The City of Cape Town has ratified a new policy aimed at enhancing the quality of its neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces. The policy is designed to transform urban environments into multi-functional, people-centered spaces that improve connectivity and access while preserving the natural features, heritage structures, and cultural significance of local areas.

This mixed-use, open-space approach takes influence from a growing movement in architectural and town planning circles called New Urbanism, which contrary to its name, aims to recapture the convivial and walkable small urban centres old Europe has been known for, which were shaped by unplanned forces over the course of millennia.

Other influences include the green movement, which favours lower use of personal vehicles to reduce the consumption of carbon fuels, and emphasises densification to both reduce infrastructure costs and depress birth rates, which are recognised to fall in dense urban zones where large-area homes are out of the price range of most families.

The City itself however, has emphasised the aspects of this style planning which focus on the cultivation of communal life and shared open space, which are favourable to tourism, local trade, and the development of social relationships.

"The quality of our cities, towns, neighbourhoods, streets and public spaces has a significant impact on our lives. We have all experienced it before when you arrive in a place – it could be any city or neighbourhood, or even a street – and it just feels good to be there, works well, and makes you want to stay longer. Given that most of us are not professionals in urban design we would not even realise that it is often how these spaces look and function and fit together, that makes us feel that way,” says Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews.

“Design should be centred around people and communities, and can transform spaces, give it purpose and relevance, and meaning. In September and October last year (2023), the City gave the public the opportunity to comment on the revised Policy for Designing Quality Places. We used these comments to further refine the policy that has now been approved by Council and will guide the City’s Development Management Department in assessing development applications and inform City-led projects.”

The policy, shaped by public feedback collected in late 2023, will guide the City’s Development Management Department in evaluating development proposals and directing City-led projects. It emphasizes the importance of design that is centered around people and communities, ensuring that spaces are not only functional but also meaningful.

The policy will be applied in several key contexts:

1. When development proposals diverge from the City’s planning vision and spatial policies.

2. In the creation of new neighborhoods, particularly where proposals involve subdividing land into more than 20 units.

3. In the regeneration of sites larger than one hectare.

4. For projects involving the creation or upgrading of public open spaces, community facilities, and transport interchanges.

5. For proposals exceeding 1,000 square meters, especially those near natural resources, heritage sites, or key business nodes.

6. In the development of site plans for shopping centers, commercial and industrial developments, residential projects with more than twelve units, and developments within transit-accessible precincts.

This comprehensive approach aims to ensure that Cape Town’s urban spaces are not only functional but also reflect the city's diverse heritage and environmental assets, creating a more livable and sustainable urban landscape for all its residents.