Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science: Environmental Planning, in the Graduate Program in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. He is applying for the degree of Master of Science: Environmental Planning in the College of Humanities, Development and Social Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Introduction
Alongside extreme security measures to protect private property in the suburbs, the privatization of public space has become a common feature. This thesis focuses on the impacts of public-private partnerships on public spaces and uses as a study area the coast of Durban Beach, where there has been a significant level of privatization.
Motivation
Aim of Dissertation
3 show the benefits that can be achieved from the implementation of such a development through a PPP and account for the costs of implementing public space through this policy instrument. The focus of these costs and benefits will be at the level of the public space and these benefits and costs will be approached based on their social, economic and ecological dimensions.
Research Question
Sub-questions
Proposition
4 The researcher recognizes the importance of the Durban waterfront as an essential public space area that supports a diverse range of social and income groups. The researcher suggests that a well-informed decision-making process on the privatization of the beachfront will only be achieved if the impact of PPPs is holistically understood in terms of their social, economic and ecological dimensions.
Case Study Area
In addition, it is also recognized that the beach is the backbone of the local tourism economy and provides an opportunity for economic prosperity for the city and its residents. The recent development of the Suncoast Casino within Snell Parade may create a trend of the entire Snell Parade area becoming more developed, which would negatively impact the beach ecosystem at that location.
Thesis Structure
Chapter Five: The Social, Economic and Environmental Outcomes of Public Space PPPs This chapter presents the results obtained from the application of the research methods and serves as a basis for the discussion that follows in the next chapter. This chapter analyzes and discusses the themes that emerged from the results of the research.
Introduction
The first part is discussed in Section 2.2 and presents the literature on neoliberal urban governance. The second part of this chapter is a review of the debates about the public space.
Neoliberal Urban Governance
Introduction
The neoliberal policy tool, the public-private partnership, led to regeneration projects in urban areas and these projects in turn led to the privatization of public space. The concept of public space as well as the different representations and visions of public space that appear in the literature are explained in section 2.3.
The Entrepreneurial City
State of the World's Cities' 2001 report noted that cities “…are the nexus of commerce, gateways to the world in one direction and focus of their own hinterland. Peck and Tickell (2002) provide seven points in their argument regarding the implications of the neoliberal regime for the economies of cities.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
In the post-industrial period, in developed countries, several cities that had previously flourished during the height of the industrial revolution have declined in importance in the new economic regime. This is particularly true in the private sector's development of public space through PPPs discussed in the following sections of this chapter.
Public Space
- Introduction
- Defining Public Space
- Visions of Public Life in Public Space
- Public Space Role Players
These definitions also cover the relevant perspectives necessitated by the overview of the privatization of public space in Section 2.4. 18 to the public space and calls for a deeper investigation into this communicative aspect which is based in public spaces.
Privatisation of Public Space and the „New‟ Public Spaces
- Introduction
- Crime, Paranoia and Fear – Demand for a New Type of Public Space
- Public- private Spaces and Private-public Spaces
- Towards a Definition of 21 st Century Public Space
The terms "private public space" and "private-public space" can be used interchangeably with the terms. The BID is just one such example of the "new" type of public space and is a prototype of public space.
Conclusion
However, the future of public space in the 21st century appears to be one in which the level of security and orchestration of the activities therein is the dominant feature of public space. Finally, this chapter ended by noting that there is hope that through communications technology a more participatory process can be envisioned whereby members of the public can contribute to this process by sharing their ideal version of a public space.
BACKGROUND
Introduction
Brief History of the Durban Beachfront
39 Simultaneously with this time in the early 1990s, the coast collapsed and so did tourism. White South Africans from the inland areas, particularly the Witwatersrand, perceived the coast as dirty, crime-ridden and full of Indians and blacks (Maharaj, et. al, 2006).
Policy Context
As a result, restaurants and businesses moved away from Durban's central beach to previously 'white' suburbs such as Berea, Umhlanga and La Lucia, contributing to further beach decline (Preston-Whyte, 1999; Michel & Scott, 2005) . ). Collaboration with the private sector has revived interest in the beach and resulted in attractive developments such as the two case studies.
The Case Studies
- Introduction
- The Beach Café
- The Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World
10 This is the name of the grassy area next to the beach and is a play on the word "sun". The main building of the Suncoast Casino is a colorful, unmistakable landmark on the Durban waterfront (Observation.
Conclusion
47 Municipality agreed to the removal of the vegetation on condition that the developer rehabilitates the dune in such a way that there is a net gain in dune vegetation (Andrews, pers. comm. This has since been achieved and the dune is continuously managed in collaboration with the city .
Introduction
The Case Studies
- The Suncoast Casino
- The Beach Café
The development is typical of the 'new' public spaces discussed in the literature, as it exhibits a high level of security and strict rules and regulations that users must adhere to (see discussion of the literature on 'new' public spaces, Minton, 2006) . . This type of development is typical of the seductive logic used by the “new” public spaces discussed by Allen (2006).
Data Sources
- Primary Data
- Secondary Data
The survey classifies the entire complex as a public space, but the main focus is on the beach area (outdoors), as it is a publicly owned but privately managed space. The Beach Café is a small development located in the central area of the Durban Beachfront and is unique in that it is the only known example of a private development on Durban's sandy beach.
Data Collection
- Key Stakeholder Interviews
- Beach User Survey
- Observations
- Photographic Data
- Books and Academic Journals
- Newspapers
- Municipal Records
- Aerial Photos/Maps
It draws out the strengths of these particular places from the experience of beachgoers. However, much attention was paid to the physical and environmental characteristics of the location of the public space as well as the demographics of the beach users who used these spaces.
