municipality Spatial Development Framework (SDF)
6.1 Introduction
Segregation of communities and the discrepancies in the levels of development of these communities are central characteristics of the historic development pattern of municipalities throughout South Africa and the Drakenstein Municipality has not escaped this phenomenon. This pattern is evident in the spatial location of communities relative to urban opportunities and resources, the nature and form of development in the various towns and suburbs and the varying levels of social and economic deprivation. The need to reverse this pattern and contribute to the creation of an integrated municipality where people will have more equitable access to the benefits offered by living in the municipality has been identified as a critical component of a municipal SDF in various pieces of legislation. The spatial restructuring of the Drakenstein Municipality to allow for the development of viable, socially and economically integrated communities with convenient access to economic opportunities as well as health, educational and social amenities is therefore one of the primary aims of this Spatial Development Framework.
The vast expanse of rural land within the boundaries of the municipality associated with low levels of access to social services, health and educational facilities and basic infrastructure provides additional challenges to the municipality in exercising its local authority role. The overriding response to these challenges to date has been reactive and has in most cases simply reinforced historic development and investment patterns. This response coupled with instances of rapid urbanization experienced by most of the urban centers has increased this inaccessibility to urban benefits for the majority of people.
6.2 Spatial Planning Categories (SPC’s) and land use development informants
Application of the Spatial Planning Categories (SPC’s) in the Drakenstein Municipality is indicated on Figure 34. It is important, however, to note that the categories have been allocated in a “broad-brush“ manner in accordance with the predominant land uses and that pockets within each specified category may be delineated, after detailed study, as of a higher or lower order category. The largest proportion of land in the municipality is categorized under the higher order SPC’s of Category A (Core area incorporating Wilderness areas and other statutory conservation areas), Category B (Buffer area, incorporating public and private conservation areas, ecological corridors/areas and rehabilitation areas) and Category C (Transition area, incorporating intensive and extensive agricultural areas).
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The urban areas are all demarcated as Category D (urban-related) areas with Paarl, as the administrative center, categorized as Db (main local town) and Wellington, Gouda and Saron as Dc (local town). The major settlements of rural communities across the municipal area (Hermon, Simondium, Windmeul) are categorized as Dd (rural settlement) or Df (on-farm settlements).
Development in the smaller towns should not be aimed at competing with the economic and administrative capacity of Paarl, but rather to address the socio-economic requirements of their inhabitants and those of the surrounding farmlands.
The Table hereunder lists the various Spatial Planning Categories and Sub-Categories and gives an indication of the Zoning Scheme Use Zones that can be accommodated within each. Specific areas for the conservation of biodiversity and indigenous vegetation within this broad categorization will be identified in conjunction with Cape Nature Conservation.
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SPC SPC: Sub-Categories Zoning Scheme Use Zone(s)
A: Core A.a Existing formal protected areas, Conservation Zone 1 (CON 1) state or private A.b Priority natural habitat : Critically Conservation Zone 2 (CON 2) endangered natural habitat, special habitats (e.g. wetlands, silcrete patches) and endangered natural habitat A.c Rivers Conservation Zone 2 (CON 2)
B : Buffer B.a Ecological corridors/areas Conservation Zone 3 (CON 3)
C : C.a Extensive agricultural areas Agricultural Zone 1 (AGRI 1) Agricult ure C.b Intensive agricultural areas Agricultural Zone 1 (AGRI 1)
D : D.a Metropolitan City / District town Single residential Zone 1 – 4, General Residential Zone 1 – 4, Urban- Business Zone 1 – 5, Commercial Zone 1 – 3, Authority Zone 1 – related 2, Transport Zone 1 & 3, Open Space Zone 3 – 5, Rural Zone 1. D.b Main local town As for D.a above D.c Local town As for D.a above D.d Rural Settlements Rural Zone 2 (RU 2) D.e Institutional settlements Rural Zone 2 (RU 2) D.f On-farm settlements Rural Zone 2 (RU 2) D.g Farmsteads Primary Use – AGR 1 D.h Resorts & Tourism related areas Resort Zone 1 (RE 1) D.i Other Urban-related areas Single Residential Zone 1 – 4, General Residential Zone 1 – 4, Business Zone 1- 5, Commercial Zone 1 – 3, Authority Zone 1 – 2, Transport Zone 1 & 3, Open Space Zone 3 – 5.
Table 11: Spatial Planning Categories, Sub-categories and Use Zones
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SPC SPC Sub- Key biodiversity priority area Identified Identified Policy Recommended Appropriate EIMCZ and category pressures on opportunities priority action land uses Code * biodiversity Aa: Existing formal Protected areas as per Figure 29 protected areas, All land use in protected areas SPC Aa is subject to the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act 57 of 2003) state or private
Maintain natural Small patches of vegetation buffer critically endangered and prioritize vegetation along the clearing of alien Berg River corridor vegetation Maintain corridor
connecting this Large area of critically Preserve the habitat to the endangered vegetation remaining protected in the Pearl Valley endangered habitat of the vicinity habitat adjacent to Drakenstein Simonsberg Mountains forming a Maintain the Activities that No further loss corridor interface do not result in of natural extending into between further loss of Ab: Priority natural habitat in Stellenbosch threatened habitat or habitat : Critically critically
habitats and disturbance to A: Municipality. Of endangered Agricultural endangered protected areas ecosystems Core specific natural habitat, and urban and and between functioning in Areas immediately importance are special habitats expansion; endangered different these systems adjacent to the the Shale (e.g. wetlands, Alien ecosystems vegetation types; and may protected habitat of the Renosterveld silcrete patches) of South N1: vegetation and silcrete and Shale Link remaining include: and endangered Drakenstein Mountains patches; Fynbos on the critically Passive natural habitat No northwest endangered recreation and earthmoving, slopes of the lowland habitat tourism; construction Simonsberg, to the protected Research; particularly on mountain area of Environmental the farm Hawequas education Lievland Nature Reserve (Wiesenhof) Low impact and Signal Hill harvesting of the
Areawithin the municipalitythe east R44 of and south of the N1 SAFCOL Remaining population of 965 plantations under the critically strict supervision endangered Diastella of an buekli (Proteaceae) on Environmental the SAFCOL site and Control Officer. adjacent plantations Limit vehicular movement to specific corridors
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SPC SPC Sub- Key biodiversity priority area Identified Identified Policy Recommended Appropriate EIMCZ and category pressures on opportunities priority action land uses Code * biodiversity Several fragments in
Encourage linking south-western corner; of several large fragment in Jan 4 x 4 trails; Link to City of fragments in Briers Louw Nature Frequent fires; Cape Town south-western Reserve; Vineyard Biodiversity corner to City of fragment 3km north of expansion; Network Cape Town Jan Briers Louw Nature Alien (Joostenberg Biodiversity Reserve No further loss vegetation; Hill and Network Central section near of natural Encroaching Joostenberg No development Boland Agricultural habitat in resort Kloof); on the slopes of College on the critically development Tourism Paardeberg Sandrivier tributaries endangered opportunties above Endangered Boland and determined
granite fynbos on the endangered
Paardeberg (areabounded by N1 the south in and to R45 the north) WestPaarl Mountain of including contour line slopes of Paardeberg ecosystems Alien and silcrete vegetation; Working with patches; Agricultural CapeNature to No expansion; expand earthmoving, Vegetation Poaching; protected construction survey; Frequent fires area; Management Paarl Mountain or unnaturally Tourism Plan; long periods opportunities Area wide between fires including wine planning due to route and Taal agricultural Monument fragmentation Incorporate into
Krom and No further Paarl green Hugo Rivers transformation; space network; New Orleans Park severely no expansion Conservation infested with of lawns Management black wattle, Plan poplars, No further loss Clear alien Spanish reed, of natural vegetation from river gum and habitat in riparian zone; longleaf wattle; critically Maintain Remnants along Berg Straightening endangered minimum 30m River and and buffer; stabilization of endangered Improve river channels ecosystems stormwater Paarl,Mbekweni and Wellington and silcrete management Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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SPC SPC Sub- Key biodiversity priority area Identified Identified Policy Recommended Appropriate EIMCZ and category pressures on opportunities priority action land uses Code * biodiversity Further patches; Further Remnants adjacent to investigation No investigation Mbekweni required earthmoving, required Adjacent to industrial construction Clear alien
area west of Wellington vegetation Agter- Groenberg: Alien grasses, veld fires, alien No further loss pigs, small- of natural scale farming habitat in initiatives critically (planned) endangered Maintain corridor All land north of Klein and extending north;
Wellington up to and Drakenstein endangered Support including Hermon mountains: ecosystems Landcare alien and silcrete vegetation, patches; firespotential No for intensive earthmoving, buchu construction poaching; Farm Wellingtonto Hermon expansion Very large area of No further loss
commonage of natural Wetland area between habitat in railway line and canal critically
south of Hermon endangered
and Management None endangered Plan to manage ecosystems alien vegetation Remaining habitat and silcrete
continues north patches; No earthmoving, Hermonto Gouda construction Large commonage Overgrazing, Tourism No further loss
fires, alien potential of natural Fence off
da to Sar on Gou Wetland plants, rubbish (hiking trails) habitat in wetland
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SPC SPC Sub- Key biodiversity priority area Identified Identified Policy Recommended Appropriate EIMCZ and category pressures on opportunities priority action land uses Code * biodiversity dump, sand critically Burn, exclude Koppie area mining, canal, endangered livestock, clear demands on and Port Jackson Colluvial terrace above land, area endangered
canal burnt for ecosystems Guidelines for use Colluvial terrace below grazing, impact and silcrete as grazing area
canal of agriculture, patches; river and flow No Ensure modification, earthmoving, environmental urban construction flow releases; development, Continue alien alien fish clearing; Improve land us Berg River and tributaries practices; Manage run-off; Stock dams with indigenous fish; Minimum 30m buffer to river and tributaries
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SPC SPC Sub- Key biodiversity priority area Identified Identified Policy Recommended Appropriate EIMCZ and category pressures on opportunities priority action land uses Code * biodiversity Those that allow the basic structure and No ecological earthmoving, functioning of construction, river flood control ecosystems to measures or be sustained intensive and protected agriculture from within at least degradation; Ac: Rivers Refer Figure 29 30m of the Those that do riparian edge not increase to be the potential delineated by for flooding a specialist and damage based on to property; DWAF All accepted development method) in or of water resources require DWAF authorization B; Ba: Ecological Refer Figure 29 Buffer corridors/areas No further subdivision of agricultural Extensive Ca: Extensive Urban land accept Enforce urban Refer Figure 29 Agri-tourism agriculture; agricultural areas expansion for land reform edge Agri-processing processes where C: appropriate Agriculture No further subdivision of agricultural Intensive Cb: Intensive Urban land accept Enforce urban Refer Figure 29 Agri-tourism agriculture; agricultural areas expansion for land reform edge Agri-processing processes where appropriate * Environmental Impact Management Control Zone Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Table 12: Application of Bioregional Planning Categories (SANBI, 2004)
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It is important for the Drakenstein Municipality to manage the impact and development pressure on its unique natural resource base. Specific measures must be taken to protect, enhance and rehabilitate (where required) key natural resource areas. The Table below provides a summary of key biodiversity priority areas and recommended actions (also refer to Drakenstein Municipality Strategic Environmental Assessment).
