Lekwa Local Municipality 2013/14 - Co-operative Governance and ...

Morgenzon Spatial Development ConceptMorgenzon is the service centre for the surrounding commercial farmers and it is located at the intersection of twomain routes within the municipality. It has however over time not developed as anticipated: large portions of landare currently vacant and many of the buildings and facilities are run down.Morgenzon thus needs to be regenerated. This can be done by firstly upgrading the facilities and services withinthe town. As Morgenzon has been identified as the only second order node in the overall Spatial Framework itshould accommodate a variety of higher order services and facilities. Higher order services and facilities willattract more people to the area.It can also serve an important function with regards to farm worker housing andagricultural villages, which will strengthen its current role. Accommodating people living in the rural areas isproblematic. Commercial farmers have however offered several portions of farmland to Lekwa LM fordevelopment of some sort of agricultural residential settlement. If these offers are accepted it will lead toscattered settlements all over the municipal area which will add to the pressure of providing services and thecurrent lack of a functional settlement hierarchy.The spatial development concept for Morgenzon should focus on infill development, integration of the differentareas, and upgrade of open spaces and consolidation of commercial and social facilities.The following interventions are proposed in order to ensure the functional development of Morgenzon and theprovision of higher order facilities:• The Open Space Network consisting of parks, floodlines, the railway servitude and the golf course shouldbe protected against development.• Mixed Use development should be allowed and limited along the R39 and R35.• Additional mixed use nodes are proposed. These are located on main roads and are easily accessible. It isalso located within areas where some form of social facilities already exists. The intention is that social /community facilities be developed within these nodes to form a cluster of facilities. This will control adhoc development and also improve accessibility and maintenance of these facilities. The following nodesarea proposed:o Sivukile Proper to the west of the railway line.o Sivukile Extension 4 on the main entrance road.o Sivukile Extension 2 and 3 on the main road linking these extensions to Morgenzon Proper.• Infill development on vacant land within the town is suggested as opposed to new Greenfielddevelopment.• Residential densification should be supported in Morgenzon Proper.o The area to the west of the railway line (next to the higher residential areas of Sivukile Ext 2 and3) can be densified to erven no smaller than 250m².o The area to the east of the railway line can be densified to erven no smaller than 500m².• Industrial development should be limited to Morgenzon Ext 1. Thus industrial uses within town should belocated in this area.With regards to the urban agricultural residential village: 5 , it is proposed that Morgenzon be used as a “pilotproject” for an “Urban Agricultural Residential Settlement”. The principles behind this proposal are as follows:127 | P a g e - F i n a l I n t e g r a t e d D e v e l o p m e n t P l a n 2 0 1 3 / 2 0 1 4