the gauteng spatial development framework - Gauteng Online

URBAN CONSOLIDATION ZONESThe physical nature of an urban corridor realises a complex interweave of point-related andextensive district uses. This in turn forms a complex interrelationship of urban scale and'local', 'neighbourhood', 'district' and 'metropolitan' identities, without very extensive 'turfs'.Within this urban milieu a very complex range of socio-economic profiles are establishedand enabled to coexist in a mutually supportive manner: The principles governing urbanconsolidation within the GCR.Urban consolidation aims at increasing the gross densities at which people are accommodatedwithin the GCR and intensifying, in more complex development patterns, the way in whichthe urban system works.Urban consolidation is directed into and around existing primary urban centres, urban nodes,urban corridors and along urban activity spines.• There is a predisposition to being encouraging of urban development;• There is a requirement to increase the complexity of the socio-economic and demographicprofile of people being attracted to live and work in these areas;• Residential densities should not be less than of a medium nature and encouraged tobe higher than this;• Residential housing types are to reflect a range of options commensurate with thehigher densities being sought;• Patterns of activity should be complex in their profile and single-use developments arediscouraged;ANNEXURE C: POLICY PERSPECTIVESWhere urban systems are particularly complex in their morphology (i.e. they comprise severaloverlapping morphological types), an 'urban consolidation zone' has been defined.The above morphological types and zones have been defined (a) in relation to existing,naturally-occurring positions (having been satisfied that these are consistent with urbanfundamentals and will further the intentions of urban restructuring); (b) ensuring that theyare already, or are capable of being served by sustainable public transport; (c) make use ofexisting infrastructure and/or are in areas where infrastructure can sensibly be augmented;(d) assist in regionalising existing spatially marginalised communities. The defined urbanconsolidation zones for the GCR are seen in Figure C.4.1.Where development proposals are contemplated in the above morphological types or zones(other than where the size of an application is of such minor and inconsequential scale andnature as to make these considerations trite), the following urban management considerationsapply:• Where non-residential uses are included in the application, development intensities (i.e.floor area ratios or FARs) are to be moderate to high (the specification of FAR beingcommensurate with the morphological type involved);• Gated communities or separation of enclaves from their surroundings through exclusivityof access or residential right is not permitted;• Local management associations along the lines of urban improvement precincts (UIPs)are permitted within the prevailing policy context of municipalities in order toenhance maintenance, cleansing, landscaping and security;• The 'walkability' of a development (i.e. the need for commuting to have beenreduced and the ability of people to get around by non-motorised movement NMM)needs to be demonstrated; and• The ease of safe, convenient access to public transport must be demonstrated.173 GAUTENG SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK 2011 GAUTENG GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY