Built Environment
The Concept of rigid development plans and master plans is being discarded throughout the world. A new approach is being developed that ensures that planning truly serves the interests of people and society at large. SMMMS is supportive of this approach and employs innovative concepts and methods to address these challenges. SMMMS has many years of experience in the fi eld of town planning in Southern Africa.
Regional Planning
SMMMS is able to undertake overview studies of critical regional planning issues. For example, SMMMS was involved in two major regional studies, the Gauteng Spatial Framework and the Eastern Gauteng Status Quo Study. In 1994 these provided the new Provincial Government and Regional Services Councils with a rapid overview of critical planning issues. More recently work was conducted for Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council on economic corridor development.
Participatory Development Planning
SMMMS can facilitate the preparation of Land Development Objectives as required under the Development Facilitation Act. This was carried out in the provinces of Gauteng and Limpopo. These processes require grassroots engagement around local planning issues where each community has responsibility for preparing relevant planning objectives. This work is consistent with SMMMS’s principles of solving stakeholders in key decisions that affect them. As Chief Architect/Town Planner of the National Housing Authority in Zambia, one of our principals was responsible to the Department of Town and Country Planning for the preparation of Development Plans for Kitwe and Kabwe. This work included a collection of all data on existing conditions and the preparation of plan documents required for statutory approval. We also participated in the development of Strategic Plans for Lusaka and Ndola in Zambia.
Town Planning for New Settlements
SMMMS can undertake town planning for new settlements. This is often required to accompany long-term mining of infrastructure projects. A principle of SMMMS was responsible for the planning and implementation of the Southern Province of Zambia to house the employees of a newly developed coal mine. This involved signifi cant engagement with a variety of stakeholders to develop plans for the greenfi eld development.
Housing Layout
SMMMS has experience in preparing effective housing layouts that accord with the desires of the residents cost-effective. Participatory methods developed during the Zambia Squatter Upgrading Project in respect of housing layout planning and community engagement have served as an excellent model for several projects.
Town and Regional Planning Project Experience
- Easter Gauteng Services Council: Eastern Gauteng Status Quo Report: Socio-economic conditions, infrastructure provision, current plans and future trends.
- Eastern Gauteng Services Council: Gauteng Spatial Framework. Input into Built Environment, Lansana Marah cc with APS PlanAfrica.
- Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council: Member of 4 company consortium conducting a study on the Development of Corridors.
- Eastern Gauteng Services Council: Land Development Objectives (LDOs) for Zone 5 (Devon/Impumelelo, Vischkuil and Blesbokspruit). LDOs for rural parts of the Province, as input to the Regional LDOs.
- Eastern Gauteng Services Council: Integrated Transport Plan. Member of Bothlaba Tsatsi Consortium, project management, preparation of spatial framework, monitoring and review.
- Department of Public Works: Environmental Impact Assessment. Erf 1, Khutsong South, Carletonville, Gauteng. Scoring in terms of Section 21 of the Environmental Conservation Act.
- Department of Public Works: Site analysis and development proposal for 3 000-person prison at Leeukop, Gauteng.
- Department of Land Affairs: Business Plans for land redistribution projects: Beisie Skuil Farm, Byzonder Farm and Zoetfontein Farm.
- Steelpoort Transitional Local Council: Infrastructure Assessment. Assessment of status quo of infrastructure.
- Hlogotlou/Lepelle Transitional Rural Council: Identifi cation of Land Development Objectives and preparation of Integrated Development Plans.
- Koedoesrand/Rebone Transitional Rural Council: Identification of Land Development Objectives and preparation of Integrated Development Plans.
- USAID: Rabid Urban Assessment. Overview of urban conditions in Zambia and identifi cation of high-impact low-cost project opportunities. Zambia.
- World Bank: Study of Peri-urban settlements in Swaziland. Study of over 40 informal settlements and detailed proposals for upgrading 5, for the World Bank (with PADCO).
- USAID/World Bank/African Union for Housing Finance: Monitoring Informal Settlements in Africa. Development of a methodology for monitoring informal settlements and identifying investment needs and opportunities (with CSIR).