Key biodiversity priority areas Area Recommended priority action South of Paarl Berg River as an important corridor with small Maintain natural vegetation buffer and prioritize clearing of patches of endangered vegetation alien vegetation Large area of critically endangered vegetation in Maintain corridor connecting this habitat to the protected the vicinity of Pearl Valley habitat of the Drakenstein Mountains Patches of critically endangered and endangered Maintain the interface between threatened habitats and habitat adjacent to protected areas of the protected areas as well as between different vegetation Drakenstein Mountains types. Avoid new agricultural development that will prevent linking of critically endangered habitats. SAFCOL site (Hawequas State Forest) Determine appropriate time of year for harvesting in accommodates a rare diastella population conjunction with SAFCOL Endangered habitat adjacent to Simonsberg Conservation opportunity forming a corridor extending into neighbouring Stellenbosch Municipality West of Paarl Mountain Fragments of vegetation on either side of the Jan Prioritize clearing alien vegetation. Investigate potential to link Briers Louw Provincial Nature Reserve Jan Briers Louw Provincial Nature Reserve with City of Cape Town Biodiversity Network Paardeberg slopes Introduce measures to protect endangered Boland granite Fynbos. Set development parameters for Paardeberg Paarl Mountain Paarl Mountain Management Plan recommendations. Investigate opportunities to expand protected area to include other patches of endangered vegetation Paarl, Mbekweni and Wellington Orleans Park (only known locality of a rare daisy) Incorporate into Paarl green space network, but no lawns Berg River and tributaries Clear invasive alien vegetation and maintain cleared areas. Improve land use practices to reduce sedimentation and water quality problems. Improve management and monitoring of run-off and discharges from urban and agricultural areas. Stock farm dams with indigenous fish rather than aliens. Maintain a buffer area of at least 30m next to river Patch of renosterveld adjacent to industrial area at Clear alien vegetation Wellington Wellington to Hermon Areas surrounding Groenberg Provincial Nature Support LandCare project and encourage stewardship Reserve projects to protect endangered and critically endangered habitats in private ownership. Protect corridors identified through SEA when considering new agricultural developments. Maintain corridor extending northward Hermon to Gouda Commonage area with endangered and critically Maintain link between commonage and protected areas. endangered vegetation Develop alien vegetation management plan Gouda to Saron Commonage Exploit potential to protect remaining renosterveld. Opportunities for tourism development (hiking trails) Wetland Fence off wetland to prevent impact from livestock Koppie area Develop guidelines for use as grazing area. Clear alien vegetation Below canal Develop guidelines for use as grazing area Above canal Clear alien vegetation Berg River and tributaries Clear invasive alien vegetation and maintain cleared areas. Improve land use practices to reduce sedimentation and water quality problems. Improve management and monitoring of run-off and discharges from urban and
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agricultural areas. Stock farm dams with indigenous fish rather than aliens. Maintain a buffer area of at least 30m next to river Table 13: Key Biodiversity Priority Areas (source: SANBI, 2004)
6.3 Heritage resource management
The overall focus of conservation activity had tended to shift from the concern with individual buildings or artifacts to groups of buildings, to areas as a source of interest in themselves, including the spaces between buildings and the kinds of activity and communities that are accommodated. The International Charters on conservation, formulated under the auspices of UNESCO, have reflected this shift and should be adopted to establish the overall framework of conservation within the various towns included in this study. Conservation principles need to be established that will guide development in the municipality. The main components of such principles are contained in Annexure VI.
6.3.1 Heritage management recommendations28
The Drakenstein Heritage Resources Survey makes a series of recommendations for the protection, enhancement and maintenance of heritage resources within the study area. Suggestions are made regarding which components of the cultural landscape should be regulated and which should be shaped by appropriate guidelines.
It makes recommendations for formal and general measures to enforce appropriate interventions. In this regard, consideration is given to levels and forms of control and the heritage authority responsible for its management. These recommendations include the creation of Heritage Overlay Zones and Special Area Zones as provided for in terms of the local Zoning Scheme. It should be emphasized that such zones neither grant nor remove existing land use rights. It also refers to a set of conservation guidelines, which should encourage appropriate interventions and guide decisions.
28 Drakenstein Heritage Resources Survey, Baumann & Winter Heritage Consultants, April 2005
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In terms of the above, appropriate recommendations have been formulated depending on the nature and degree of significance of the various heritage resources identified. The recommendations are outlined and summarised in the Table of Recommendations below.
Proposed Legal protection status Level and type of Type of interventions subject Heritage grade control to control authority GRADE 3A Investigate for entry into Maximum control in Any physical interventions LOCAL the provincial Heritage terms of NHR Act and (internal and external) and AUTHORITY in Register in terms of NHR local planning controls change in use affecting the consultation Act. Special approval intrinsic, associational and with a LOCAL procedures contextual significance of ADVISORY Heritage Impact the structure and its setting. COMMITTEE Assessments GRADE 3B Investigate for entry into Intermediate control in Physical interventions LOCAL provincial Heritage terms NHR Act and (external) affecting the AUTHORITY in Register in terms of the local planning controls intrinsic, associational and consultation NHR Act. Special approval contextual significance of with a LOCAL procedures the structure and its setting. ADVISORY Conservation COMMITTEE regulations and guidelines GRADE 3C Investigate for entry into Limited control in terms Physical interventions LOCAL provincial Heritage of NHR (external) affecting the AUTHORITY in Register in terms of the Act and local planning contextual significance consultation NHR Act. controls (scale and form) of the with a LOCAL Special approval structure, as it affects the ADVISORY procedures street elevation. COMMITTEE
Table 14: Recommendations for individual elements/structures (Source: Drakenstein Heritage Resources Survey, Baumann & Winter Heritage Consultants, April 2005)
Proposed Legal protection status Level and type of Type of interventions subject to Heritage grade control control authority Investigate declaration Maximum controls in General physical interventions LOCAL as a Heritage Area in terms of local planning and change in use affecting AUTHORITY in terms of the NHR Act or regulations. the intrinsic, associational and consultation Heritage Overlay Zone in Applicable to a range contextual significance of the with a LOCAL terms of the Zoning of elements affecting precinct. This may include : ADVISORY Scheme. the significance of an alteration or removal of COMMITTEE area. historical fabric Special approval removal of landscaping procedures features or new Heritage Impact landscaping Assessments building setbacks (siting) Conservation architectural treatment regulations and building scale and form guidelines (height, coverage and bulk) building materials subdivisions and rezonings signage boundary treatments change in historical use Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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public infrastructure road and river interventions car ports Investigate declaration Intermediate controls in Some physical interventions, LOCAL as a Special Area in terms of local planning especially those affecting the AUTHORITY in terms of the Zoning. controls. contextual significance of the consultation Applicable to principle precinct or the character of the with a LOCAL elements affecting the public realm. This may include : ADVISORY character of the area. alteration or removal of COMMITTEE Special approval historical fabric procedures removal of significant Conservation landscaping features regulations and siting of buildings guidelines (setbacks) building scale and form (height, coverage and bulk) materials boundary treatments road and river treatments car ports Table 15: Recommendations for areas of special heritage significance (Source: Drakenstein Heritage Resources Survey, Baumann & Winter Heritage Consultants, April 2005)
6.4 Integration of historically segregated communities
The results of past planning practices are strikingly evident in the urban settlements of the Drakenstein Municipality. The Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework emphasizes the need for communities to be integrated and that this will occur through conscious action from authorities rather than being left to chance. The following proposed policies and actions contained in the Draft WCPSDF are therefore supported and incorporated into this SDF:
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“Urban settlements should be restructured so as to break down the barriers created by apartheid and make them more convenient and pleasant to live in”29
The WC PSDF proposes a spatial concept for urban restructuring and urges that the “apartheid settlement pattern be dismantled as soon as possible”.
“50% of the five major urban activities; public transport, (access points), residence, WC PSDF Urban restructuring concept 1 recreation, shopping, and employment should be accessible within walking distance (1000m) of residential dwellings” (WCPSDF, CNdV Africa, March 2005). It is required, according to the PSDF, for new municipal Spatial Development Frameworks to indicate where new residential development is to occur close to existing work opportunities and community facilities and where community facilities and work opprtunities are to be located close to existing residential areas.
“The complete range of socio-economic groupings within an urban settlement should be located within a 1km radius according to the Principle of a Socio-Economic Gradient” (WCPSDF, CNdV Africa, March 2005). The PSDF maintains that, contrary to what is currently happening in the Western Cape, people of different income levels and social backgrounds can live together in much closer proximity to one another.
All towns in the Drakenstein Municipality exhibit some form of racial and economic segregation associated with past planning policies. The transformation of urban areas into equitable, sustainable and quality living environments can only be achieved through clear social, economic and spatial development strategies and the political will to implement these. This transformation and integration of neighbourhoods must be advanced, on a spatial level, through promoting, amongst others:
. the application of the principle of a Socio-economic Gradient; . the development of links and integrators between historically segregated communities; and . appropriate infill development on strategically located public and private land.
29 Draft Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework, CNdV Africa, March 2005 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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“Integration zones refer to the areas between townships and the traditionally white suburbs”30 and should be specifically targeted as opportunities for integrating historically segregated communities. The focus should be on increasing densities and mixed use development that will include a range of housing options, urban agricultural opportunities, the required range of community facilities and nodes of commercial activity (MCA, May 2009).
The Drakenstein Municipality has recently completed audits of vacant and under-utilized land in both the urban and rural areas within the municipality. Figures 35a to 35e and 36a to 36e spatially locate parcels of land identified as suitable for development as a result of these studies. These land parcels must be given priority consideration for residential, mixed use and other development aimed at integration of communities. A subsequent audit by the Drakenstein Municipality of land suitable for residential and industrial development has yielded the results indicated on Figures 37a1 to 37a6.
Urban restructuring proposals are contained in Figures 38a1 to 38a5.
30 Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements Plan for the Drakenstein Municipality, MCA Planners, May 2009 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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6.5 Densification and Urbanisation Strategy for the Drakenstein Municipality
The Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilization Policy for the Drakenstein Municipality recently completed by Chittenden Nicks de Villiers “outline a conceptual approach to densification and urbanisation as well as an approach to using public open space and vacant land within the urban settlements of Drakenstein Municipality”31.
According to this study the major urbanisation challenge facing the municipality “relates to accommodating housing”. Although there is also a need for land for economic development purposes, the study argues that such land should rather be located as part of mixed use projects rather than stand alone commercial or industrial development areas.
The Table hereunder summarizes the housing and urbanisation challenge for the Drakenstein Municipality for the period 2001 – 2011.32
Income Group No of Housing Units
Low Income 7400 – 8 400 units (6 000 target plus between 1400 and 2400 future growth) Medium Income 440 - 800 units
High Income 600 - 1000 units
TOTAL 8440 – 10200 units
This housing requirement, together with the associated community and business facilities, is seen as an opportunity to restructure the urban settlements in a manner that will make them more convenient, pleasant and effective to live in. The study sees this challenge also as an opportunity to be used to break down the “apartheid pattern of the town by promoting mixed- income neighbourhoods”. Although the majority of this housing need can be ascribed to the low-income category, attention should also be given to the middle-income category as affordable housing in this range is become more and more of a scarcity.
31 Draft Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilization Policy for the Drakenstein Municipality, CNdV, 2005 32 Draft Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilization Policy for the Drakenstein Municipality, CNdV, 2005 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The study proposes five main strategies to achieve densification in the municipal area that can be summarised as follows:
“no-go” strategy – heritage areas, within river corridors, vacant land that has an existing or potential important function as public open space; demolition and redevelopment – in well-located areas where existing development is of a low intensity; infill – in existing suburbs where there is unused or under-utilised pieces of well-located vacant land; subdivision, second dwelling, sectional titles – in areas with large plots permitting subdivision into two or more smaller plots or permitting a second dwelling on an undivided plot or creating two or more apartments from a large residential building for sectional title; greenfields development – subdivision of farms where infill, resubdivision and densification is not possible; brownfields development – rehabilitation and development of land previously used for urban services or transportation
The graph below gives an indication of suburbs in Paarl where densification is advisable and those where an appropriate density has already been achieved.
