Just eighteen months ago, when I was Mayoral Committee Member responsible for spatial planning, we achieved a revolutionary spatial development framework for a South African city. The revised Municipal Spatial Development Framework for Cape Town that I took to Council was developed to be the antidote to apartheid spatial planning and was approved by Council in April 2018 (http://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20strategies%2C%20plans%20and%20frameworks/Cape%20Town%20Metropolitan%20Spatial%20Development%20Framework_2018-04-25.pdf).
The city’s revised development plan promoted intensification and diversification of landuse – more “live-work-play” developments – and importantly proposed a shrinking of the permissible developable area of the metro.
Urban sprawl is eating our key biodiversity areas, water courses and valuable agricultural land. The revised development framework for the metro sought to stop that.
From the beginning of the process I was clear that the City had to provide policy certainty about the future of the critical Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA).
The PHA was, thus, a particular focal point in the city’s revised development plan. Experts across the board recommended protecting this valuable food production and groundwater recharge area.
The approved development framework for the city confirms (Page 146) that “the PHA is unique in that it includes the Philippi Farming Area and plays a significant role in supporting food security at a metropolitan scale.”
“Having a farming area within the urban footprint is unique and elevates the status of the PFA beyond that of an area of agricultural significance. Its location in close proximity to residents enables the PHA to play a role in building resilience within the city from a food security perspective. The area has value as an aquifer recharge area and thus critical from a water resilience perspective.”
The southernmost area includes the Oaklands site that is the subject of the current court case. The Spatial Development Framework, approved by Council, confirms that “notwithstanding past decisions it is now considered as core farming area and the ideal future designation should be CNA [Critical Natural Areas]. Should the court set aside the decision on the relevant land use application, these areas should be considered for inclusion in the Philippi Farming Area.”
My department thus ensured that the incorporation of this land in to the city’s network of protected and critical natural areas would be possible. As the city leans more heavily on groundwater during emergencies, and our increasing population demands more food, it is imperative that we safeguard our city’s future food and water security.
ENDS