Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces

279 Pages·2014·4.46 MB·English

Addressing social issues in rural
communities by planning for lively
places and green spaces

N. de Jong
Student number: 21681848
B.Art et Scien in Town and Regional Planning

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree Magister Scientiae in Urban and Regional Planning at
the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University

Supervisor: Dr. E.J. Cilliers

May 2014
This document was edited according to the ‗QUOTING SOURCES‘ (E.J. van der Walt, 2012),
as prescribed and edited by the Information Services of the Ferdinand Postma Library, North West University, Potchefstroom.

*
This research (or parts thereof) was made possible by the financial contribution of the NRF (National Research Foundation) South Africa.
Any opinion, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and therefore the NRF does not accept any
liability in regard thereto.
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
Abstract

The increase in social challenges especially with regards to safety and security experienced in rural
communities, as well as the lack of efficient lively places and public green spaces, is predominantly
increasing in importance for government and planning policies.

This problem is substantiated by the large number of deaths (especially the deaths of children) drowning in
rivers flowing through or nearby rural communities because of the lack of any other safe, public facilities
and well-managed and maintained green spaces. The research question therefore focuses on whether the
planning of lively places and green spaces in rural communities can address some of these social issues,
and contribute to the strengthening of communities and creation of lively public places.

Government is struggling to deal with social issues (especially that of safety and security) within rural
communities and a number of strategies were discussed and drawn up. (For example, the Rural Safety
Summit which took place on 10 October 1998 aimed at achieving consensus regarding issues of rural
insecurity; as well as crime prevention strategies as defined by the SAPS White Paper on Safety and
Security (1998).) However, very little (if any) in-depth research on the possibility of upgrading public spaces
into lively green places as a solution, has been done. This study can serve as a link between literature and
practical rural issues, as well as contribute to green space and lively place development, incorporating
international approaches and pilot studies, and illustrating best practices in terms of lively place and green
space development, linking it to the local rural reality.

In creating public and lively green places for rural communities, issues of safety, inequality, sociability and
community coherence are addressed. Through the correct corresponding planning initiatives consequently
drawn up, overall quality of life of those living in rural communities can be improved, decreasing the social
challenges experienced.

Key words: Social challenges; lively places; public green spaces; safety and security; rural communities.
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
Opsomming

Die toename in sosiale uitdagings (―social challenges‖), veral dié van veiligheid en sekuriteit soos ervaar in
landelike gemeenskappe se belang word toenemend verhoog vir die regering en beplanningsbeleide,
sowel as die gebrek aan doeltreffende lewendige plekke (―lively places‖) en openbare groen ruimtes.

Hierdie probleem word gestaaf deur die groot aantal die sterftes (veral dié van kinders) wat verdrink in
riviere van landelike gemeenskappe as gevolg van die gebrek aan enige ander veilige, openbare geriewe
en goed bestuurde en onderhoude groen ruimtes. Die navorsingsvraag fokus dus op die kwessie of die
beplanning van lewendige plekke en groen ruimtes in landelike gemeenskappe sommige van hierdie
sosiale kwessies kan aanspreek en daardeur bydra tot die versterking van gemeenskappe sowel as die
skepping van lewendige openbare plekke.

Die regering sukkel met sosiale kwessies (veral dié van veiligheid en sekuriteit) in landelike gemeenskappe
en 'n aantal strategieë is bespreek en opgestel (byvoorbeeld die van die Landelike Veiligheid Summit wat
plaasgevind het op 10 Oktober 1998 wat daarop gemik was om konsensus te bereik rakende kwessies van
landelike onsekerheid, asook misdaadvoorkoming strategieë soos gedefinieer deur die SAPD Witskrif oor
Veiligheid en Sekuriteit (1998)), maar baie min (indien enige) in diepte navorsing oor die moontlikheid van
die opgradering van openbare ruimtes in lewendige groen plekke (as 'n oplossing ) is al gedoen. Daarom
kan hierdie studie dus dien as 'n skakel tussen literatuur en praktiese landelike kwessies, sowel as die van
groen ruimte en lewendige plek-ontwikkeling, wat internasionale benaderings en proef studies illustreer wat
die beste praktyke in terme van lewendige plek en groen ruimte-ontwikkeling integreer, en dit te koppel aan
die plaaslike landelike werklikheid.

In die skep van openbare en lewendige groen plekke vir landelike gemeenskappe word kwessies rakende
veiligheid, ongelykheid, sosialiteit en gemeenskapsamehang aangespreek word; en deur die korrekte
ooreenstemmende beplanning inisiatiewe gevolglik op te stel kan algehele kwaliteit van lewe (―quality of
life‖) van diegene wat in landelike gemeenskappe woon verbeter word, wat dan ook lei tot die vermindering
van sosiale uitdagings en kwessies wat ervaar word.

