'Growth and Development Strategy 2040'

The City of Johannesburg has embarked on a new spatial vision for the city in line with the Growth and Development Strategy 2040, based on corridor Transit-oriented Development (TOD).

Empire- Perth Corridor development framework has caused confusion for private property owners and how this corridor would affect them.

These are just framework and not the master plan for the development of the corridor.

Johannesburg is growing at a fast rate and housing has become a problem for the City of Joburg.

Increased demand for:

· Housing

· Bulk Services (water, sanitation , electricity) and new roads

· Education, recreation, and social facilities

· Public transport

High quality interchanges with a focus on mixed-use development with high-density accommodation (several level buildings), supported by office buildings, retail development and opportunities for leisure and recreation.

The corridor has been identified as one of the ‘Freedom of Corridor’ because of the following reasons:

· Important metropolitan link between the wider western regions of Johannesburg

· Empire-Perth is a strategic link between Soweto, CBD and Alexandra

· The area is home to a number of strategic land uses: The SABC, Universities and Hospitals

Provide a mix of affordable housing typologies that can accommodate a higher population within the next 40 years.

The framework provides Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) for most of the corridor, this would mean traffic may not be such a problem along the corridor.

Research was on in Westbury, Newclare Westdene, Pennyville and Noordgesig as these areas are on the ‘Corridor of Freedom’ and how this plan could benefit the residents of these areas.

The upgrades include:

· a pedestrian bridge for school pupils and the elderly,

· non-motorized transport (NMT) which is ongoing in Westbury and Newlcare.

· recreational precinct

· social facilities

· Housing initiatives

There is potential for development in parts such as Brixton, Melville and Auckland Park and a need for intervention to prevent urban decay in the western residential areas that include Westbury, Newclare and Crosby.