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Suburbs where densification is to be promoted (Source: Draft Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilization Policy for the drakenstein Municipality, CNdV, 2005)
The study proposes the following principles for an appropriate densification strategy for the Drakenstein Municipality:
. densify along major routes; . densify vacant and under-utilized areas; . avoid “town-cramming” – densification is not to be seen as an opportunity to willy-nilly redevelop any piece of land; . well-located spaces become more precious; and . an opportunity for socio-economic integration.
New development potential in the various urban areas are indicated on Figures 39a1 to 39a6.
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6.6 Creating sustainable human settlements
Official development interventions designed to address “dysfunctionality”/”disjointedness”/”non-integration” may at times undermine the productive connections forged by the poor out of apartheid disconnections.. Given the constraints frustrating the development of “well-located” low-income housing, a great deal more attention needs to be paid to transforming peripheral locations (both old and new) by way of diversifying local economies, improving transport and making life more convenient. Put differently, in light of the constraints faced by government in meeting the challenges of developing integrated human settlements, greater attention should be devoted to integrating communities internally (as opposed to externally through creating costly and inefficient linkages with established communities). Housing Policy and Practice in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Firoz Khan and Petal Thring, 2003
The process of urbanization is about people settling in an urban environment. To successfully manage the process of urbanization, the challenge lies with the implementation of policies and strategies that strive to create urban centers where the quality of life of all inhabitants is enhanced. To achieve this, all inhabitants should be afforded choices to live, work and socialize in a comfortable, safe and dynamic environment, free of health and social problems.
The Drakenstein Integrated Strategic Human Settlements Plan (ISHSP): Strategy and Policy Framework recently completed by MCA Planners provides the following summary overview of settlements in the Drakenstein Municipality.
Town Type of Functions of Role of settlement Suggested Housing demand settlement settlement investment /implications for strategy integrated human settlements Paarl/ Regional Regional center Leader town. Town Experiences highest Mbekweni node Economic center Seen as one of the infrastructure demand with Education main growth engines and social pressure highest in Institutional for regional and social investment Paarl South, Paarl Administrative development in the East, Mbekweni service center province Demand for Cultural heritage Given its optimal subsidized, gap and and major tourist setting in relation to other housing destination metropolitan markets and services, as well as Paarl has, due to its its agricultural, economic and economic and growth potential the commercial basis, highest potential to Paarl still has further become an growth potential to be Integrated Human realized Settlement
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Wellington/ Local town Educational Leader town Town High demand for Drommedaris center (Hugenot One of the smaller infrastructure housing in all income College, Cape growth engines for groups as well as Technikon satellite regional and social demand for rental campus, schools) development in the housing Agricultural service region and ultimately center for the the province Should surrounding accommodate intensive farming housing communities development Residential area for people working in Paarl and Cape Town Metropole Scenic natural environment, cultural-historical heritage attract permanent inhabitants as well as tourists Saron and Rural towns Mostly residential Key agricultural and Social Focus should be on Gouda Service provision social support centers investment social development, to the rural Possesses a unique Protection of social integration hinterlands place identity and unique and the provision of should therefor be character appropriate order preserved to facilities qualitatively enrich the province’s urban character Simondium, Hamlets Clusters of Essential service points Improving Focus should be on Windmeul, homesteads in rural area social and social development, Nieuwedrift, located within human social integration Voëlvlei Dam, intensive capital and the provision of Hermon agricultural areas Protection of appropriate order Very few non- unique facilities residential character functions Bainskloof Not (Eerste Tol) considered a settlement Table 16: Summary overview of settlements in the Drakenstein Municipality, MCA Planners, May 2009
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Notwithstanding the dawn of a new democratic era and a wide range of legislation and policy directives from a national government level to redress the injustices inflicted on poor communities in the past through ineffective planning practices, most low-income housing projects continue to be located on cheap land in peripheral locations. Existing apartheid spatial patterns are therefore entrenched in this manner and new inequalities created. Most housing projects “are created without adequate regard for integration, resulting in the creation of mono-functional settlements”33 such as Mbekweni, Fairyland and other historically disadvantaged areas throughout the municipality.
Furthermore, as a result of the high levels of poverty prevalent in the rural areas of the Western Cape, large numbers of people within the Drakenstein Municipality are unable to participate in the market-driven housing delivery system. The extent to which the poor is excluded is evident in the sprawling informal settlements in and around Paarl and Wellington, the appalling living conditions of a large number of farmworkers, backyard structures in low-income housing areas across the municipality and the overcrowded conditions in the public housing schemes. The various towns within the municipal area are experiencing increasing demand for residential development, particularly for low-income households.
Land for residential development is proposed in the Paarl-Wellington-Mbekweni area north of the N1 and areas in the urban areas of Hermon, Gouda and Saron. Further residential development is proposed to address the housing needs of people from informal settlements, overcrowded housing units and backyard dwellers in the Simondium area. In the case of the rural towns of Saron, Gouda and Hermon ample land for housing development is available within the existing urban development areas. Rural housing provision must be approached as a combination of on-the-farm settlement options and public housing projects in identified hamlets such as Simondium and Windmeul. The development of unsustainable pockets of residential developments scattered over the rural landscape is not supported. The establishment of “viable, socially and economically integrated communities in areas allowing convenient access to a wide range of amenities and opportunities”34 is without doubt the main challenge confronting housing policy makers and practitioners alike. Similarly, practitioners and policy makers are faced with a range of obstacles in the provision of low- income housing (refer Annexure VIII: principles for the provision of low-income housing). The following issues need to be addressed as a matter of urgency to ensure swift implementation in the low-income and GAP housing sectors.
33 Housing Policy and Practice in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Firoz Khan and Petal Thring, 2003 34 Housing Policy and Practice in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Firoz Khan and Petal Thring, 2003 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. A concerted campaign to free up land for low-income and GAP housing development (both current and future needs); . agreement on the sites identified for low-income and GAP housing development; . implementation of the pilot project proposed in the Integrated Sustainable Humann Settlements Plan (ISHSP); and . implementation of the recommendations/proposals contained in the ISHSP.
6.6.1 Housing projects
The Drakenstein Municipality Housing Department has identified a number of current and future housing projects to address the need for housing in the municipal area. These projects are indicated spatially on Figure 40. Following on this the ISHSP for the Drakenstein Municipality identifies the following projects as potential pilot housing projects to be implemented in the Drakenstein Municipality (Figures below).
Pilot project Location ISHSP strategy
Paarl Station Paarl South Infill, densification and redevelopment within established areas
Die Kraal Paarl East Infill, densification and redevelopment within established areas
Mbekeni South (current) Mbekweni Integration zone
Vlakkeland Paarl North Integration zone
Mbekweni Station Mbekweni Township upgrade
R301/R302 “Buffer Strip” Mbekweni Township upgrade/integration zone
Pentz Street Wellington Infill, densification and redevelopment within established areas
Table 17: Proposed Housing Pilot projects in the Drakenstein Municipality, MCA Planners, May 2009
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6.7 Open Space
Open space provision in the municipality is closely linked to its natural resource base. The Berg river system in the Paarl/Mbekweni/Wellington region is used effectively as a green lung linking natural systems to open space provision, sports facilities and leisure areas. The system works particularly well in the southern Paarl areas and becomes less distinctive as the Berg river moves northwards. Open space provision in the historically disadvantaged areas is characterized by a fragmented pattern, a general state of neglect and a sense of left-over, “unusable” space. The “green theme” of the municipality’s rich natural resource base – its rivers, landscape features, cultivated areas – is somehow lost in the dormitory suburbs of Mbekweni, Newtown, New Orleans, Chicago and others where undeveloped and neglected open space has become dumping grounds and eyesores.
The major rivers are key components of the municipality’s open space structure and should be treated as such. The growing need for urban-related development, and more so low-income residential development, places great strain on the natural system and the 1:50 year floodplain areas are under constant threat. The formulation of management plans for the 1:50 year floodplains must be given serious consideration. In addition, the implications of development proposals in relation to the sustainability of natural systems, especially rivers and water bodies must be carefully assessed. Management plans for rivers in the municipal areas must be developed to:
. protect the ecological functions of these rivers; . encourage and ensure public access; and . support water-dependent development.
The rivers, where they pass through urban areas, must be re-established as urban structuring elements. The recreational and amenity value that they offer must be harnessed and clear linkages established with existing open space, where possible, to develop a clear “web” of green structuring elements. Such a green system will facilitate an improvement in the overall urban environmental quality, whilst creating new opportunities for leisure activities such as cycling and walking. Recent trends in golf estate and other low density type developments, especially in the areas south of the N1, are threatening to reduce the level of access of poorer communities to natural systems such as rivers and mountain areas. These developments, by their very nature are exclusive and care must be taken in the evaluation of development proposals of this nature to ensure that access to nature areas is maintained and enhanced.
One of the obvious problems regarding open space in the low-income areas is the lack of appropriate management or supervision of these spaces. This has resulted in a neglected state of open space in these areas and their eventually becoming the domain of criminals and undesirable elements. New developments must take cognizance of this and ensure an appropriate interface between open space and development, perhaps in the form of new, higher density housing. At the same time, appropriate recreational facilities, of which there is a
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dire shortage in most of the historically disadvantaged areas, should be developed within these spaces to allow for a more efficient use of space.
It is important for humankind to maintain positive contact with nature for social, cultural and other reasons and the municipality’s approach to its natural resources must be based on the following principles:
. open space should not be viewed as “add-on” or “left-over” space, but rather as an integral part of any urban environment; . the place-making attributes of open spaces must be maximized to ensure a positive contribution to urban environments in especially low-income areas; . the tendency to use existing open space for infill development should be avoided; . access to natural systems and nature areas must be protected to ensure amenity and recreational opportunities are available to the largest possible section of the total community without compromising the integrity of the space; and . open space management and investment in open space must be geared towards gaining maximum benefit for the community at large (the aim should be to allow open spaces to fulfill a range of functions including recreational, productive as well as leisure).
The Drakenstein Municipality has recently completed an Open Space Study (Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilization Policy: Phase 1, CNdV, 2005). This study concludes, amongst others that:
“Rivers and wetlands are important resources with regards to their ecological functioning of this important source of life [and] … also offer considerable amenity with respect to property values and the quality of life that can be enjoyed near water. Unfortunately, urban development in South Africa has tended to treat rivers as drains and sewers to which urban development often turns it back. Paarl is no exception to this and both the main stem of the Berg River and many of its tributaries are generally litter-filled wastelands, often backing onto industrial areas, and are sometimes locations of antisocial behaviour”;
“… quite considerable areas of the town along the river corridor cannot be developed. However, outside of the river corridors relatively intense development should be encouraged so as to maximize the amenity and recreational potential of the river corridors and in this way also contribute to waste management and river cleanliness”;
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“ … there is an internal network of open spaces that must be retained and developed as public parks, market gardens, sports fields, and other open spaces necessary for both social recreation and the ecological function of the town. [The Figures 41a and 41a1 to a6] … identifies the basis of a preliminary network of open spaces. In some instances the open spaces are over-scaled, but, rather than developing them completely, the opportunity exists for creating an open space that can be more intensively used, but with increased security because of new urban development that can overlook the space”.