Sleutelwoorde: Sosiale uitdagings; lewendige plekke; openbare groen ruimtes; veiligheid en sekuriteit;
landelike gemeenskappe.
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
Table of Contents

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. III
OPSOMMING .............................................................................................................................................. IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... V
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................... VIII
LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................................... X
FIGURE 1: STRUCTURE OF DOCUMENT ............................................................................................ X
FIGURE 2: PLACE-MAKING ELEMENTS .............................................................................................. X
TABLE OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................. XI
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 13
1.1 Points of departure ........................................................................................................................................ 13
1.2 Problem statement ........................................................................................................................................ 14
1.3 Primary research questions ........................................................................................................................... 15
1.4 Aims and objectives of this study ................................................................................................................... 15
1.5 Method ......................................................................................................................................................... 17
1.6 Delineation of the Study Area ......................................................................................................................... 18
1.7 Limitations of the research ............................................................................................................................. 18
1.8 Structure of the dissertation ........................................................................................................................... 22
1.9 Definitions .................................................................................................................................................... 23
CHAPTER 2: RURAL COMMUNITIES AND DEVELOPMENT ................................................................... 24
2.1 The local rural reality in South Africa .............................................................................................................. 25
2.1.1 Defining ‗rural‘ .................................................................................................................................... 25
2.1.2 Primary (social) rural challenges ............................................................................................................. 26
2.2 Addressing the social challenges in rural areas of South Africa by means of planning ....................................... 44
2.2.1 Understanding ―social planning‖ ............................................................................................................. 44
2.2.2 Current rural planning legislation and policies in SA .................................................................................... 46
2.2.3 Frameworks guiding social dimension planning in South Africa ..................................................................... 53
2.2.4 South African framework and legislation approach to social issues: safety and security ...................................... 61
CHAPTER 3: PLANNING OF PUBLIC AND LIVELY PLACES .................................................................. 63
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 63
3.2 Defining public and lively places .................................................................................................................... 64
3.2.1 Creating a public place ......................................................................................................................... 64
3.2.2 Planning for lively places ...................................................................................................................... 68
3.2.3 Social benefits of public and lively place planning ....................................................................................... 84
3.3 Place-making approaches .............................................................................................................................. 86
3.3.1 Elements of place-making ..................................................................................................................... 86
3.3.2 Theories regarding place-making ............................................................................................................ 87
3.3.3 Impact of place-making theories on rural safety and security ........................................................................ 89
3.4 Planning of lively places to address social challenges ..................................................................................... 93
CHAPTER 4: GREEN SPACE PLANNING ................................................................................................. 97
4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 97
4.2 Defining „green spaces‟.................................................................................................................................. 97
4.3 Challenges and understanding of the context of green spaces ....................................................................... 101
4.4 Green spaces and social challenges ............................................................................................................. 108
4.4.1 International context ..................................................................................................................... 108
4.4.2 International case studies .............................................................................................................. 108
4.4.3 South African context ................................................................................................................... 118
4.5.1 Comparing factors of successful green space case studies ................................................................... 126
4.6 Role of green spaces in enhancing social benefits ......................................................................................... 127
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
4.7 The role of green space planning in creating lively places .............................................................................. 130
4.8 Rural communities and the social benefit of green space planning ................................................................. 133
4.8.1 Impact of green space provision on safety and security of rural areas ..................................................... 133
4.9 Collaborate: Lively place and green space planning relevance in rural communities ........................................ 136
4.9.1 Background: Rural challenges and lively place and green space planning ..................................................... 137
4.9.2 Evaluating the concept of lively place planning in terms of rural development ................................................. 138
4.9.3 Success aspects in terms of rural development ....................................................................................... 140
4.9.4 Effect on safety and security of a rural area ............................................................................................ 143
CHAPTER 5: INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES OF GREEN SPACE PLANNING AND APPROACHES
TO LIVELY PLACE PLANNING ................................................................................................................ 145
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 145
5.2 International lively place planning: Approach analysis ................................................................................... 145
5.2.1. Point of departure: planning lively places. .............................................................................................. 146
5.2.2 International case studies: Lively place planning and place-making .............................................................. 149
5.3 International green space planning: Case study analysis ............................................................................... 153
5.3.1. Point of departure: planning of green spaces .......................................................................................... 154
5.3.2 International case studies: Green space planning ..................................................................................... 157
5.4 Discussion and implications of findings ........................................................................................................ 164
5.5 Chapter conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 168
CHAPTER 6: LOCAL CASE STUDIES OF GREEN SPACE PLANNING AND APPROACHES TO LIVELY
PLACE PLANNING–PILOT TESTS .......................................................................................................... 169
6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 169
6.2 Local lively place planning: Approach analysis ............................................................................................. 169
6.2.1 Point of departure: Planning lively public places locally .............................................................................. 170
6.2.2 Local case studies: Lively place planning and place-making ....................................................................... 170
6.3 Local green space planning: Case study analysis .......................................................................................... 174
6.3.1 Point of departure: Planning of green spaces locally ................................................................................. 174
6.3.2 Local case studies: Green space planning .............................................................................................. 174
6.4 Discussion and implications ........................................................................................................................ 179
6.5 Application to local pilot tests ...................................................................................................................... 181
6.5.1 Nigel and Zonkizizwe – Ekurhuleni Metropolitan ...................................................................................... 183
6.5.2 Umgababa – KwaZulu-Natal ................................................................................................................ 189
6.5.4 Comparing local pilot tests: Best practices in terms of lively place and green space planning ............................. 198
6.6 Chapter conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 200
CHAPTER 7: APPLICATION OF FINDINGS-VAALHARTS CASE STUDY ............................................. 202
7.1 Introduction to the Vaalharts area ................................................................................................................. 203
7.2 Current rural situation in Vaalharts ............................................................................................................... 204
7.2.1 Previous research conducted in the Vaalharts region .......................................................................... 204
7.2.2 Needs identification and prioritization in the Vaalharts region ................................................................ 205
7.2.3 Current initiatives attempting to address challenges ............................................................................ 206
7.3 Needs-analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 207
7.3.1 Statistical analysis of needs ........................................................................................................... 207
7.3.2 Gap analysis of current needs and challenges to be addressed ............................................................. 209
7.3.3 Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats .............................................................................. 211
7.4 Interpretation of analysis in terms of the social dimension of planning ........................................................... 213
7.4.1 Safety and security as social challenges in the Vaalharts area .................................................................... 213
7.4.2 Evaluation of current initiatives to address social challenges in the Vaalharts area .......................................... 215
7.4.3 Potential benefit of integrating social planning initiatives in the Vaalharts area ................................................ 218
7.5 Evaluating the WIN-project as initiative to address Vaalharts-challenges ........................................................ 219
7.5.1 Background and information regarding WIN-project .................................................................................. 219
7.5.2 Evaluation of WIN-project initiatives in terms of social dimension planning ..................................................... 220
7.5.3 Success in terms of addressing safety and security challenges in the Vaalharts ........................................ 222
7.6 Results and findings .................................................................................................................................... 222
CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................. 224
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
8.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 225
8.2 Linking theory and practice .......................................................................................................................... 226
8.2.1 Rural challenges and corresponding lively place and green space planning influence ................................. 226
8.2.2 International and local best practice approaches and case studies ......................................................... 231
8.2.3 Application of best practices in rural communities ............................................................................... 235
8.2.4 Implementation of best practices in addressing pilot test challenges ....................................................... 238
8.3 Synopsis ..................................................................................................................................................... 242
CHAPTER 9: RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................... 245
9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 246
9.2 The integration of lively place and green space planning................................................................................ 246
9.3 Practical implementation strategies and initiatives ........................................................................................ 249
9.3.1 Universal recommended application of ‗lively and green public place planning‘ for rural communities ............. 249
9.3.2 Recommended implementation of social planning elements in local pilot tests and the Vaalharts case study ... 254
9.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 257
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
List of Tables

