An Analysis of a Degenerating Urban Area and Recommendations for its Renewal:
A Case Study of Soutb Beacb, Durban
The owners of homes along the pedestrian zone renewed their houses on their own through a process of gentrification. They realised that the value of their land was increasing and their houses did not meet the standard of the surrounding area. Thus, the area was spontaneously rehabilitated through partnerships with the public and private sectors. Balingen had also established an urban management committee as part of its ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the urban renewal plan.
An Analysis of a Degenerating Urban Area and Recommendations for its Renewal:
A Case Study of South Beach, Durban
are not comfortable with. Thus, undemocratic forceful renewal procedures deprive people of good-quality livelihoods, displace them and it creates emotional trauma.
Another controversial issue of renewal is that in some cases it has created more blight than actually resolving the problem (Wilson, 1966). Previous methods of renewal have not incorporated public participation in their procedure. This has resulted in unsustainable plans that worsened the condition of blighted neighbourhoods as the needs of the community were not addressed. Slum dwellers are often paid very little attention to in renewal procedures, and are even ignored in some cases. There are also several instances where renewal has been left incomplete (Wilson, 1966).
The roles that powerful stakeholders play in renewal are also controversial.
Mayors, for example, are eager at first to be totally involved in renewal projects.
They become preoccupied with the success and popularity such a project would bring them. What they do not realise is that renewal is a complex procedure, and when the public becomes frustrated, they are no longer prepared to be responsible.
Public participation in urban renewal is a very difficult part of the urban renewal process. In some cases, the public is merely informed of the renewal of the area.
Their needs are not planned for. Not all sides were represented in the planning process in the urban renewal programme of the United States after World War II.
Unequal participation was evident (Squires, 1996: 275). Poor participation is evident as in the case of the South Bronx precedent, where no public participation was undertaken. This had resulted in the downfall of the neighbourhood and its consequential blight that had arisen from the lack of public participation in the planning process. The same situation had arisen in the Hyde Park case study, where there was minimal participation from the residents of the area. The participation procedure was unjust and the minorities were eliminated in the public participation procedures.
Apart from this, the procedure of participation is a very lengthy, costly and tiring process. It often does not work very easily as the public has conflicting interests, as compared to the planner(s) involved. The resolution of interests is thus problematic. Various stakeholders demand different wants and it is very difficult to meet all these demands. However, wide participation is essential.
But, not only is the alliance between planner and citizen difficult, but the alliance between planner, mayor, councilors, engineers and other related professionals is also disintegrating. Environmentalists are fighting more for saving the natural
An Analysis of a Degenerating Urban Area and Recommendations for its Renewal:
A Case Study of South Beach, Durban
environment and planners are opting for the clearance of it to build better housing and therefore resolve blight.
The public usually has a positive attitude regarding being a part of the renewal process. However, this lasts until it becomes known to them that their houses are going to be demolished. Residents are also not too keen on renovating their homes to keep up with the approved standard of the renewal agency.
In America, in the 1960's, the biggest downfall of urban renewal was that it started off as a means to rectify city decline. However, there were very few success stories and more stories of failure. Many projects that started were left incomplete. CBD's prospered, but not the low-income residential areas.
However, people that came to the city in the hope of a better life benefited from the renewal initiatives. But these benefits were benefits to these people only.
The public is increasingly becoming aware of the major drawbacks on their part.
This adds to the urban renewal controversy where voters complain about being termed slum-dwellers and being evicted via redevelopment (Wilson, 1966: 408).
It is therefore imperative that the renewal procedure is a just and democratic one where families are not displaced. This can be achieved by planning with the people instead of against them. As important as it may be to stimulate economic growth within the city, attract private development and investment by creating a first class living environment, it is also essential that democracy is achieved and that communities are not disadvantaged in any manner.
This Dissertation aims to provide recommendations for the renewal of South Beach by not displacing individuals from their residence. The residents shall be planned with and their needs and economic status shall be determined in order to provide recommendations to suit their wants and socio-economic status.
3.6 THE ROLE OF PLANNING POLICY IN URBAN RENEWAL Blight and urban decay is due to many contributing factors, as previously mentioned. During the 1970's, policies were aimed at encouraging decentralization and attracting industry away from the city. (Kihato, 1999).
However, this has changed in recent times. Realising that cities are declining, policy has transformed to help cities regenerate themselves. The decline of cities is a challenge faced by cities worldwide, not just South Africa. Policies around the globe are also changing. These are aimed at reviving the city.
An Analysis of a Degenerating Urban Area and Recommendations for its Renewal:
A Case Study of South Beach, Durban
Policies have changed to encourage economic growth in urban areas. New policies are pro-community empowerment and collaboration. They encourage partnerships between the public, the private sector and the planners and other professionals involved in the renewal process. The citizens of the area to be renewed now play a more important part in the planning process and their livelihoods are more valued.
Recent renewal policies also aim at eliminating other problems associated with renewal, apart from blight and the decay of the urban area. These predicaments include crime, poverty, disease, unemployment and hOUSing. Focusing on physical aspects of decline is insufficient (Lottman, 1976). Therefore, policies now include the social factor in urban renewal. Thus, the public is better addressed and catered for, as compared to previous policies on renewal. Social policy has thereby arisen out of this.
Social policy addresses the personal needs of the residents involved in the renewal process. For example, children are also being more catered for with playgrounds and schools. Social policy needs to cater for various social groups and their needs. This is slowly being implemented; however, it is very hard to please all parties, especially when interests conflict. Such clashing of interests could be where a community wants a vacant lot to be turned into a site for a community hall, but the businessmen in the area want it to be turned into a collection of shops. Conflict resolution is therefore a lengthy and tedious process in meeting the demands of all role-players.
Policy is also focusing on the natural environment and the importance of sustaining and protecting it. The awareness of sustainability and sustainable development is being encouraged by new policies of renewal.
In America, urban renewal was always interpreted as displacing Blacks only.
But the civil rebellion in the 1960's brought about a great change in this.
Programs thereafter focused on empowering Black and other low-income race communities. Citizens were thus empowered to improve their communities.
They therefore helped with the redevelopment of their neighbourhoods.
Oppressive renewal programs became the past tense.
In Europe, policies have also transformed (Roberts, 1999). The last twenty years of urban regeneration has had a very strong theme. It has especially focused on diversifying its urban economic base in order to regenerate the decaying urban areas. It has been achieving this aim by attracting international funds and improving its array and quantity of professionals and skilled workers.
An Analysis of a Degenerating Urban Area and Recommendations for its Renewal:
A Case Study of South Beach, Durban
The social part of Europe's policy on renewal aims at integrating displaced groups, foreigners, and the unemployed. The European policies on renewal want to give strength to disadvantaged and poorly resourced groups such as these so that social equity can be enhanced, which in tum will bring revenue into the country.
Europe is also marketing itself to a great extent in order to encourage renewal.
Incorporating social inclusion and environmental sustainability as the key procedures for its renewal policies. Europe has adopted a more integrated approach to urban policy than its previous policies. These are contemporary methods of renewal being practiced by First World Countries that Third World Countries, such as South Africa can learn from.