6.8 Economic development
“despite its relative wealth, the socio-economic statistics of the [Drakenstein] municipality shows extreme deprivation amidst immense wealth ...” Manifestations of Poverty in Drakenstein – A brief quantitative and qualitative overview (Drakenstein, 2004)
Despite the fact that the Drakenstein economy has been one of the fastest growing economies in the Western Cape (3% p.a in 2003), a very poor component of the community has been steadily growing alongside an immensely wealthy component in a dual economy likened to a double-decker bus. This growth in the economy has meant painfully little for the historically disadvantaged communities as fewer economic opportunities are being created within these communities. This has not only resulted in the widening of the gap between rich and poor, but also a steady growth in the numbers of poor people in the municipality.
The adoption of the Drakenstein Municipality as its core strategy to “address poverty through economic and social well-being” with one of its priority areas being to “facilitate local economic development that provides access to maximum job opportunities in a pro-poor program” is an indication of the
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municipality’s awareness of the issue. This can, however, only be achieved with the aid of a clear and focussed economic development strategy based on a commitment to integrate the poor into the mainstream economy. The Drakenstein Municipality has recently commissioned a study to develop a Local Economic Development Strategy for the municipal area. The following priorities for local economic development have been identified: . “Growth priorities . Municipal services . Rates and taxes . Skills . Sector/cluster development . Access capital . Co-ordinating and monitoring efforts (eg SMME’s) . Equity priorities . Change mindsets . Black ownership . Addressing skills disparities . Co-ordinating and monitoring effort (eg land reform) . Poverty priorities . Jobs for meaningful employment . Housing backlogs . Co-ordinating and monitoring effort (eg transport, land reform, informal sector) . Horticulture skills . Secure land tenure system . Basic services at farm village”35.
This strategy also includes a detailed profile of the economy of the Drakenstein Municipality. LED strategies have, generally, proven to be ineffective at addressing poverty at times as a result of a lack of specific implementable projects aimed at gradually transforming the local economy to one that is pro-poor and focussed on equity and justice. The creation of economic infrastructure that will support small business initiatives in manufacture and trade as well as the tourism industry has the potential to kick-start income-generating opportunities at the lower end of the economic spectrum. Ironically, it is also in the lack of low- income housing that opportunities exist for local economic development. Apart from the short-
35 Drakenstein Municipality: LED Strategy Development, MCA Planners, Futurelead, undated Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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term jobs created during the construction phase, the provision of housing for especially unemployed farm workers presents an opportunity to inspire a new brand of micro scale farmers. Available land, especially commonage, must be used creatively to establish agri-villages or suburbs that allow for urban farming opportunities either on an individual or collective basis. This must be complemented with markets for fresh produce and informal trading opportunities at accessible locations.
Urban regeneration opportunities in neglected historic precincts (eg Main Road, Wellington) and cultural activities and practices in the historically disadvantaged communities (eg New Orleans, Mbekweni, Saron, Newtown) should be explored as potential niche markets in an otherwise white-dominated tourism industry. Small scale manufacturing hives for the manufacture of protective clothing for farm workers, furniture and storage and packaging items for the agricultural sector at accessible locations and low rentals are important to turn tradespeople into budding entrepreneurs.
Sites for high intensity mixed use must be developed at strategic locations, especially in the historically disadvantaged areas to bring a mix of economic, social and leisure opportunities closer to those who can least afford the cost of travelling. Locations for the development of such mixed use nodes have been identified for each of the four urban centers. Recent development trends and land use approvals to the east of Jan van Riebeeck Road warrant a shift in mindset in respect of the function of this road between Paarl and Wellington. The development of this road as a Class 3 Activity Corridor must be given priority consideration to maximize its potential to assist in the integration of historically segregated communities and harness the economic development potential for poor communities located along its length.
The recently completed study investigating land for residential and industrial development in the municipal area must be put to full use with the view of utilizing land (and more specifically state- owned land) to promote and stimulate economic investment. This resource base must be used effectively to guide decision-making in respect of the location of future economic development opportunities, both by the private as well as the public sector. Specific emphasis must be placed on the development of sites for economic purposes that are located within or in close proximity to historically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The economic sustainability of nodes embedded within neighbourhoods has been proven to be suspect and public transportation routes should therefore be targeted as priority areas for such nodal development. The intersection of Jan van Riebeeck Drive and Lady Grey Street/Klein Drakenstein Road incorporating the area surrounding Hugenot Station lends itself to the development of a transport interchange with associated economic development opportunities.
6.8.1 Small-scale agricultural development
The Drakenstein Municipality has vast areas of productive agricultural land and it is here that the rural poor find themselves living. In areas such as these, smallholder agriculture is unlikely to be a driver of rural growth, but has the potential to perform vital food security and social functions. In addition to this smallholder agriculture has the advantage for low technology, labour-intensive production of traditional produce. Some of the major challenges for small and micro agricultural
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practices are the establishment of sustainable and efficient rural food markets and the continued degradation of the natural resource base as a result of the growing population. Public investment and strategies need to be geared towards intensification of semi-subsistence agriculture in order to enhance the ability of poor households to meet their food needs through own production. This could be in the form of a greater emphasis on soil and water conservation and support services such as common property resource management and livestock support services. In the longer term fragmented smallholder agricultural units may be consolidated to increase productivity.
Developing the capacity of smallholder farmers
FARM-Africa, an NGO working in the agricultural sector in the Northern Cape, has been working with impoverished rural communities in South Africa as well as the rest of sub-Saharan Africa to develop the capacity of smallholder farmers and herders to access and use local resources and influence policy by, inter alia:
“increasing their access to markets, which generates more income. Farmers learn how to source market information, improve production and establish links with transporters and financial institutions”36.
Municipal commonage in and around the rural towns are available for an intensive smallholder farmer establishment and support programme, but a number of options and alternatives must be considered to accommodate the diverse needs and unique situations of the various communities in the Drakenstein Municipality. Such options and alternatives could include:
. communal tenure arrangements; . access to state land for landless people; . private land acquisition through innovative purchase or rental schemes; . ongoing farmer settlement and support to beneficiaries of land redistribution programmes; and . urban and peri-urban farming projects and schemes37.
6.9 Community facilities
36 Farming for change, FARM-Africa 37 Agricultural Policy Reform in South Africa, Africa Institute for Policy Analysis and Economic Integration Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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The provision of social facilities must be seen in their broader context as contributing to the creation of community cohesion and a sense of place. Existing facilities are more often than not embedded within local areas making them relatively inaccessible to everyone accept those in their immediate vicinity. Constraints such as the availability of suitable land, public resources and building costs dictate a move away from local area orientated facilities towards shared facilities. To facilitate sharing, such facilities should, however, be located in a manner that is accessible to the greatest possible amount of users. Locations along important public transportation routes and at areas promoting clustering of similar facilities, present ideal opportunities for maximum exposure of facilities of this nature. Serious consideration must also be given to the multi-functionality of facilities to reduce public expenditure as well as increase the potential usage and promote a sense of ownership by the entire community.
The concept of “safe nodes” catering for a wide range of social services aimed at reducing crime and providing support for the victims of crime and violence must be promoted. Such nodes, when fully developed, provide a comprehensive range of social and municipal services as well as commercial, banking and trading opportunities in a secure environment within walking distance of the target community. A “safe node” functions as a small urban sub-center mainly catering for residents living within easy walking distance. The node can be arranged around an open space, like a village square. This Concept rural services facility “place” would very soon become a social center, and will be used for example for open-air public meetings and popular music rallies.
The number, type and quality of social facilities available to them affect the quality of life of local communities. This is especially true for the rural areas within the municipality where access to schools, libraries, clinics, etc is virtually non-existent. The provision of such facilities for each and every farming community is not financially viable and consideration must be given to the clustering of social facilities coupled with a rural public transportation system so as to maximize accessibility and provide exposure to the widest possible number of beneficiaries. Specific locations can therefore only be determined as part of an integrated rural public transportation
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study, but the following areas should be considered as rural public transport stations with a social facility cluster:
. Windmeul; . Simondium; . Hermon; . Voëlvlei; . Fraaigelegen/Loewenstein area.
6.10 Services Infrastructure
The Drakenstein Municipality Services Master Plans provides not only an assessment of the current state of services infrastructure in the municipality, but also proposes actions required to improve current capacity as well as making provision for future development scenario’s. The following is a summary of the various Services Master Plans38.
6.10.1 Water Master Planning The Water Master Plan (CEs, 2007) was utilized in the study, as an updated version is currently being drafted, hence some of the action discussed below may have already been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. The following summarises the findings of the Master Plan, and in particular how it relates to the findings of the study.
Paarl In respect of critical areas that require urgent attention, the suburbs of Groenheuwel and Mbekweni39 require upgrades to their bulk feeder systems, i.e. reservoirs and bulk pipelines, to address current issues of limited or no pressure and certainly to address the need of any future developments in these areas.
The Pearl Valley area and the Rural area below the N1 also require extensive work to meet the future water demands for the fully occupied scenario.
38 Extracts from Drakenstein Municipality Land for Residential and Industrial Development Study, Element Consulting Engineers, 2009 39 It is proposed that the suburb of Mbekweni will be supplied from the Wellington Van Blerk distribution zone in the future and will place an additional strain to the Wellington network hence the high value of the Wellington Master Plan items. Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Furthermore, in respect of Paarl overall, the Master Plan advocates an upgrade to the bulk water supply system, in particular the main feeder pipeline from the Wemmershoek Water Scheme to the Courtrai Reservoir, various other bulk feeder pipelines, the construction of new reservoirs or the re-commissioning of dormant reservoirs and the construction of new pumping stations. The existing distribution network also requires additional capacity to reinforce the current supply in some areas and address the future demands.
Wellington Wellington, according to the Master Plan, has the majority of recommended upgrades and extensions, partly due to the addition of Mbekweni, as is reflected in the high value of Master Plan items. The suburb of Newton is also identified as a critical area with regards to current issues of limited or no pressure and also requires extensive upgrades.
Gouda According to the Master Plan, Gouda has insufficient bulk and distribution network capacity to supply the future demand areas for the fully occupied scenario and the additional future development areas. A new reservoir is proposed at the existing reservoir site together with various new distribution network pipelines to achieve the future demand capacities and enhance the existing water supply.
The future development areas indentified in the Master Plan are largely in line with the findings of this study.
Saron According to the Master Plan, Saron has insufficient bulk and distribution network capacity to supply the future demand areas for the fully occupied scenario and the additional future development areas. A new 4.0mL reservoir is proposed at the existing reservoir site together with various new distribution network pipelines, rising mains and a pumping station to achieve the future demand capacities and enhance the existing water supply.
As the future development areas indentified in the Master Plan are largely in line with the findings of this study, with some minor additions and deletions, it can be considered that the Master Plan items are a correct indication of the work required to develop Saron to its fully occupied scenario.
Hermon According to the Master Plan, Hermon has sufficient bulk and distribution network capacity to supply the future water demands at the fully occupied scenario and the additional future development areas.
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However, it should be noted that this study has identified sites not defined as future development areas in the Master Plan therefore assessments must be made when considering development applications in this area by the relevant planning and engineering personnel.
Windmeul The settlement of Windmeul was not included in the scope of the Water Master Plan hence no comment can be given on this settlement.
