Alexandra Hub

SDZ – ORANGE GROVE

4. SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE 5. STORMWATER MASTERPLAN

4.3.3.1 Alexandra Hub

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The City’s objectives for the future development of Jabulani are:

 The creation of unique public spaces and defined connections to surrounding activities in order to provide safe and secure environments for the user while emphasising and enhancing a sense of place-identity.

 The establishment of mixed-use environments that transform the node into a sustainable, vibrant and high density zone with improved transport connections. These connections will further enhance push and pull factors between Jabulani, surrounding areas and the greater City of Joburg.

 The identification of the full development potential of all future developments in terms of their contribution to the formation of a more sustainable environment. Sustainability is viewed in economic, social, environmental and physical terms, as it applies within the node and to the broader context of Jabulani.

 The promotion of integrated land use development.

 Reinforce the functional integration of major transport points to the greater urban context as well as their effectiveness within the node.

The Priority intervention programmes in Jabulani as defined in the Urban Design Framework are:

 Transportation - pedestrian movement; Inhlazane Train Station; taxis; bicycle lanes

 Open Space - Jabulani Amphitheatre Park; Water Tower Park; Jabulani Flats Park; pocket parks

 Retail and Commercial Opportunities – Formal and informal enterprise development

 Integration of institutional Uses within Jabulani

Draft Built Environment Performance Plan 2017/18

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The reasons for proposing the above include:

 Despite significant public investment and effort in Alexandra the township remains an over- crowded, degraded space that is poorly integrated with the surrounding urban fabric

 Industrial areas in the vicinity are well located in relation to the Province’s network of highways and are well located to access Oliver Tambo Aerotropolis, but certain industrial areas have suffered due to illegal occupation of factories.

 The implementation of the Louis Botha Avenue Corridor of Freedom and the subsequent Randburg/ Sandton-Marlboro Corridor of Freedom (with its extension to Ivory Park) will intersect the area in question increasing the potential for transit orientated development within the zone.

 The introduction of bus rapid transit related development will strengthen the existing rail transit at the Gautrain Station at Far Bank Ext 9, and increase the potential for development in the vicinity of the Station.

 In terms of integrating the dispersed urban fabric that comprise the Gauteng City Region, the development of the zone in question is critical to ensure a more coherent urban form.

However to achieve this, significant public investment is required to address the barriers Figure 20: Alexandra Integration Hub

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to this integration, in particular: the N3 Highway, the M1 Highway, the Linbro Park Landfill Site, transmission line servitudes, the Gautrain Railway Servitude and a lack of pedestrian access routes and associated facilities.

 The Zone in question is the location of the last remaining large portions of undeveloped land in the east of the City. It is critical that this land be developed in a sensitive manner and integrates new development with the existing urban fabric.

 In addition the Zone is the location of large public and private institutions and land owners. The potential to negotiate public/private partnerships for the development of the area is higher than in other areas within the City.

 The development of the integration zone could better integrate Ivory Park with the City of Johannesburg through the extension of Marlboro Drive through the Modderfontein land holding.

Key elements within this hub include:

 The Louis Botha Corridor

 The proposed Randburg – Sandton – Marlboro Corridor

 Wynberg

 Marlboro Station node

 The proposed Modderfontein mixed use node

 The proposed Modderfontein Gautrain Station

 Expanded Industrial Nodes 4.3.4. Deprivation Areas

Deprivation areas, formerly known as marginalised areas in the City of Johannesburg are often located outside of the transformation zones as indicated in the SDF 2040 however this does not mean that the areas will be neglected. Deprivation areas are habituated by a large portion of Johannesburg’s population, these area have been classified as deprived areas because they do not hold the qualities of sustainable and liveable neighbourhoods such as informal settlements and low income formal areas.

The deprivation areas located outside of the Transformation zones have been a focal point of concentration on the basis that the configuration of the surrounding areas offers opportunity for growth that will improve connectivity and functionality at a local scale. Hence investment is these areas are to be focused on addressing inequality and to create a liveable area. Deprivation areas have been categorised; each category contains its own spatial context, opportunities and potential as identified in the SDF.

