So what are sustainable community units (SCUs)? The NMBM has set out a list of criteria that define whether or not the community will fall under the definition as follows:
The SCUs are based on a walking distance from centre to periphery of 2Km or 30 minutes
There is a focus on pedestrian movement and cyclists, rather than motorized transport
An SCU offers a variety of housing types and tenure options to encourage integration
There are social facilities available within the SCU like schools, clinics, crèches, community centers and libraries, so you don't have to walk too far to get to a facility
There is an opportunity for employment and services are available within the SCU, meaning that not everyone has to leave the area to seek a job
SCUs are a mixed (not single use) development, which improves the integration of activities
SCUs have the flexibility to adapt to existing local conditions
Integration
Integration is a core principle within the SC planning process. Integration implies economic, social and functional aspects. These are lively and interactive living and working areas catering for cultural, economic and educational activities. It also means that you will be able to access services in those spaces that you need for everyday living, through the mixed land use arrangements. Integration also implies social integration with a mix of cultural, social, racial and economic groups all working together within the same space. Economic integration is very important for the working of a integrated space as different economic groups bring different benefits to the community, some will be supplying services, other purchasing the services, while others might provide rental housing, or job opportunities to name a few of the benefits of a diverse group. It is the latter that in particular stimulates a vibrant and healthy local economy.
Sustainability
This is another core principle of the SCUs. It is based on the principles of sustainable development that integrate social, economic and environmental issues into a planning paradigm. Sustainability infers that the community is working together in a participatory and consultative way, where everyone gets their say. Economic sustainability implies that the community works for all income groups and even the most vulnerable through creating job opportunities but also providing social nets for the poor, the infirm, the sick and the aged. Environmental sustainability covers issues like
limiting pollution,
ensuring adequate open space;
protecting sensitive environments;
using renewable energy like solar and wind power;
prompting and using ecological building material and methods;
alternative ecological sanitation systems;
Water conservation, enhancement and protection
recycling and waste minimizations; and
Protecting agricultural land.
The overall planning principles are a direct response to South Africa's particular circumstances. But they go further in many areas by promoting an alternative development paradigm that puts the quality of life of people first. The SCUs have a strong focus on pedestrianisation making a bold move away from the standard approach to mobility that assumes that the motorized vehicle has supremacy. Thus the planning guide views motorised vehicles as being less important than cyclists, as it should be; it is only through bold moves like this that one can entice nervous cyclists onto the roads. In the process you are creating greater mobility for all but particularly for the poor as more people can afford a bicycle than a car. But the real beauty of this planning process is that is done holistically throughout the community, there should be little need to move about the area more than 2 km each day as the SCU provides all your needs within a 30 minute walking distance. Densification lies at the heart of this planning process, which automatically contributes to a halt of urban sprawl and allows for successful introduction of public transport systems that are more than just commuter modes, (getting people to and from work) to be a service that school kids, home makers, elderly people and others who don't work set hours can use.
Dawn Mc Carthy, who has been the key driver behind this process with the support of all the other lines departments, says that public participation and democratic processes are key to the success, as they ensure that the community feel a sense of ownership. In the Motherwell community, a pilot flagship project, the involvement of the community was the real backbone of the success of the approach. Allowing people to interact with planners and make comments on planned infrastructure and development plans makes them feel empowered to deal with many of the social exclusion problems that arise out of a sense of alienation and displacement that many poorly planned settlements can engender. There are many planning tools available that promote giving a voice to the community and the NMBM draws heavily on the local agenda 21 tool for community planning that focuses on environmental and sustainability issues in an integrated way.
The NMBM has had much of its greatest success in its housing programme that is linked closely to the spatial development framework. This metro was the first to produce an RDP house that most closely approximated a place that people would like to call home; it was spacious and well designed and gave the beneficiary a far better deal than the average developer driven home being delivered in other local areas. But the metro has not stopped at that and it has designed a large variety of homes of all shapes and sizes; the variety is expressed in the density patterns with apartments blocks, terraced housing, "live and work" units and semi detached houses. These have been built in areas that are planned for mixed uses, with plenty of well organised public open spaces and attractive designs that are still affordable. In particular they have planned for higher densities of 50 - 100 housing units per hectare depending on the housing type. This is a big improvement on the standard 20 -30 housing units per hectare that does not support efficient use of infrastructure, make public transport affordable, nor does it facilitate proximity to social facilities. The housing programme also allows for diversity of housing types and tenure opportunities, with subsidy homes, rental stock, communal ownership, sectional title, social housing and bonded homes happily co-existing. Subsidy homes are designed in a way that will enable extensions to be made at a later date or second dwellings to be built on to the first dwelling when and if it becomes affordable.
The NMBM has also taken a far broader outlook towards local economic development, recognizing that the informal sector plays an active and important role that is often unrecognized. Home based economic activity is supported and facilitated through land use management regulations. Employment opportunities close to SCUs within local activity corridors and commercial centres as well as adjacent light industrial areas are encouraged to reduce travel time to the place of employment. Urban agriculture is given priority where appropriate, with allotments, small food gardens in schools and clinics and local markets specifically designed into the overall plan.
One of the most important aspects to the guide is the integrated development matrix. In this matrix, municipalities compile a list of all the stakeholders and all the activities that need to be completed in a way that makes it clear who does what.
In other words, the responsibilities of each of the stakeholders is specified at each level of the planning framework. When activties are wholly integrated in a way that removes the silo effects often seen in municipalities, a matrix of this nature can help a specific department understand its unique role and responsibility. Dawn Mc Carthy from NMBM says "this matrix is almost the most important part of the plan, we are still developing it to include the financial details and the process activities, but with this matrix all stakeholders know what role they play in a clear and detailed way".
In other words, the responsibilities of each of the stakeholders is specified at each level of the planning framework. When activties are wholly integrated in a way that removes the silo effects often seen in municipalities, a matrix of this nature can help a specific department understand its unique role and responsibility. Dawn Mc Carthy from NMBM says "this matrix is almost the most important part of the plan, we are still developing it to include the financial details and the process activities, but with this matrix all stakeholders know what role they play in a clear and detailed way".
Presentation for Seminar