6.10.2 Sewer Master Planning The Sewer Master Plan (CEs, 2007) was utilized in the study, as an updated version is currently being drafted; hence some of the action discussed below may have already been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. As the Sewer & Water Master Plans were compiled by the same consultant, the future growth trends utilized are similar and hence the comments regarding the future development areas also stand for the Sewer Master Plan as the Water Master Plan.
Paarl As per the Master Plan, Paarl requires some major upgrading works such as a new gravity outfall sewer to serve areas north of the Pearl Valley WWTP, future areas between the N1 and Klein Parys, the eastern areas of Denneburg and future areas in the Paarl Rural areas.
Mbekweni will also require a new gravity outfall sewer and upgrades to pumping stations and rising mains as the area develops.
Overall, a fair proportion of the existing gravity outfall sewers servicing Paarl will require urgent replacement and enlargement as they are currently operating at capacity and/or are in poor condition.
Wellington The future development areas in the Newton area will require new bulk and distribution pipelines as current capacity is insufficient to service these areas when they are developed. Various existing gravity outfall sewers require replacement with larger capacity sewers; however it is unclear in the report as to when these upgrades will be required.
Gouda New gravity outfall sewers are required to service the existing south-western area of Gouda as it does not have a full waterborne sewage system, hence any proposals for
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future development in the area must first include an assessment on the current state of the system with the relevant planning and engineering personnel.
Saron The Master Plan proposes various upgrades to the existing gravity outfall sewers and the Saron 2 pumping station in the Saron area to meet service needs. It is unclear from the report whether the upgrading needs are urgent and what the recommended timeline is for these upgrades.
Hermon As per the Master Plan, there is currently no sewer system in Hermon. The Master Plan does report that though there are approximately 45 informal settlement households in Hermon, these obtain water from a number of yard taps/stand pipes in the adjacent areas which do not have documented meter readings.
Windmeul The settlement of Windmeul was not included in the scope of the Water Master Plan hence no comment can be given on this settlement.
6.10.3 Electrical Master Planning The study utilized the draft Electrical Master Plan report to determine the accessibility of bulk electrical infrastructure services and determine the future electrical Master Plan. However, the Master Plan focuses primarily on the Paarl bulk electrical network.
Paarl The Master Plan proposes a number of new substations be built and existing substations are upgraded for a higher capacity, namely:
Suidend 2 132/11kV 2x20MVA and Simondium Substation 132/11kV 3x20MVA for the future development areas in Pearl Valley, Simondium and Paarl Rural adjacent the N1. Hamlet 66/11kV 2x20MVA for the future development areas in Courtrai, Paarl West and Vrykyk. N1 132/66/11kV 2x20MVA for the future development areas in De Zoete Inval, Boschenmeer, Klein Parys and Groenheuwel. Paarl Centraal 66/11kV 2x40MVA for the future development areas of Paarl Central, Groenvlei. SS 1, SS 2 and SS 3 for Groenheuwel and Mbekweni. Mbekweni 66/11kV 2x20MVA for the future development areas in Mbekweni and Dal Josafat.
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6.11 Movement (traffic and transport)
Movement within the Drakenstein Municipality is dominated by road-based transportation along the high mobility routes. In this respect the N1 running east-west provides access to the markets of the Cape Metropolitan Area to the west and the Boland and rural Western Cape Province to the east. Connection between the major urban centers in the municipality and beyond is provided through various north-south routes (refer Figure 13).
The approach to movement within the municipality should be guided by a number of principles, including:
. A shift in emphasis from mobility to maximizing access; . Consideration must be given to non-motorized modes of transport and a pedestrian- friendly movement system; . An integration of different modes of movement through the appropriate location of public transport facilities such as taxi ranks and rural public transport facilities; . Maximizing the use of the existing railway infrastructure to increase choice; . Creating new and maximizing existing opportunities along high movement routes for mixed use type development to promote activity spines or corridors and the integration of communities.
In terms of the existing national transport policy, as set out in the White Paper on National Transport Policy (NDOT, 1996), the management and regulation of public transport must be done through the preparation of detailed transport plans. The National Land Transportation Transition Act, 2000 (Act 22 of 2000) requires planning authorities to prepare a number of transport plans one of which is the Current Public Transport Record (CPTR). A CPTR for the Boland District Municipality has recently been completed and provides the basis for detailed studies to implement an effective and efficient public transportation system throughout the municipality.
The provision of public transportation facilities for the rural population must be considered in conjunction with the vision to provide clusters of social facilities at strategic locations throughout the rural hinterland. The locations identified should be considered as a point of departure for the provision of facilities aimed at improving the quality of life of the rural population.
An Integrated Transport Master Plan for the Drakenstein Municipality was completed by Africon in August 2003. The Master Plan contains a number of proposals regarding upgrades required up to the year 2020 to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the transportation system in the municipality. The following recommendations contained in the Integrated Transport Master Plan are of particular importance for the future spatial development of the municipal area:
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. the extension of the Berg River Boulevard southwards to the N1; . the construction of a new road between Berg River Boulevard and Cecilia; . the extension of Van der Stel Road northwards to Jan van Riebeeck Road; . the connection of Klein Drakenstein and Lady Grey Streets to provide improved linkage between the eastern and western sections of Paarl; . the construction of a single lane Mbekweni ring road; and . the extension of Van der Stel Road southwards to Klein Drakenstein.
The movement and access proposals contained in this Spatial Development Framework is aimed at complementing the strong north-south linkages in the Paarl-Mbekweni-Wellington urban center with east-west “integrators” providing improved linkages between historically segregated communities to the east and west of the Berg River (refer Figure 38). These include:
. the extension of the Berg River Boulevard (north) to connect with either Bartholomeu Street or an extended Van der Stel Street and the extension of Van der Stel Street to Klein Drakenstein Street. This will improve linkages between the historically disadvantaged communities to the east of the Berg River and the more affluent communities to the west thereof. The proposed loop road will also provide improved access to the Berg River and associated open spaces to the Fairyland, Mbekweni and other communities to the east thereof; . improvement in the visual quality of the east-west link provided by Optenhorst and Meaker Roads; . the realignment of the eastern end of Lady Grey Street to provide a direct link with Klein Drakenstein Road to improve economic development opportunities to the east of the Berg River; . a public transport interchange development at Hugenot Station supported by appropriate facilities and economic development initiatives on vacant land surrounding the station area; . a shift in function for Jan van Riebeeck Road from being only a mobility route providing a fast connection between Wellington and the N1 to a more multi-functional road that will also provide increased access to existing and proposed future developments located to the east and west along its length. The extension of the Berg River Boulevard in a south- as well as northward direction should be considered as an alternative mobility route to Jan van Riebeeck Road. Current land use approvals and proposals along Jan van Riebeeck Road and social development opportunities for communities located along this route can only be positively affected by activity corridor type development along this route; . improved pedestrian linkages between the communities to the east and west of Jan van Riebeeck Road such as along Market and Langenhoven Streets in the southern Paarl area and along Champagne Street in Wellington.
An integrated transport strategy for the Drakenstein Municipality needs to be developed. The transport strategy will support the desired outcomes of the municipality as follows:
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. Improved standards of living: providing safe and affordable transport access to employment, education, recreation and markets;Poverty reduction: Providing targeted interventions to support access to income opportunities and affordable transport for the poor and very poor; . Economic growth and transformation: Providing market access and support industry upgrading, innovation and access for SMMEs and black-owned enterprises to the transport market; . Urban restructuring and efficiency: Provide infrastructure and operational transport plans consistent with this Spatial Development Framework.
The provision of the necessary infrastructure to accommodate non-motorized modes of transport including cycling and walking must be given serious consideration throughout the municipal area as an alternative for both leisure and commuting purposes. Particular attention must be given to the creation of a culture of cycling and walking with a strong emphasis on scholars as the main targets. A system of cycling routes and pedestrian walkways linking social and educational institutions and facilities with the vast potential for recreational and amenity offered by the natural environment must be investigated in more detail.
6.12 Spatial development
“The NSDP requires that a strategic approach to investment be taken and that fixed infrastructure be located in urban settlements likely to experience population and economic growth rather than decline. Therefore, as a general principle, fixed investment should be directed towards urban settlements that exhibit high economic growth potential in the first instance and high human need in the second. Settlements with low human need and low economic growth potential would have a lower fixed investment priority. This policy further implies that settlements with large numbers of people would take precedence over those with only a few residents. It will be seen … that a benchmark of 5000 people or 1000 households is used. This is the minimum population that could support tertiary community facilities, i.e. a primary school or clinic”.
Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework, CNdV Africa, March 2005
Constraints to development in the Drakenstein Municipality are indicated on Figure 42 and can broadly be categorized as follows: . existing formally protected nature areas (public and private), especially along the eastern spine of the municipal area and the Paarl Mountain; . priority natural habitat areas; . river corridors, especially the Berg River corridor running lengthwise through the municipality from south to north; . high value/potential agricultural land; . culturally and historically significant heritage areas; . areas of visual and scenic beauty; . historically segregated patterns of development; and . costs of infrastructural development
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This Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework (SDF) aims to improve the current spatial structure (Figure 43: Distinctive elements) and definition of urban functions within the Drakenstein Municipality and to improve access to opportunities – social, economic and otherwise – in both the urban and rural areas of the municipality. The following strategies and interventions are proposed in support of this objective: . the reinforcement of the current hierarchy of nodes (settlements); . development of rural service centers (RSC’s) in “rural districts”; . formalising emerging settlement areas; . providing new and upgrading existing basic infrastructure to address backlogs; . development of one uniform land use mechanism for the entire municipal area; . support for land reform projects and security of tenure for the landless; . promotion of a variety of housing typologies and densities to provide for all demand categories; . integration of historically segregated communities to build a common sense of belonging and redress the imbalances of the past; . providing access to the full range of urban opportunities and benefits available to all citizens; and . the alleviation of poverty and eradication of inequality based on gender.
The planning principles applicable to spatial planning in South Africa are contained in the Development Facilitation Act, 1995 (Act 67 of 1995). These principles are also set out in the Western Cape Planning and Development Act, 1999 (Act 7 of 1999) and are broadly summarised in Annexure VII: Principles for spatial development.
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The Western Cape PSDF proposes that, “as a general principle”, fixed infrastructure investment be directed to those areas that show high economic growth potential in the first instance and high human need in the second. In the Drakenstein municipal area the towns of Paarl and Wellington have been identified as Priority 1 (high economic development potential and high socio-economic need) and Priority 2 (high economic development potential and low socio- economic need) areas respectively.
The PSDF also uses a benchmark of 5 000 people (or 1 000 households) required for a settlement to support tertiary community facilities. Using this benchmark and the acknowledgement that larger towns should take preference over smaller towns, the priority settlement areas in the Drakenstein Municipality is as follows:
. Paarl (±126 000 inhabitants); . Wellington (±34 000 inhabitants); . Gouda (±7 400 inhabitants); and . Saron (±5 134 inhabitants).
