Cape Town’s recently approved Cape Town Spatial Development Framework (SDF) has won the South African Planning Institute’s Planning Award for Best Municipal Project.
The award recognises the exemplary formulation and implementation of municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDP), Spatial Development Plans and other forward-planning initiatives. The Cape Town SDF can be viewed here: www.capetown.gov.za/en/sdf
The Cape Town SDF is a long-term plan to manage growth and change in Cape Town and to ensure that it becomes a more sustainable, integrated and equitable city. It will ensure that Cape Town remains a quality place in which to live, work and invest, as well as to visit.
“We are delighted that the Cape Town SDF has received this accolade. It is a testament to the high quality work and dedication of our staff and guidance of the Councillors serving on the task team and Portfolio Committee. We also need to acknowledge the valuable contributions made by residents, developers, environmentalists and other public sector bodies during the Cape Town SDF’s six-year drafting process. The complexity of the plan and the associated public participation processes were unprecedented in the view of the Western Cape Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Environment and Spatial Planning, Alderman Belinda Walker.
The Cape Town SDF is a landmark document which replaces a number of outdated 24 year-old Guide Plans which applied to the Cape Town metropolitan area. It is a best practice example of balancing sustainability and the need for economic expansion without compromising the principle of densification and urban compaction.
The approval of the Cape Town SDF has had implications on the status of 18 other structure plans and has provided the context for the roll-out of the eight new District Spatial Development Plans and the new Integrated Municipal Zoning Scheme. This Zoning Scheme is critical as it amalgamates the 27 currently applicable schemes across the metropolitan area.
