Cape Town: The Council approved the new policy for Designing Quality Places for the city ‘Cape Town’ on Thursday, August 22, 2024. The Policy intends to improve the quality of Cape Town’s neighbourhoods, streets and public places that has a direct impact on sustainability, liveability and asafety.
The City of Cape Town has decided to improve the quality spaces that are useful, attractive, environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially equitable. The policy intends to improve residents’ physical and mental health and wellbeing. It will also enhance the good urban designs and also promotes local identity and sense of place.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Edie Andrews said that the quality of the cities, towns, neighbourhoods, streets and public spaces has a significant impact on the lives of the residents.
He said that they all have experienced it before also that when they arrive in a place – it could be any city or neighbourhood or even a street and it just feels good to be there, works well and makes you want to stay longer.
Andrews added, “Given that most of us are not professionals in urban design and we would not even realise that it is often how these spaces look and function and fit together, that makes us feel that way.”
According to him, the design should be centred around people and communities and can transform the spaces, by giving it a purpose and relevance along with the meaning.
Last year, in September and October, the city gave the public an opportunity to comment on the revised Policy for Designing Quality Places. “We used these comments to further refine the policy that has now been approved by Council and will guide the City’s Development Management Department in assessing the development applications, also informed the City-led project,” said Alderman Andrews.
The policy considers its own objectives and principles, that can be confirmed at its official website.
Moreover, the city’s Integrated Development Plan pursues a Cape Town that is resilient, more spatially integrated, inclusive and efficient. The newly approved Policy for Designing Quality Places sets the criteria to ensure the City’s spatial vision as articulated in the Municipal Spatial Development Framework is realised in the local neighbourhoods where we live, work, socialise and access the community facilities and amenities.