Urban regeneration in a South African context

Abstract

As a result of the transition from a modern to post-modern society, and the realization that the earth's resources are no longer infinite, a diversity of uses needs to be created in order to balance out the increasing social and economic pressures in built-up areas. In order to achieve the ideal of a sustainable city this study will focus on the aspects of urban regeneration. A growing problem the planner has to contend with is the constant presence of destructive tools that are working their way through inner cities causing premature urban decay. It is the contention of the author that the characteristics and functions of urban regeneration need to be revisited in order to improve on the methods that have traditionally been used to improve inner urban areas. This study demonstrates how new approaches to urban regeneration, locally and internationally, could be applied to urban areas in South Africa to help solve the problem of urban degeneration. It shows that although some attention is paid to urban regeneration in South Africa, there is a lack of a dedicated set of policies and legislation aimed at maximizing the potential benefits of the process. Two of the important findings of the study are that in order for urban regeneration to be successful, there should be greater involvement from the inhabitants, and that a variety of aspects of the urban environment such as its economic, artistic, cultural, marketing, natural, and institutional potential needs to be exploited in order for it to have the desired outcome.