The public has been urged to view the draft Urban Development Framework for Sandton and Rosebank, and submit their comments on the radical plan.

Development in Rosebank is in the spotlight

THE City is calling on all residents to give input on future urban development plans for Sandton and Rosebank. The plan, the final draft of the Urban Development Framework (UDF) for Rosebank, is available online.

It is a profound mix of people, transport, densities, investment, infrastructure, opportunity and upliftment.

Under it, these two high-density business and commercial zones will become more people friendly, with an emphasis on public space, in particular the pedestrian environment. The transport system will be strongly integrated into higher density residential and business nodes in the immediate vicinity of these two hubs.

There is a also concern to decrease the reliance on the use of private cars. "Streets are seen as democratic places which belong to all of us, not just cars."

At core, there will be a "change in urban culture to support pedestrianisation", according to the UDF.

The plan emphasises the key forms of public transport, like minibuses taxis, private taxis, and the future Bus Rapid Transit system and the Gautrain. "The movement system is seen as one of the key structuring elements within the City."

The transport system must link to and be supported by a higher commercial and residential density. This means that people must be within 10 minutes, or 800 metres, of access to a form of public transport.

And this is tied to reversing the previous unequal dispensation. "From an urban design point of view, Johannesburg has an obligation to facilitate social mobility and equality."

Sandton in particular is "located within the core economic areas of the province". The UDF requires that infrastructure, especially water, electricity and sanitation will need more investment.

"The aim of the urban design is to propose ways in which access into the Sandton node can be improved so that its opportunities may be available to all members of the public."

Roads will need to be well integrated, to ease access to employment opportunities and economic upliftment. "A city structure which enables individual upliftment by providing choice and opportunities creates a stronger and more stable domestic market which effectively encourages investment."

The plan proposes that Rivonia Road, Maude and Fifth streets be designed as a "pedestrian-oriented environment". Two lanes in Rivonia Road will be closed to cars, with retail elements encouraging pedestrian access and flow. A ring road consisting of Sandton Drive, Grayston Drive and Katherine Street will direct traffic around this pedestrian core.

Pavements will be widened to five metres, with the potential to become the "most vibrant of public spaces", being places "where people interact and where trade begins".

There will also be raised intersections, roads with on-street parking, and no-car zones.

Buildings in the centre of Sandton should be 40 storeys high, of mixed use, while buildings immediately around the core should be 10 to 15 storeys, of medium- to low-density mixed use. The next outward ring will have office-only buildings of between five and 10 storeys. Beyond that, residential-only buildings will rise up to 10 storeys.

It is proposed that there will be nine management districts within the Sandton hub.

A similar high-density plan is proposed for Rosebank.

Comments on Sandton must reach the City by Friday, 21 February. Comments on the Rosebank proposals must be received by Monday, 14 February. These comments can either be emailed to Peter Magni on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or faxed to him at 011 339 1547.

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