An analysis of an urban edge as urban growth management instrument : Cape Town, South Africa

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University 2019.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has since the 1990s employed an urban edge line and development edges policy as growth management instruments in its spatial development framework (SDF) (CoCT 2011). However, in the most recent Cape Town Spatial Development Framework (CTSDF) of 2017 they no longer make use of an urban edge line or policy as an instrument to contain horizontal urban spatial growth. Instead, the latest CTSDF champions development that will support transit‐oriented development in the urban core and notes the city’s intention not to extend services towards the urban periphery in the short‐term (CoCT 2017). This sees a considerable turn‐around from the stated historic apprehension to persistent growth pressure to the northern and eastern urban extremities of the metropolitan area by using an urban edge, and seems to suggest that the former urban edge policy was considered inappropriate or problematic to the CoCTs objectives for spatial development in the latest SDF. Reasons for the termination of this policy‐approach formed the basis of this research in which, firstly, the spatial outcomes of the urban edge line and policy in Cape Town since 2001 was evaluated by using an urban sprawl index (USI); and secondly, the decision‐making processes associated with urban development proposals contravening the urban edge line and leading to the ultimate termination of the urban edge policy instrument were analysed by applying a five‐stream confluence model. The research results revealed disproportionate population growth compared to urban expansion over a comparable time period, suggesting that the urban edge line and policy, during its time of acting as an urban growth management instrument was successful. Evaluation of decision‐making processes revealed consistent poorly motivated political decisions contravening the urban edge line and development edges policy, in favour of a neoliberal growth agenda, thereby strongly suggesting a neoliberal capture of the decision‐making authority.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Stad Kaapstad pas sedert die 1990s in die Ruimtelike Ontwikkelings Plan ‘n stedelike grens en ontwikkelings grens beleid toe as stedelike groei bestuur instrument. In die mees onlangse Kaapstad Ruimtelike Ontwikkelings Plan (ROP) word daar egter nie meer ʼn stedelike grens of beleid toegepas om horisontale stedelike ruimtelike groei te beperk nie. In plaas hiervan staan die ROP ontwikkeling voor wat publieke vervoer georiënteerde ontwikkeling in die stadskern bevorder, en merk die stad se intensie om nie dienste verskaffing na die periferie van die stad uit te brei nie. Hierdie benadering dui op ʼn omswaai van die histories uitgesproke weerstand teen volgehoue ontwikkelings druk aan die noordelike en oostelike stedelike uiterstes van die metropolitaanse gebied deur die gebruik van ʼn stedelike grens, en skep die indruk dat die vorige stedelike grens beleid as ontoepaslik en problematies beskou is met die oog op die Stad Kaapstad se doelwitte in die nuwe ROP. Die redes vir die beëindiging van die beleidsbenadering het die basis gevorm vir hierdie navorsing waarin eerstens, die ruimtelike uitkomste van die stedelike grens en beleid in Kaapstad sedert 2001 geëvalueer is deur middel van ʼn stedelike verspreidingsindeks, en tweedens die besluitnemingsprosesse soos geassosieer met stedelike ontwikkelings voorstelle wat die stedelike grens oorskry en wat uiteindelik aangelei het tot die beëindiging van die stedelike grens en beleid geanaliseer is deur gebruik te maak van ʼn vyf‐stroom samevloeings model. Die navorsings resultate dui op disproporsionele populasie groei teenoor stedelike uitbreiding gedurende ʼn vergelykbare periode, wat dui op die sukses van die stedelike grens beleid gedurende die tyd wat dit was stedelike groei bestuur instrument aangewend is. Evaluering van die besluitnemingsprosesse het konsekwente, swak gemotiveerde politiese besluite wat die stedelike grens en beleid oorskry aangedui, tot voordeel van ʼn neoliberale ontwikkelings agenda. Sogenaamde besluite dui op ʼn sterk suspisie van ʼn neoliberale kaping van die besluitnemings owerheid.

Doctoral