Synopsis of ‘Rethinking Spatial Planning’ by Alison Todes

In the paper entitled ‘Rethinking Spatial Planning’ by Alison Todes (2008), the author

discusses the relevance of a more rigorous and involved approach to spatial

planning rather than the abstract design approach of spatial development

frameworks.

Todes (2008) argues that spatial frameworks have failed to sufficiently integrate itself

with land-use management and infrastructure planning. The paper outlines three of

the main approaches with which spatial planning could be enhanced.

The city and its function have become increasingly complex phenomena in the past

few decades with the advent of globalization and urbanization as a result of that

process. Cities are experiencing an influx of people from all different cultural, social

and economic backgrounds. For cities to function properly and to accommodate our

different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, we need to analyze these

patterns of economic activity and movements together with the livelihoods of people.

With the effects of globalization clearly visible in our day-to-day lives, the economy

has diversified itself. With the concept of growth poles and industrial clusters,

manufacturing firms have relocated themselves to the peripheries of cities for better

access to the labor and economic market, the value of on-going urban growth is

primarily attributable to the economies of scale that arise from proximity to form

agglomeration economies with firms in similar sectors.

With the concept of urbanization, the movement from rural to urban areas in search

of employment opportunities and a better quality of life has become increasingly

popular. This influx of people from rural to urban areas has affected many areas of

the dynamics a well functioning city should take into account. A very noticeable one

is the shortage of available housing and serviced land, forcing most of these

migrants to the edges of cities where they form townships or squatter camps on

unoccupied land. For them, they have better access to employment within their

immediate vicinity because most industrial and manufacturing firms make use of low

skilled labor and are located close to these centers of low economic activity. And as

Schoonraad (2000) work suggests, the impact on transportation costs is lower and

daily living costs are significantly lower. It is easier for them to maintain social

networks and cohesiveness, and it provides flexibility to accommodate changes in

their life cycle.

Another main point the article by Todes (2008) suggests is how planning relates to

markets and the economy. The prediction of markets and its relationship to the

economy and planning have been largely underestimated.

Planners have to be more conscious and sensitive when designing urban market

spaces. There has to be a sense of realism in their concepts as these spaces need

to be designed according to the need, the amount and the type of economic activity

anticipated in that specific area, to make it a successful and effective public space.

In terms of the current property market trends, which are largely driven by developers

and private sector development, as planners we need to assess how these spaces

are shaped and how we can actively engage in this process to re-align it with the

normative principles of design. With increasingly popular concepts such as smart

growth and new urbanism being explored in other parts of the world, it is imperative

that we pay more attention to how spaces are shaped and the relationship of

planning to the market economy.

The third and final concept this paper explores is that of how spatial planning should

link to infrastructure planning. With the inability of spatial development frameworks

(SDF) to guide development as intended, spatial development plans (SDP’s) were

introduced to bridge the gap between the conceptual SDF and the detailed land-use

schemes, with an increasing interest in strategic spatial planning to direct

development.

This concept is being increasingly explored in other parts of the world. It came about

because of this disjuncture between spatial plans and infrastructure development.

As a result, with the current trend in property markets and low-income housing

developments, developers and private sector development have mostly driven

developments in infrastructure. However, these infrastructure developments usually

don’t follow the direction of SDF’s or SDP’s and end up creating fragmented and

divided cities.

One of the most successful examples of linking infrastructure planning to spatial

planning is the case of Curitiba with its transit-orientated development. The case of

Curitiba is not without flaws, they face the same problems as do other lesser

developed countries, but planners have come up with creative and inexpensive ways

in solving universal problems for cities. The success of this initiative was very

dependant on the local leaders who had urban planning expertise and a sustainable

vision for Curitiba.

According to Todes (2008), from the South African perspective, our initiatives in this

regard is quite young and still has a long way to go, but with the success of Curitiba,

we can conclude that political and stakeholder buy-in is very important, as well as the

basis of strong and credible spatial plans.

With the exploration of all these concepts regarding how we should proceed in order

to enhance spatial planning, it suggests the need for a more rigorous and technical

approach. History of planning approaches have shown us that there is not one right

approach to planning but rather many factors that have to be explored and taken into

consideration.