Planning for sustainable communities : place-making through layout and design approaches

Abstract

The survival and quality of life of people are irrefutably dependent on the natural environment in which they live. In order to ensure that the basic needs of man are consistently satisfactorily met in the long-term, the development and implementation of a planning approach that encompasses the protection of the natural environment and prudent use of the available resources is essential. The composition of communities, however, is complex; the diversity in culture, gender and age of a community leads to specific needs that are unique to the community and the impact thereof on the surrounding natural environment. The planning approach for the sustainable development of a particular community must therefore be structured to gratify the specific social needs of that community. Ingenious design approaches, strategies and policies that are used in the planning of sustainable communities and the redevelopment of existing areas, can ultimately lead to healthier, safer, greener, economically sustainable and liveable communities that are well managed. Varied use of activities and facilities such as employment centres, residential neighbourhoods, natural areas, parks, local trails, schools and public places induce a physical connection which results in creating authentic neighbourhoods with good quality of life. Sustainable communities tend to have lower transportation costs and less traffic, are more economic in terms of housing and market demands, have decreasing costs in terms of infrastructure, a reduced rate of air pollution, and have the ability to create a safer environment. This research aims to explore and understand the international and local integrated planning and design approaches which are currently used in the planning of sustainable communities. Reviewing different international and local layout and design approaches will aid in defining the best practices in order to develop improved planning approaches for sustainable communities. In this sense, proposed planning approaches should consider the complexity of the social environment of modern society. Along with the public participation approach, which plays an essential role in determining the basic needs of the community and is seen as a fundamental building block in planning for sustainable communities, other planning approaches are also evaluated as part of this research in order to determine best practices. Recommendations are made on how these approaches can be adopted within local rural South African areas, using the Vaalharts area as case study.