Future development proposals for the Drakenstein Municipality contained in this SDF therefore take this “grading” of settlements into consideration. The spatial development proposals for the various towns in the municipality are indicated on Figures 35 to 37 and can broadly be summarised as follows:
6.12.1 Paarl/Wellington/Mbekweni (Figure 44)
. An urban edge for the Paarl-Wellington-Mbekweni urban area as determined through the Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge Study (MCA Planners, 2006) and amended by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009 must be implemented;
. The potential for infill development on sites identified through the urban audit of vacant and under-utilised land must be prioritized to promote the creation of a more compact urban form;
. Limit development to the north of Wellington using the extent of existing urban development and the Krom River as an urban edge (subject to the results of the Urban Edge Study);
. Containing the tendency for residential development to the east of Jan van Riebeeck Drive and fixing a clear eastern urban edge to protect high potential agricultural land, nature areas, areas of cultural and historic significance and areas of high visual quality;
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. Containing the encroachment of agricultural activities onto nature and heritage areas and those of high visual quality;
. The implementation of the proposals contained in the Paarl Farms Land Use Study;
. The identification of urban upgrade and revitalization opportunities in Main Street, Wellington, Lady Grey Street (the provision of informal trading facilities, promotion of residential uses and pedestrianization opportunities), the Hugenot Station/Klein Drakenstein Road (“Ou Dorp”) area (modal interchange facilities with supporting use areas such as trading and gathering space and the realignment of Klein Drakenstein and Lady Grey Streets) and the Benbernhard area to the north and south of the N1 (limited residential and commercial uses);
. Strengthening of existing and providing new east-west road linkages to aid integration of communities;
. The promotion of land uses to create clusters of community facilities and economic development and job creation opportunities along Jan van Riebeeck Drive and thereby improve access to such facilities/opportunities by communities residing along its length; and
. The extension of Van der Stel Street to provide a link between Klein Drakenstein Road in the south and Jan van Riebeeck Road and Amp Street in the north, and the promotion of land uses along its length that will improve the socio-economic conditions and visual/aesthetic quality of the adjacent neighbourhoods.
. Particular attention should be given to “live/work” opportunities and high density residential development on land fronting onto the Jan van Riebeeck Road and Van der Stel Street. To this end the wide road reserves allocated to these two roadways must be reconsidered to allow for increased socio-economic activity along these channels (refer also the Urbanization Study). The utilization of Jan van Riebeeck Road as a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route must be investigated
6.12.2 Paarl south of the N1, including Simondium (Figures 45 and 46)
. The area south of the N1 is currently under tremendous pressure for development – particularly high income, low density residential development;
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. Three distinct areas can be identified: . The land to the east of the R301 (Franschhoek Road) accommodating predominantly intensive agricultural activities to the north and the steep Wemmershoek slopes to the south; . The land located between the R301 and the Berg River accommodating a mix of institutional, resort, low density residential and agricultural uses – this area has over recent years become the prime target area within the municipality for the development of up-market, low density residential developments such as golf estates (Pearl Valley and Boschenmeer) and polo estates (Val de Vie); . The area to the west of the Berg River with its high potential agricultural land accommodating predominantly intensive agricultural activities and the scenic Simonsberg slopes;
. A major attraction for low density developments is the area’s scenic beauty and the presence of heritage significant elements such as the Wemmershoek and Simonsberg slopes and farmsteads located within the Historical Berg River Corridor.
. Ironically, the area also carries some of the worst scars left on the environment through mining activities, particularly in the areas to the west of the Berg River;
. Farm worker and other low-income communities located throughout the area have benefited minimally from the up-market developments and/or mining activities in the area;
. Development proposals:
. The area falls outside of the delineated urban edge for the Paarl-Wellington- Mbekweni urban area as determined through the Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge Study (MCA). Although the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality has amended this urban edge (Council resolution dated March 2009) to now include this area, subsequent studies – in particular the Drakenstein Municipality Environmental Management Framework (EMF) – have again highlighted the area’s ecological sensitivity and value and large scale development in this part of the municipality is not proposed in this SDF. Appropriate development on less sensitive portions of land is proposed but it is emphasized that development must be consistent with the guidelines contained in the EMF and urban edge policy document for the Drakenstein Municipality; . No development will be permitted that are more suited to the existing urban areas of Paarl-Wellington-Mbekweni and distracts from the move towards densification and compaction of existing urban areas. This will be determined on a case by case basis,
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but as a general rule residential densities of 1u/ha may be considered as a point of departure; . Urban-related development (where proposed in this SDF) will only be considered under the following conditions: . No development is to be permitted in the horizontal corridor extending 30m on either side of the Berg River . Urban-related development (where proposed in this SDF) should be strictly limited to developments that enhance the rural character of the area and do not distract from the scenic quality of the surrounds (clear design guidelines must be developed); . Proposed developments must make provision for or contribute to land reform processes in the form of land allocated for projects that will provide security of tenure for farm workers within the area (off-the-farm settlement areas, etc), economic opportunities for farm workers and/or food security opportunities (garden allotments, etc). Land abutting the R301 to the west must specifically be targeted for such land reform initiatives; . Harness the economic/tourist potential of the R301 link with Franschhoek in a manner that will not distract from the scenic beauty, ecological value or rural character and will contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of the farm worker communities in the area; . Approval of all applications for development to be subject to the following studies: Heritage impact assessment Environmental impact assessment Agricultural potential study Traffic impact assessment and Other specialist studies as may be determined by the Drakenstein Municipality . Development of a rural settlement with all the requisite social and community facilities at Simondium must be given priority attention. Careful consideration must be given to the development of a settlement that will address not only the need for shelter, but also the socio-economic and security of tenure issues of the residents in the area.
6.12.3 Gouda (Figure 47)
. The implementation of an urban edge for the Gouda urban area as determined through the Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge Study (MCA Planners, 2006) and amended by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009 (Council resolution dated March 2009);
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town;
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. Maximize the economic potential of through traffic on the Porterville Road by encouraging mixed use development;
. Break down historical patterns of segregation through the development of community facilities along the main connecting route between the historically white and coloured residential areas;
. Encourage small-scale agricultural activities and land reform projects on commonage to increase opportunities for employment creation and food security;
. Promote rural tourism initiatives linked to cultural tourism initiatives in Saron and elsewhere as well as possible rail-based tourism on a regional level.
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6.12.4 Saron (Figure 48)
. The implementation of an urban edge for the Saron urban area as determined through the Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge Study (MCA Planners, 2006) and amended by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009 (Council resolution dated March 2009);
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town;
. Initiate “greening projects” (tree planting, garden projects, etc) along the entrance road into the town;
. Residential and other urban development to be sensitive to the cultural/historic landscape;
. Promote agricultural smallholdings on commonage;
. Develop tourism infrastructure, including information center linked to existing community facilities to promote tourism activities locally and regionally.
6.12.5 Hermon (Figure 49)
. The implementation of an urban edge for the Hermon urban area as determined through the Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge Study (MCA Planners, 2006) and amended by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality in March 2009 (Council resolution dated March 2009);
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town;
6.12.6 Windmeul (Figure 50)
. Rural services node
. Provide services and facilities to the surrounding rural population
. Limited expansion of the hamlet should be checked against agricultural resources, vegetation
. Development could include residential and tourism-related businesses
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6.12.7 Nieuwedrift (Figure 51)
. The implementation of an urban edge for Nieuwedrift as determined through the Drakenstein Municipality Urban Edge study (MCA Planners, 2006) and amended by the Council of the Drakenstein municipality in March 2009 (Council resolution dated March 2009)
. The development of a hamlet where small-scale farmworker housing is accommodated
. Development should also allow for market gardening and the creation of economic and employment opportunities for the local community
6.12.8 Bainskloof (Figure 52)
. Situated in picturesque mountain pass
. Maintain “mysterious” character
. Nature reserve
. No development encouraged for Bainskloof
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6.13 Safety and security
The creation of secure, safe and healthy living environments is central to the role of local government. Decisions regarding economic development, housing and social facilities provision must all be guided by this central aim of promoting a crime-free, safe and healthy society.
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) focuses on the relationship between the physical design of neighbourhoods, their layouts and built environments and the levels of crime and fear within these neighbourhoods. Various studies have been completed on an international level to investigate this relationship and countries such as the Netherlands, the United States of America and Canada has recognized the importance of urban planning in crime prevention strategies. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of South Africa has developed a “Manual for Crime Prevention through Planning and Design” aimed at promoting “cooperation between the police, local government and other role players to improve local-level crime prevention through the design of safer environments”40. The manual lists practical recommendations to be used by urban planners, architects, landscape architects and other professionals in the planning field to incorporate crime prevention principles when planning and designing new developments. Five principles have been identified that are considered to be crucial to establish how the physical environment can contribute to the reduction or increase in opportunities to commit crime. These principles are:
Natural surveillance and visibility
It is generally believed that people feel safer in places where they can observe what is going on around them and that those who do not commit crimes have a greater sense of safety when surrounded by other law abiding citizens. This perception of safety is derived from the assumption that they will be assisted when faced with dangerous situations. Criminals, on the other hand, have a clear preference for settings that are not continuously under surveillance from law-abiding citizens who might come to the assistance of their victims.
40 Designing Safer Places: A Manual for Crime Prevention through Planning and Design, CSIR, 2001 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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Physical environments that enable people to survey their surroundings and to be visible to other law abiding people contributes to a higher sense of safety and can be achieved through the use of specific design features:
. Appropriate levels of lighting for streets, alleyways and parking areas; . Eliminating the creation of hiding places for criminals through effective landscape design (limiting the height of hedges and shrubs and the increasing the lowest level of tree canopies); . The use of fencing materials that allow people to see through; . Positioning windows to look out onto pedestrian walkways and public areas; . Chamfered doorway recesses; . Appropriate sizes for public spaces and the extent and type of uses that these spaces are put to; and . The distances between and the functionality of buildings.
Natural access control and escape routes
Criminals and would-be perpetrators of crime prefer settings where they can enter and leave unnoticed. Limiting the amount of entry/exit points reduces the possibility of escape after a crime has been committed and good surveillance at these points improves the chances of perpetrators being identified and brought to book.
Buildings, streets and exit routes must be clearly signposted to eliminate the feeling amongst users that they do not know where they are and to enable potential victims to take decisive action when required to escape from a dangerous situation.
Territoriality/defensible space
Law abiding citizens should clearly demonstrate that they “own” the spaces they occupy. This is particularly true of public areas and areas where “ownership” is not clearly defined in order to discourage crime in these spaces. Optimizing territoriality can be achieved through design features such as:
. Human scale development that limits the feeling of being dwarfed by your surroundings; . Architectural design that respects and contributes to the identity of the surrounding area; . Clear design transition and demarcation between private, semi-private and public areas; . Limiting unused open space; and . Encouraging legitimate sidewalk activities through the appropriate use of street furniture and demarcating areas for trading and sidewalk seating for restaurants, etc.
Image and aesthetics
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The manner in which a space is perceived by its users will increase or decrease their sense of security and safety. Unused open spaces, unoccupied buildings, low levels of activity, poor maintenance, litter and the breakdown of services generally create a sense of hostility towards users and perceived or actual breeding grounds for crime.
Creating a positive image through design can be achieved by:
. Limiting the amount of unused open spaces; . A human scale in design; . The provision of adequate lighting; and . Ensuring high levels of and continuous activity and movement.
Target hardening
Target hardening refers to the efforts made by potential victims of crime to reduce the possibility of intrusion by criminal elements into their space. Burglar proofing of homes and boundary fencing are examples of this attempt to reduce opportunities for crime. This common approach can, however, be rendered ineffective and counter productive if other principles are compromised. High boundary walls often lead to a lack of surveillance and can provide hideouts for perpetrators of crime, especially when combined with inappropriate landscaping.
Two other urban design principles that contribute to the safety of users and should be applied throughout are legibility and mixing of uses:
. Legibility
The ability of people to understand and familiarize themselves with the space surrounding them has an impact on the degree of safety they perceive to have within that space. Unclear and illegible developments create a feeling of being lost and potential victims of crime and violence are often not able to find their way out of a dangerous situation. A victim, calling for help during and emergency, is also unable to direct law enforcement and emergency personnel to the exact scene of the crime. Similarly, criminals find confusing and unclear layouts to be of assistance when planning escape routes. Legibility also facilitates pedestrian movement through and within a particular development.