Category 1

The areas within this category are relatively well located in the broader context. They comprise of the following characteristics:

 Good regional transport connections

 Relatively close to large-scale economic centres

 Interconnected to the urban continuum

 Centrally located within the broader city region

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Areas which are included in this category are Ebony Park, Kaalfontein and Rabie Ridge. These areas display high potential for integration and functional interconnectedness with economic centres and adjoining urban areas over time. Improvement of public transport links to employment centres of Olifantsfontein industrial node, Midrand and Modderfontein as a future principle metropolitan sub- centre will provide a local public transport backbone around which incremental development, densification and future expansion can take place

Category 2

Areas within this area are located on the western suburban fringe and to extent disconnected from the urban continuum. These areas are characterised by the following:

 Fragmented suburban structure.

 Variable degrees of connectivity at local and regional scale.

Some distance from economic centres but within range to reasonably access opportunities on a daily basis.

The deprivation area that fall in this category are Diepsloot, Zandspruit and informal settlements near Lanseria Airport and Kya Sands. These areas connectivity to the broader area is limited. Therefore the industrial areas of Kya Sand and Laser Park will be a focus for economic development in terms of the Johannesburg economic strategy and provide the best opportunity for integrated and compact development around them and as economic catalyst areas, the redevelopment of Zandspruit

informal

Figure 21: Category 1 Deprivation Areas

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settlement. These industrial nodes then become the most logical connection point and link into the broader urban area.

The extension of the K56 through Diepsloot connecting to Midrand provides an opportunity for a mixed use economic node at the intersection with the R511. This local node will support the logic for the expansion of Diepsloot to the east in order to deal with the local need for housing in the area, and for the growth of economic opportunities.

Category 3

This category comprises of area that are situated to the south of Soweto and are far removed from essential economic centres within the city region. The category displays the following characteristics:

 Highly fragmented suburban structure

 Poor connectivity to urban centres – limited transport options.

 Long distance from economic centres.

 Low inter dependence and functional coherence with any urban centre in the city.

 No principle or secondary metropolitan sub-centres in the surrounding region.

 Very low economic base.

Figure 22: Category 2 Deprivation Areas

Draft Built Environment Performance Plan 2017/18

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The deprivation areas for this category are Orange Farm, Lehae, Poortjie and informal settlements in surrounding areas.

The strategy intention is therefore to create liveable neighbourhoods with high quality public amenities and environments that are well connected with economic opportunities in the urban centre and sub- centre. The options for formalisation and upgrading of informal settlements should be carefully considered to ensure that further marginalisation of communities doesn’t occur (through expansion).

The main provision of accommodation should shift to the Transformation Zone to ensure better inclusion into the urban economy. The current housing programmes in the area should be concluded and a continued programme of investment should ensure that in existing housing developments, sustainable and liveable neighbourhoods are created.

The development strategy supports the establishment of urban agriculture operations throughout the region to act as a broad economic base. Wherever opportunities for economic development become viable it should be supported with relevant infrastructure.

Figure 23: Category 3 Deprivation Areas

A Marginalised Areas co-ordination forum was established to monitor and report on progress with regards to the implementation of these development frameworks between various department and municipal owned entities.

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Development strategy for Deprivation areas

The strategy implies that connections from deprivation areas to local and regional centres of employment should be strengthened and that new development required to alleviate the housing need in the area is focussed within walking distance from employment centres and public transport stations. The nature of these developments should be higher density typologies with associated public and social facilities and a structural logic that supports walkability and access.

No substantive development requiring bulk infrastructure upgrades within the Consolidation Zone will be supported unless it supports compact city principles and fulfils the following requirements:

No potential infill area within the Consolidation Zone will be released for development unless there is an approved development framework for the area that incorporates the following elements:

The focus of development strategy is to create liveable lower to medium density suburban areas that are well-connected to areas of higher intensity through transit infrastructure, without the need for additional investment in service infrastructure. The city will therefore allow new developments that promote the goals and meet the requirements of the SDF, but do not require extensive bulk infrastructure upgrades.