5. Introduction
5.5 Opportunities and challenges caused by Point Waterfront development
The regeneration of Point Waterfront Development has resulted to the number of opportunities and challenges. This section will start by identifying challenges that had been created by this project. Key informants were asked to identify such constraints.
5.5.1. Challenges
When interviewing Mr. Hoosen Moolla the senior manager of Inner City of eThekwini Regeneration and Urban Management (iTRUMP), he mentioned that the main problem with Point Waterfront Development is that the role of the site, in terms of the generic problems of Durban, has been misunderstood. He said that because the vision for redeveloping the perceived degraded and underutilised site into a tourism and economic node aimed at an elitist target market, has only further divided it from the rest of the city. A Professional Town Planner from Iyer Urban Design supported this by stating that a major problem that the site had prior to the recent developments was that it did not have a clear role or function in the city. The lack of urban features such as public facilities and places meant that people did not engage with it. As much as there are current plans put in place that indicate a desired function for the Point Waterfront, but it is not an inclusive one. The plan does not advocate for, or promote the use of public spaces in which a variety of people from all classes can engage with, instead it has created a settlement that is exclusive. This is indicated by the fact that the main urban feature, uShaka Marine
89 | P a g e World, is not a public space as requires an entry fee. Mr. Hoosen Moolla further stated that the other challenge is that the housing available in Point Waterfront Development is high-end residential, and that restrict the opportunity for a sizable portion of the population to live there. This raises question regarding the inclusiveness of this project, because what is happening at Point Waterfront Development is the total opposite to what the vision 2030 of eThekwini municipality advocate for as far as low-income people are concerned. The researcher argues that as much as there has been a transformation relating to the landscape of the Point, but it remains to be a place that provides a function in which all people can benefit from.
A Professional Town Planner from Iyer Urban Design further added that the spatial context of Point Waterfront Development in relation to the CBD, which potentially holds the key to unlocking the potential of the site, has not been adequately considered in the plan. He argues that the north is essentially since it is the ‘gateway’ of the Point. The limitation of development in the northern section of the Point area has a profound influence on the Point Waterfront Development. Access is vital to the success of a settlement. It allows for greater integration and connectivity. This should be the main function of the northern section, to ensure that access when entering and exiting the Point Waterfront is efficient as well as safe. The current plan has not recognised the importance of the northern section, as it is still characterised on wide one-way roads and remains to be perceived as an unsafe. According to the interview held with Mrs. Lekha Allopi, a senior town planner from the eThekwini Municipality Urban Renewal Department, the overarching factor in the demise of the plan has been the desired role that it should have within the city. The plan has been developed to capture the attention of national and international investor confidence rather than the best interest of the people of Durban. Additionally, the researcher argues that the reason for the point raised by Mrs. Allopi is that the city of Durban has adopted the neoliberal way of economic growth that is characterised by globalisation and competition as discussed in chapter two. An interview held with Mr. Elaine Pillay the manager of Durban Point Development Company (DPDC), the challenge they face as the result of this project is the managing expectation. He argues that the development has been struggling to generate expected returns and the leasing of flats is very slow. As the result, most of the flats are still vacant.
5.5.2. Opportunities
As much, as Point Waterfront Development has created some challenges, but there are also opportunities. This project is one of the key catalysts for the redevelopment and regeneration of the entire inner-City providing housing, employment, commercial, retail and recreational facilities for
90 | P a g e eThekwini residents. In turn, the inner City will be a catalyst for stimulating economic growth in the entire region and province. Mr. Hoosen Moolla stated that Point Waterfront has created business opportunities, since it offers mixed-use development with an exceptional lifestyle that facilitate every need of modern business. This is where work comes with sweeping panoramic views across the Indian Ocean. Since some of the development are still in progress, he further stated that the Point Waterfront business cluster will become renowned for its unrivalled cutting-edge technology and high paced business offerings that will be the core of the new network generation who will reside and work in these exclusive surrounds. According to the Town Planner from the municipality, Point Waterfront Development will cater for every business need in keeping with the emergent energy of the world today.
These exclusive, vibrant spaces will host any number of creative, open and communicative businesses, as well as many world-class business centres.
Furthermore, Point Waterfront development has created tourism opportunities since it is adjacent to the world-renowned uShaka Marine World Theme Park. The Point Waterfront is the focus of the country’s cosmopolitan crowd, attracted by its fun, vibrant and relaxed atmosphere. It is here where the golden beaches are wide and welcoming. Furthermore, Afrika Ndima (project executive from the municipality) stated that Point Waterfront development offers outdoor activities in a variety of ways. The pristine beaches offer boating, sailing, surfing, diving or just swimming. This forms a natural extension to Durban’s ‘Golden Mile’, which is the popular home to a multitude of daily recreational activities such as running, walking and cycling. The extension of the promenade is an important change introduced in the project by doing away with small craft harbour. This means to some extent the public will enjoy the beach through uninterrupted access. Figure 5.25 illustrate the findings based on the survey done by the researcher at Point Waterfront.
91 | P a g e Figure 5.25: Graph showing opportunities available in Point Waterfront Development
(Source: Fieldwork, 2017).