. A mix of uses
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the clinic or fetching and/or dropping children at the pre-school. It also provides residents with more of an awareness of community land uses other than parks, residences and schools.
6.14 Rural development
“Land and agricultural policy reform in South Africa holds the promise of increasing equity and generating jobs. The Government’s target is to redistribute at least 30% of the land in 15 years and complete the restitution process by the end of 2008. In 1993, a joint South African and World Bank team estimated that reaching the land redistribution target would cost between R22 and R26 billion in total, or about R1.5-1.7 billion per year, and create the equivalent of 600,000 net full- time farm jobs at about R35,000 per job. The main efficiency impact of a well-executed land reform program would come from a more intensive use of agricultural land and the multiplier effect created by a more dynamic rural economy based on a substantial increase in the number of small family farms”.
Land and Agrarian reform in South Africa: An Overview in preparation for the Land Summit, 27 – 31 July 2005
It is a widely accepted fact that 70% of the world’s poor live in rural areas and that nearly half of the South African population are located there. Rural areas, generally, have also benefited less from the political, social and economic reforms that have taken place since the transition to democratic governance. Private developments outside of the urban areas in the Drakenstein Municipality have also, more often than not, had little or no benefits for the rural poor.
“Census data (2001) shows that that approximately three quarters of all migration in the past decade was to urban areas with Gauteng and the Western Cape gaining and the Eastern Cape and Limpopo the biggest losers of people. While this migration has left certain areas somewhat better off, poverty rates have increased significantly in others, e.g. Gauteng Province. These trends reflect international experience in which the incidence of poverty is currently higher in rural areas in almost all developing countries but where the population is also rapidly urbanizing and thus a phenomenon of urbanizing poverty is observed. It is predicted that the urban share of poverty in developing countries could reach 40% when urban population is projected to reach 52% in 2020”41.
With its vast expanse of rural land and farm worker communities located throughout the length of the municipal area, it is therefore important that urgent attention be given to the issue of rural development in the Drakenstein Municipality. According to the World Bank, research shows that the “promotion of agricultural and rural development is crucial to pro-poor growth in most
41 Land and Agrarian Reform in South Africa: An Overview in preparation for the Land Summit, 27 – 31 July 2005 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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developing countries … and that the fortunes of the urban poor are linked to rural economic growth in various ways”.42
International experience in Peru, for example, has shown that the entitlement of informal settlers to the property they occupy is providing a means for establishing collateral, is enhancing stability and hence economic opportunity to create wealth43.
The South African Land Reform program is based on three pillars: redistribution, restitution and tenure with ambitious targets of transferring 24 million hectares of agricultural land to about 3 million people between 1994 and 1999. By February 2005, however, only about 3.5 million hectares had been redistributed to 168 000 households44. Development, and more specifically rural development, in the Drakenstein should be geared towards supporting the objectives of the land reform program:
Land redistribution for agricultural development and land for sustainable human settlements
. Municipal and state land disposal and lease processes must have a pro-poor bias that will allow low-income households access to land; . Restrictions against the subdivision of agricultural land need to be revisited; . Develop agricultural support programs for rural communities and land reform beneficiaries; and . Well-located land for housing for rural communities with access to basic services must be investigated.
Security of tenure for people living on commercial farms
. Tenure security for farm workers without the threat of evictions must be seen as a high priority in all rural development applications
Availability of municipal land for agricultural development
42 Martin Ravallion and Shaohua Chen: Learning from Success, Understanding China’s (uneven) progress against poverty. Finance and Development December 2004 43 Reason online interview with Hernando De Soto, director of Peru’s Institute for Liberty and Democracy and author of The Other Path (1989) 44 Land and Agrarian Reform in South Africa: An Overview in preparation for the Land Summit, 27 – 31 July 2005 Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. Municipal land disposal in rural areas must be considered in the context of rural development and land reform initiatives. The recent audits of municipal and state land in the Drakenstein Municipality must be used as a tool for informed decision- making in this respect; and . Municipal commonage on the urban fringe must be considered for smallholder development and the creation of small-scale farming opportunities for urban and rural dwellers alike.
Desirable land use patterns
. The Drakenstein Municipality must ensure more equitable, efficient and sustainable land use patterns throughout its area of jurisdiction; . Class and race based settlements must be transformed through firm and creative land use planning interventions; . The functional linkages between urban and rural areas must be identified and reinforced to ensure access to higher order facilities, markets, etc.
6.15 Land use management
The current land use management system of the Drakenstein Municipality has not kept pace with the recent developments in local governance or the changing focus in spatial planning from the prescriptive to a more developmental role. An Integrated Zoning Scheme has recently been compiled for the municipal area and is still in draft form. The completion of this Integrated Zoning Scheme must be informed by the principles contained in this SDF and reflect the new development planning paradigm.
The land use management system must be aligned to the Municipal Spatial Development Framework and a uniform system must be developed for the entire municipal area. The development of such a system should be guided by a clear set of principles that will address the historically distorted patterns of land development as well as the spread of the benefits of land utilization in an equitable manner across the municipality.
The following Annexures to this report contains guidelines and extracts from various pieces of legislation to assist decision-makers in their consideration of land use applications in the absence of a comprehensive land use management system
Annexure IX: Development Intensity Guidelines
Annexure X: Low density residential development on the urban fringe
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7 Implementation
An important aspect related to the preparation of Spatial Development Frameworks is the ability of the municipality to align, integrate and implement the provisions thereof. The following must be afforded serious consideration for successful implementation:
. Ensure continuous inter-governmental interaction at political and official level to gain the required support and buy-in; . Engage similar processes (IDP and SDF) on a district and provincial level to ensure local priorities are recognized at higher levels of government; . Embark on an aggressive marketing campaign of the SDF within the organization as well as with external institutions and private sector; . Implement approved policies and revise inappropriate and outdated policies and practices; . Increase institutional capacity to manage urban and rural growth; . Promote the integration of spatial, environmental and transportation and civil engineering planning and management; and . Ensure ongoing alignment of capital budgets both internally and externally
Alignment with the Drakenstein Municipality IDP
Planning initiatives at a municipality-wide level often become nice-to-have documents with little or no benefit for the communities it is intended for. Transformation in the lives of the poor and a visible impact in the fight against poverty can only be achieved through co-ordinated effort. Implementation of the proposals contained in the Drakenstein Municipality Spatial development Framework can only be achieved if there is a commitment to intervention on a local as well as a district and provincial level. Co-ordination between local and district municipality as well as provincial government is therefore essential for the success of the SDF initiative.
Furthermore, an alignment between the Drakenstein Municipality Spatial Development Framework and the Drakenstein Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is a prerequisite for successful implementation. The SDF should be utilized during the annual and cyclical budgetary processes as a dynamic document for the purposes of spatially identifying spending priorities. The SDF should also guide budgetary decisions in respect of areas of greatest need identified through the IDP process and as monitoring and evaluation tool in spatially indicating trends in government spending on a local, district as well as provincial level.
Spatial location of projects identified in IDP
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Communities are generally anxious to see delivery after having gone through processes such as the preparation of this SDF. Specific projects with clear deliverables need to be identified where- after appropriate budgetary allocations must be made by the Council of the Drakenstein Municipality to ensure speedy implementation of the objectives of this SDF and the Municipal IDP.
Local Area Spatial Development Frameworks
The Drakenstein Municipality Spatial Development Framework (SDF) is a broad policy document and not intended to be comprehensive or detailed in its nature. There are, however, areas that require detailed planning studies to ensure that the broad policies contained in this document are implemented and carried through on a local area level.
The following areas/aspects, amongst others, require more detailed investigations:
. An urban revitalization study for the Paarl CBD; . An investigation into corridor development potential for Van der Stel Street including the potential for local economic development opportunities; . Hugenot Station Precinct Development Plan; . An Urban revitalization study for the Wellington CBD; . A tourism development plan for the historically disadvantaged areas in the Drakenstein Municipality; . Simondium Rural Settlement Local Area Plan
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8. Development Proposals
Paarl/Wellington/Mbekweni - See Figure 44 A & B
. The potential for infill housing on sites identified through the urban audit of vacant and under-utilized land must be prioritised to promote the creation of a more compact urban form; . Limit development to the north of Wellington using the extent of the existing urban development and the Krom Rover as a barrier, subject to the results of the Urban Edge Study; . The area north of Wellington to be regarded as a rural tourism gateway, to include tourism related accommodation and tourism and other complementary land uses; . The implementation of the proposals contained in the Paarl Farms Land Use Study; . The identification of urban upgrade and revitalization opportunities in Main Street, Wellington, Lady Grey Street, the Huguenot Station/Klein Drakenstein Road area and the Benbernhard area; . Strengthening of east-west road linkages to aid integration of communities; . The promotion of land uses to create clusters of community facilities, economic development and job opportunities along Jan van Riebeeck Road to improve access to facilities/opportunities for communities residing along its length; . The extension of Van der Stel Street to provide a link between Klein Drakenstein Road to the south and Jan van Riebeeck Road and Amp Street in the north. The promotion of land uses along its length will improve the socio-economic conditions of the adjacent neighbourhoods; . Attention should be given to “live/work” opportunities and high density residential development on land fronting onto Jan van Riebeeck Road and Van der Stel Street.
Paarl south of the N1 and Klapmuts
The area is under tremendous pressure for development, particularly high income- low density residential development. Farm workers and other low-income communities located throughout the area have benefited minimally from the up-market developments and/or mining activities in the area.
The Environmental Management Framework (EMF) highlights the area’s ecological sensitivity and value and large scale development is not encouraged. Appropriate development on less sensitive portions of land is proposed but it is emphasized that development must be consistent with the guidelines contained in the EMF and urban edge policy.
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Special Area A – See Figure 45
No development will be permitted that will be more suited to the existing urban areas and which will detract from the move of densification and compaction of existing urban areas;
Urban-related development (where proposed in this SDF) will only be considered under the following conditions: . Proposed development must contribute to land reform processes. Land abutting the R301 to the west must specifically be targeted for such land reform initiatives; . Harness the economic/tourist potential of the R301 link with Franschhoek; . Limited residential development proposals (3-6du/ha) inclusive of a sustainable land reform component can be considered in conjunction with tourism-related activities. Any proposed development must take care to retain the rural character of the area which is sensitive towards existing agricultural, ecological, infrastructural and recreational activities and/or opportunities; . All development applications will be subject to the following studies: - Heritage impact assessment
- Environmental impact assessment
- Agricultural potential study
- Traffic impact assessment
- Other specialist studies as may be determined by Drakenstein Municipality
Special Area B – See Figure 45
. The area should contribute to residential, mixed use and tourism opportunities; . Opportunities should be exploited, created by the existing movement patterns; . The form and scale of development must contribute to enhancing the rural character of the area; . Visual management plans to be implemented for the areas along the N1; . All development applications will be subject to the following studies: - Heritage impact assessment
- Environmental impact assessment
- Agricultural potential study
- Traffic impact assessment
- Other specialist studies as may be determined by Drakenstein Municipality
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Special Area C – Klapmuts – See Figure 45
. A detailed Precinct Plan is proposed in order to fulfil the Drakenstein Municipality’s mandate to optimise the development opportunities in the Klapmuts area – this will ensure an integrated approach to development as the area is considered a new settlement; . Since urban development cannot be allowed indefinitely on the high potential agricultural land in the Paarl/Wellington area, consideration must be given to the Klapmuts area to meet this need, with specific reference to low-income housing – also recommended in the Cape Metropolitan Area Guide Plan: Volume 4: Paarl/Wellington (1991); . Encourage land reform projects to increase opportunities for employment creation and food security, especially on Council-owned land; . Development must enhance the rural character of the area and not detract from the scenic quality of the surrounds; . Visual management plans to be implemented for the areas along the N1; . All development applications will be subject to the following studies: - Heritage impact assessment
- Environmental impact assessment
- Agricultural potential study
- Traffic impact assessment
- Other specialist studies as may be determined by Drakenstein Municipality
Simondium - See Figure 46
. Development of a rural settlement with all the prerequisite social and community facilities at Simondium must be given priority attention; and . Consideration must be given to shelter, socio-economic and security of tenure issues of the residents of the area.
