CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DATA ANALYSIS
4.6. Umhlanga as a New Town Area
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North is linked to the development of Sandton in Johannesburg which is also seen as a New Town area”.
Both areas developed as a result of the availability of vacant land where precincts were developed to create an economic node to “support the CBD area”. “These two areas have become anchor towns to the CBD area as well as a strong economic source for the city,” he added. Following the shifting of business to the North, commercial and residential developments began to mushroom around the business areas, thus creating an enabling and liveable environment. Respondent one also mentioned,
“The availability of space, controlled connectivity routes, parking space and supplier delivery zones (Picture 4.1) has also encouraged the migrating of large and prestige businesses and offices from other cities to Durban”. The developments have also seen the “return of businesses that had formally moved out of Durban due to space issues”. Umhlanga Rocks is presently characterized as a high-end business area and Respondent one of eThekwini Municipality mentioned that ‘the area has significantly contributed to the economic development of the city of Durban.”
4.6.3. Convenience to amenities in Umhlanga
Convenient areas are created through the inclusion of various elements into the design and spatial nature of a development. Tongaat Hulett Development (THD) has created convenient spaces through their concept of creating areas that encourage a good “quality of living” said Respondent one of THD. “These are areas that are developed with the intention of enabling live, play and pray in the same area,” said respondent two of THD (Map 4.3). The area encourages convenience to both those who reside in the area, as well as to those who visit the area. This is done through the creation of mixed spaces, where one finds residential blocks, shops, schools, office parks, recreational areas and a medical centre in close proximity to one another (within a walking distance in most cases) (Picture 4.2).
Picture 4.1: Parking space in the Umhlanga Ridge area in Durban North.
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Umhlanga is also convenient to those who visit the area. Respondent one of THD mentioned, “given that the King Shaka International Airport is in close proximity to Umhlanga, the area also provides a range of hotel options, which are in close proximity to office blocks and shops in which visitors would use in the case where they would be visiting for work or meetings. These creates a wide business opportunity for the area due to convenience.”
For the purpose of this study, convenience has been measured by comparing and contrasting the Durban North area to the Durban CBD area through direct observation. Here, principles from Bentley et al.
(1985) and Behrens and Watsons (1996) have been used to rate the quality of both environments (Table 4.2).
Picture 4.2: The Umhlanga Ridge area has various mixed spaces/zones that serve various purposes such as office space, recreational open spaces, commercial spaces and residential units within a walking distance from each other. Image Source: (Author, 2016).
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Table 4.2: Responsiveness of Durban CBD and North CBD Responsive Environments (Bentley et al, 1985)
PRINCIPLE DURBAN CBD NORTH BCD
1. PERMEABILITY Fair
(Appendix C Picture 13&14)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 1)
2. VARIETY Fair
(Appendix C Picture 15)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 2)
3. LEGIBILITY Fair
(Appendix C Picture 16)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 3) 4. PERSONALIZATION Good
(Appendix C Picture 17)
Fair
(Appendix C Picture 4) 5. VISUAL
APPROPRIATENESS
Poor
(Appendix C Picture 16)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 5)
6. RICHNESS Good
(Appendix C Picture 18)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 6)
7. ROBUSTNESS Poor
(Appendix C Picture 19)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 7)
Making Urban Places (Behrens and Watson, 1996)
PRINCIPLE DURBAN CBD NORTH BCD
1. PLACE-MAKING Fair Good
(Appendix C Picture 8)
2. SCALE Poor
(Appendix C Picture 20)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 9)
3. ACCESS Poor
(Appendix C Picture 21)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 10) 4. OPPORTUNITY Good
(Appendix C Picture 14&17)
Fair
(Appendix C Picture 7)
5. EFFICIENCY Good Good
6. CHOICE Poor
(Appendix C Picture 18)
Good
(Appendix C Picture 11)
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According to Respondent three of THD, the successes of the development of the Umhlanga region is a result of the implementation of the various plans and measures put in place to ensure that the spaces are
“well managed and maintained”. “In and around the Umhlanga area, various means of public security are in place to ensure that the area is safe for those utilising it,” said Respondent three. These include surveillance cameras at various corners of the roads, streets and pathways (Picture 4.3) as well as security guards in public areas such as parks.
“The residential, commercial and office areas are fully secured with security houses and cameras at entrances to ensure that that the area is surveyed and secured 24 hours a day”, added Respondent three of THD. Respondent two of THD mentioned that the precincts used to develop the area of Umhlanga include designs to ensure that the area is “aesthetically pleasing to the eye”. This includes ensuring that roads, pathways and open spaces are well managed and landscaped so that they appeal to those utilising the area. “The aesthetics of an area can also assist in traffic calming methods that are more economically viable than the conventional robot system,” added Respondent two of THD. In Umhlanga, this is created through utilising boulevards and roundabouts to control traffic as well as pedestrian signs and speed limits that increase the pedestrian friendliness of the roads. The implementation of these pedestrian friendly zones has also improved the safety of pedestrians using the walkways and roads. “The ability to manage the development of Umhlanga’s urban area has attracted people and new businesses into the area,” added Respondent three of THD.
Picture 4.3: Protea Hotel. Image Source: Author (2016)