Innayath Moosa, Benoni, writes:
Can you advise when the Benoni CBD new precinct plan is to be implemented?
The plan was approved by the municipal manager on April 1, 2020, however, no steps have yet been taken for construction to begin.
Original indications were that work was to start in 2019. The CBD continues to deteriorate, increasing the difficulty of any urban renewal project.
Editor’s note:
Councillor Heather Hart, MMC City Planning, responded:
Implementation of the Benoni CBD Urban Design Precinct Plan cannot be separated from the wider package of plans, policies and strategies applicable throughout the entire city, together with associated funding and budgeting processes.
The Benoni plan already serves as a planning frame of reference that provides guidance for decision making in respect of capital investment in urban infrastructure (by both the government and private sector) and assessment of land development proposals.
Over and above the Benoni CBD Urban Design Precinct Plan, the City of Ekurhuleni has also formulated and approved similar urban design precinct plans for another 17 precincts throughout the city, which all serve the same purpose at a localised level, as part of the wider package of plans, policies and strategies for the city.
Hence the importance of recognising the implementation of the Benoni plan as part of the implementation of the wider package of plans, policies and strategies for the city.
Such other similar urban design precinct plans include Thelle Mogoerane Hospital, Dries Niemandt Sports Grounds, the CBDs of Kempton Park, Kwa-Thema, Springs, Boksburg and Brakpan, Germiston Lake, Primrose, Dunnottar, Wattville-Leeupan, Kathoza Junction, Aero-Blaaupan, Bredell, Actonville-Wattville Rail Reserve, Thiteng BRT-Station and Terenure BRT station.
The implementation of these precinct plans is not a unilateral process to be undertaken by a single party through a single process, but rather through a number of processes rolled out through the collaborative efforts of all relevant role-players.
Therefore, all role-players in the development and regeneration of the City of Ekurhuleni are accordingly encouraged to align themselves with these urban design precinct plans and identify and pursue the contribution that they can each make respectively towards the implementation of these plans.
All the above-mentioned approved urban design precinct plans for the city are available for viewing on the City of Ekurhuleni website (www.ekurhuleni.gov.za).
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