Sampling
- Case Studies
- Beach User Survey
- Key Stakeholder Interviews
A full Daily News web search was undertaken for articles relating to each of the case studies as well as the Durban Beachfront itself. These beach users were approached while they were lying on their sunbeds or on the beach in front of the Suncoast Casino.
Interpretation of Data
58 According to Kitchin and Tate, connection “is concerned with the identification and understanding of the relationships and associations between different classes.” This refers to understanding how the different classes of data interact or relate to each other.
Constraints of Research
Once these connections and associations had been made, the researcher could draw conclusions regarding both the research question and the other sub-questions.
Conclusion
The main limitations were the weather-dependent nature of the survey where there were fewer people to choose from on cloudy days, as well as the reluctance of beach users to be interviewed while relaxing on the beach. The chapter also briefly describes how the data will be analyzed to answer the research questions embodied in the objectives.
Introduction
The Social Benefits and Costs of PPPs for Public Space
- Socio-economic Characteristics of Beach Users
- Race and Age Grouping of Beach Users
- Other Popular Beaches on Durban Beachfront
- Use of Space by Beach Users
- Frequency of Beach Use
- Average Money Spent at Beach
- Exclusion from Beach Spaces
- Opinions of Beach Users on PPPs development of public space
- The Identity of Beach Spaces
- Memorable Experiences on the Beach
- The Social Character of the Public Space
Most of the respondents visited the beach once or twice every month with the Suncoast Casino (7) and the Beach Café (5). Beach users for both the Suncoast Casino and the Beach Café were asked to share memorable experiences from the beach.
Economic Benefits/Costs of PPPs for Public Spaces
- Introduction
- Total Cost of Development
- Financial Success of Development
- Cost for entering the Beach and Services provided on the Beach
- Maintenance Costs
- Economic Benefits received from the use of the Beach
- Economic Impacts on the City
- Employment Creation
- Informal Activity
Mr Andrews from eThekwini confirmed that the Suncoast Casino is one of the biggest casinos in the country. Mr Roux was also unable to provide information on the maintenance costs of The Beach Café.
Ecological Benefits and Costs of PPPs for Public Spaces
- Introduction
- Ecological Services and Assets of the Beaches
- Changes in the Quality of the Beach Ecosystem
- The Management of the Beach Ecosystem by the Private Developer
- The Creation of Private Beaches
- Guardians of the Beaches
- Accessibility to PPPs
The minimal structure of the buildings has had little impact on the beach ecosystem (Croucamp, pers. comm. Apart from this, no threat to biodiversity has arisen as a result of the Beach Café (Croucamp, pers. comm.).
Conclusion
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Introduction
The Social Benefits/Costs of PPPs for Durban Beachfront
- Fostering a Safe, Secure Environment for Beach Users
- Fostering Pockets of Exclusive Beachfront Developments
- Adding Variety to the Beach Users Experience of the Beach
The Suncoast Casino has directly erected an access barrier to part of the beach by charging R5 for entry. It has been noted that the Beach Café is connected to the surrounding public space and in this way has influenced the character of the beach as a functioning public space.
The Economic Benefits/Costs of PPPs for Durban Beachfront
- Boosting Public Infrastructure
- Economic Impacts - Tourism
- Reviving Interest in the Central Beachfront
The results showed that the Suncoast Casino has become one of the most profitable casinos in the country. Aside from the economic gains derived from tourism, the Beach Café and Suncoast Casino have both reinvigorated local beach users' interest in using the Golden Mile.
The Ecological Benefits and Costs of PPPs for Durban Beachfront
- Gains to the Beach Ecosystem
- Beach Litter
In contrast, the beachside environment influenced by the Suncoast Casino has greatly improved in dune cordon condition. The results show that the city allowed the developers of the Suncoast Casino to create access from the SUNdeck to the beach via a pass through the dune system.
Conclusion
112 public spaces on the beach have therefore contributed to creating a cleaner beach front, which is a positive contribution to the problem of the issue of waste on the entire central beaches. This desire to "sanitize" the beach front and the consequent provision of sanitized public spaces by private developers has been documented in Chapter 2 of this thesis and has become a key element in the private provision of public space (Minton, 2006).
Introduction
The Environmental Benefits and Costs of PPPs on Durban Beachfront
This primarily applies to Suncoast Casino, which is an isolated island with exclusive development in the otherwise public space by the beach. The gradual decline in services and the quality of the beach environment as one moves south from Suncoast Casino is already noticeable (Observation Observation.
Interview with Private Developer
12.How do you think this development has contributed to the user experience of the beach? 19.What role do you think your development plays within the Durban Beachfront setting?
Interview with City Representative (Special Projects Unit)
13. Have any of the PPP developments led to negative consequences for the investment potential of the beach? Do you think the current population capacity in each of the case studies is acceptable?
Beach Users Survey
The extent of the Golden Mile, Durban
Most of Beach Café's clientele is located in the middle and upper income range. The majority of Suncoast Casino Beach users (6 out of ten) believed that the OPPs.
The Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World
Showing the Suncoast Casino SUNdeck area
11 The SUNDek is the grassy payment area that connects the boulevard and the beach area on the ocean front side of the Suncoast Casino. The beach on which The Beach Café is located is found on the Marine Parade side of the beachfront.
Showing the Beach Café (east facing view)
Showing the Suncoast Casino complex and boulevard
The City has plans in place to rehabilitate the dune immediately north of the Suncoast Casino towards the Blue Lagoon (Croucamp, personal communication 23. How development has led to improved/deteriorated beach management.
