SEA in Spatial Planning

SEA in South African Spatial Development Frameworks

The Ekurhuleni Experience

Elsabeth Olivier

September 2005

Legislative Framework:• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,

1996• The Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000

– Integrated Development Plan (IDP) – Spatial Development Framework (SDF)

• Local Government: Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations, 2001 – SEA for SDF

• National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 (NEMA) – Environmental Management Frameworks

EKURHULENI CASE STUDY

• Established in 2000, consisting of 9 previous local authorities and 2 regional services councils.

• Population ± 2 500 000;

• Area ±190 147 hectares (1 900km²)

• Northern area …..

Railways

Legend

Freeway

EMM Boundary

Under-Developed Areas

4 Far East Activity Belt

3 Greater JIA / R21 Area

2 Central /Activity Belt

1 Alrode-Wadeville Corridor

Economic Focus Areas

Infill Priority Areas

Urban Edge

Northern SDR

Southern SDR

Eastern SDR

1

3

2

4

4

N12

N17

N3

R21

R59

M2

JIA

14%

24%

14%

12%

Eastern SDREastern SDRSouthern SDRSouthern SDR

Northern SDRNorthern SDR

Strategic Development Areas

Kempton Park

Edenvale

Vosloorus

Thokoza

Boksburg

Benoni

Germiston

Alberton

Brakpan

KwaThema

TsakaneDuduza

Daveyton

Etwatwa

N i g e lN i g e l

S p r i n g sS p r i n g s

Customer Care Centre

Ekurhuleni Spatial Framework

Gautrain

Tshwane

Sandton

Bapsfontein

Katlehong

Thembisa

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

• The main purpose of the Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) is to establish constraint zones, which indicate the environmental suitability of certain land parcels to accommodate various types of land uses or activities.

• The SEMP is not prescriptive in terms of land use and does not indicate which land uses must occur in which zones.

• Rather, the SEMP indicates specific minimum environmental requirements, through management parameters, which have to be met satisfactorily before approval of a development application could be considered.

• Similarly the SEMP indicates the level of assessment expected and required in the specified zone(s)

The most significant constraints for development in the area include:

• Occurrence and distribution of red data fauna and flora species;• sensitive surface hydrological features, including wetlands, pans,

rivers and streams; • significant natural open space connectors• occurrence of large areas of medium and high potential agricultural

land;• areas with potential geotechnical constraints;• potential noise constraints due to flight paths of aircrafts departing

and arriving at Johannesburg International Airport (JIA);• potential noise constraints due to noise emanating from major roads;• potential pollution sources from local and regional industrial, waste

facilities, and irrigation agriculture; and• constraints to development due to the position of the urban edge.

NSDR has been categorised into the following eight constraint zones:

• Agricultural constraint zone• Geotechnical constraint zone• Ecological/hydrological constraint zone• Agricultural and geotechnical constraint zone• Agricultural and ecological/hydrological constraint zone• Geotechnical and ecological/hydrological constraint zone• Geotechnical, ecological/hydrological and agricultural

constraint zone• No to Low constraint zone.

Thank Youoliviere@ekurhuleni.com

environment@ekurhuleni.com