Gouda - See Figure 47
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town; . Maximize the economic potential of through traffic on the Porterville Road by encouraging mixed use development; . Break down historical patterns of segregation through the development of community facilities along the main connecting route; . Encourage small scale agricultural activities and land reform projects on commonage to increase opportunities for employment creation and food security; and
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. Promote rural tourism initiatives linked to cultural tourism initiatives, together with rail- based tourism on a regional level.
Saron - See Figure 48
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town; . Initiate “green projects” eg tree planting along the entrance road into the town; . Residential and other urban development to be sensitive to the cultural/historical landscape; . Promote agricultural smallholdings on commonage; . Promote tourism infrastructure in the area on a local and regional level.
Hermon - See Figure 49
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town; . Appropriate interventions along the entrance route to emphasize gateway into rural townscape; . Encourage small scale agricultural activities and land reform projects to increase opportunities for employment creation and food security.
Windmeul - See Figure 50
. Urban development to be limited to infill actions within the existing urban structure of the town; and . The rural character of the area to be retained.
DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Tourism & related uses include B&Bs, guest houses, boutique hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, wine tasting & sales, conference facilities, function halls, farm stalls, craft & agricultural markets, curio shops, art & photography studios, petting zoos, veterinary consultation rooms & facilities, animal research & breeding facilities, animal charity & care facilities, open air performance venues (ex. amphitheatre), tourism related offices (ex. information centre), centres of care (welfare or medical - which is suited to be established in an area with a rural character), place for religious or spiritual devotion, separation and isolation (ex. monastery), smallholdings and small scale farming or a compatible combination of the above land uses
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Integrators Movement channels that, over and above their obvious function of facilitating various forms of movement between two points, also contribute to the integration of land uses and/or historically separated areas/communities
Major Wildernis Links Linkages between urban development and nature/wilderness areas that facilitate access to nature on a regional scale
Major Urban Green Links Linkages between urban green spaces and nature areas within the urban fabric that serves to facilitate continuity between these spaces/areas
Area for Economic Revitalization A spatially demarcated area that has experienced gradual economic decline over a period of time and where appropriate land use interventions could provide a stimulus for sustained future economic growth
Major Urban Green Spaces Urban open space, recreational, nature areas, etc that serves the broader urban community beyond the immediate neighbourhood in which it is located
Tourism Gateway A spatially defined cluster of tourism related land uses and activities located along strategic movement routes and/or entrances into an urban environment or rural area that facilitates exploration of other tourist facilities embedded within the urban fabric or rural landscape
Cultural Tourism Gateway A spatially defined cluster of tourism land uses and activities that relates to the specific culture of a town or region located along strategic movement routes and/or entrances into an urban environment that facilitates exploration of other tourist facilities embedded within the urban fabric and/or the rural hinterland
Rural Tourism Gateway A spatially defined cluster of tourism land uses and activities that relates to the social and/or economic uniqueness of a rural landscape located along strategic movement routes and/or entrances into an urban environment that facilitates exploration of other tourist facilities embedded within the urban fabric and/or the rural hinterland
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Green Gateway A spatially defined cluster of green open spaces, sports/recreational land uses and/or natural features and other compatible land uses that facilitates access to other green spaces and/or nature areas
Green Corridor A continuous network of open spaces, sports/recreational areas and nature areas/features
Land Reform Measures, such as the division of large properties into smaller ones, that are taken to bring about a more equitable apportionment of especially agricultural land
Eco Tourism Tourism activities that focus on local cultures, wilderness adventures and nature areas where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize adverse effects on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, initiatives to promote recycling, energy efficiency, water re-use, and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities are an integral part of ecotourism.
Agri-Tourism Tourism activities that focus on agricultural resources, products and landscapes
Cultural Tourism Tourism activities that focus on local cultures and the historical development patterns of local communities
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9. The Way Forward for Review
Macroplan Town and Regional Planners and Architects was appointed in 2003 to prepare a Spatial Development Framework (SDF) for the Drakenstein Municipality. Since then the draft documents have been produced.
November 2003 Status Quo Report
March 2005 Initial Draft SDF for Planning Officials
. April 2005 Draft Drakenstein SDF
. October 2005 2nd Draft Drakenstein SDF
. March 2006 3rd Draft Drakenstein SDF
. October 2006 4th Draft Drakenstein SDF
. March 2009 Drakenstein Urban Edge Amendment
. January 2010 Initial Draft Amended Drakenstein SDF for Planning Officials
. May 2010 Final Draft Amended Drakenstein SDF
During the period 2003 to 2010 the Drakenstein Municipality, like all other municipalities in the Western Cape, has experienced far-reaching change in respect of, amongst others:
. multiple administrative restructuring;
. periodic political upheaval;
. change in departmental personnel and management; and
. local as well as provincial policy pertaining to development within the municipality
The process of preparing a policy document like the Drakenstein Municipality SDF in a climate of continuous change has proved to be challenging. Some of the challenges include:
. base information used at the start of the process has become outdated;
. redeployment of personnel resulting in a shift in approach;
. the commissioning of various studies impacting growth and development policy and strategy within the municipality;
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. shifting priorities as a result of change in political leadership; and
. the development of provincial guidelines for the preparation of SDF’s during the tail-end of the process
Numerous sectoral and other studies relevant to spatial development within the municipality have been commissioned by both the Drakenstein Municipality as well as other institutions over the last six years with information from some of these studies becoming available on a piecemeal basis. These studies include:
. Paarl Farms Land Use Management Policy
. Drakenstein Strategic Environmental Assessment
. Drakenstein Heritage Resources Survey
. Provincial Policy Document: Urban Edge Guidelines
. Drakenstein Urban Edge Study
. Densification and Urbanisation Strategy and Open Space Utilisation Policy for the Drakenstein Municipality
. Drakenstein Municipality Local Economic Development Strategy
. Drakenstein Municipality Rural Vacant Land Study
. Drakenstein Municipality Urban Vacant Land Study
. Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements Plan for the Drakenstein Municipality
. Drakenstein Municipality Land for Residential and Industrial Development Study
. Drakenstein Rural Development: Sustainable Rural Development Programmes and Plans for the Drakenstein Local Municipal Area
. Drakenstein Municipality Environmental Management Framework
. Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve: Spatial Development Plan
. Cape Winelands District Municipality SDF
. Stellenbosch Municipality SDF
. Klapmuts SDF
. City of Cape Town SDF & EMF Macroplan Town and Regional Planners
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. Western Cape Provincial Statutory SDF
. Western Cape Provincial Government Guidelines for the Preparation of a Credible Spatial Development Frameworks
. Western Cape Provincial SDF - Rural Land Use Planning and Management Guidelines
. Western Cape Provincial SDF - Settlement Restructuring : An Explanatory Manual
. Western Cape Provincial SDF - Inclusionary Housing Discussion Document
. Growth Potential of Towns in the Western Cape Study
. National Government Guidelines for the Formulation of SDFs
This has contributed significantly to a delay in the finalization of the Drakenstein Municipality SDF. Please note that the reader/user of this document (SDF) must always consider the most recent document (whether draft or not) of the specific sectoral plan, study or policy. The onus is thus on the reader/user to always ascertain whether the document is the most recent or up to date.
It is imperative that the SDF process now be concluded as any further extension of time increases the risk of the final document being rendered irrelevant and inconsistent with both local and provincial policy and current thinking.
Recommendations
It is therefor recommended that:
1. The Council of the Drakenstein Municipality approves this Final Draft SDF with the understanding that:
a. a full review of the SDF be commissioned soon after and that this review:
i. include an update of base information to develop a profile of the municipal area that is in keeping with the current reality;
ii. consider the results of all relevant studies and policies that have recently been completed or are currently in the process of being completed;
iii. ensure the alignment of the Drakenstein Municipality SDF with the provisions of the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF) and other relevant policy documents on a provincial level
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iv. address the comments received from the Western Cape Provincial Government’s Built Environment Support Program (BESP - see attached Annexure V)
v. address the comments from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the letter dated 15 October 2010 (see attached Annexure VI)
vi. address comments, issues and points raised by the officials of the Planning Services Department (see attached Annexure VII)
vii. address the comments and responses (where applicable) that was provided through the public participation process (open days - from 2 August 2010 to 19 August 2010) and is summarized in the Comments & Responses Table attached as Annexure IV
viii. conforms to the recently developed national & provincial guidelines for the preparation of credible SDF’s (Annexure VIII)
b. that the entire municipal area be demarcated into a number of Planning Units (Planning Districts) and that detailed Precinct Plans be prepared for each. In this regard the following areas/studies should be prioritized:
i. the Paarl CBD
ii. Hugenot Station Precinct Plan;
iii. Wellington CBD Urban Revitalization Strategy;
iv. Paarl Mall Precinct Plan
v. Simondium Rural Settlement Precinct Plan;
vi. the areas south of the N1
vii. Klapmuts Precinct Plan
viii. Saron Precinct Plan
ix. Gouda Precinct Plan
x. Windmeul Precinct Plan
xi. Hermon Precinct Plan
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c. that further policy documents and/or studies addressing overarching planning guidelines be compiled:
i. Rural SDF
ii. Guidelines for development along the Urban Edge
Conclusion
The SDF should ideally be reviewed on a 5 year basis in line with the 5 year Municipal IDP cycle as required in terms of the Municipal Systems Act. This section of the SDF therefore shows the way forward in addressing critical issues and aspects in the review process.
The review of the SDF must take cognizance and incorporate all the points raised and utilize these in order to compile a focused and user friendly Drakenstein Municipal SDF to the benefit of all communities within the Drakenstein Municipal Area to provide them with a sustainable future.
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ANNEXURE I:
Summaries of relevant policies and legislation
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ANNEXURE II:
Statistics for the Boland Police Area 1994 – 2001
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ANNEXURE III: Comparative crime ratios for the Boland Police Area 1994 – 2001
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ANNEXURE IV:
Public Participation Process and Comments Received
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ANNEXURE V:
Built Environment Support Programme (BESP)
Addendum to the Amended Spatial Development Framework (SDF) for the Drakenstein Municipality (Final Draft)
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ANNEXURE VI:
Western Cape Provincial Government: Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Comment on the Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework
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ANNEXURE VII:
Drakenstein Municipality: Planning Services Department
Addendum to the Draft Spatial Development Framework, May 2010 ANNEXURE VIII:
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
Guidelines for the Formulation of Spatial Development Frameworks, Working Draft 7, September 2010
Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning
Guidelines for the Preparation of Credible Spatial Development Frameworks, Final Draft, June 2010
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ANNEXURE IX:
MCA PLANNERS:
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