Table 1: Acronyms
Table 2: Glossary
Table 3: Aspects included within the concept of ―social‖
Table 4: Summary of rural social challenges
Table 5: Causes of drowning in South Africa
Table 6: Agenda 21 – Approaches to social dimension planning
Table 7: NSDP social planning principles
Table 8: Summary of frameworks
Table 9: Factors of successful public places
Table 10: Visual examples of planning principles
Table 11: Regeneration approaches to lively place planning
Table 12: International lively place planning approaches
Table 13: Rural planning programmes by the DCSL
Table 14: South African lively place planning regarding safety and security
Table 15: Place-making effects on safety and security
Table 16: Methods to enhance ecosystem services
Table 17: Typology of green space
Table 18: International green space case studies and their corresponding green initiatives
Table 19: Summary of Durban greening initiatives
Table 20: Local green space case studies and their corresponding green initiatives
Table 21: Beneficial social values as a result of green space planning
Table 22: Contribution of green spaces on different social levels
Table 23: Evaluation tool for lively place planning and place-making
Table 24: Approach analysis: success and failure in terms of international lively place planning
Table 25: Evaluation tool for green space planning
Table 26: Case study analysis: success and failure in terms of international green space planning
Table 27: Success summary: International lively place planning
Table 28: Success summary: International green space planning
Table 29: Approach analysis: success and failure in terms of local lively place planning
Table 30: Case study analysis: success and failure in terms of local green space planning
Table 31: Success summary: Local lively place planning
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
Table 32: Success summary: Local green space planning
Table 33: Nigel and Zonkizizwe crime prevention
Table 34: Umgababa socio-economic upliftment
Table 35: Pilot test comparison
Table 36: Community needs inventory and prioritization in the Vaalharts region
Table 37: Highest scoring needs
Table 38: Summary of identified gaps
Table 39: The strengths and assets, weaknesses and threats of the Vaalharts region
Table 40: Evaluation of current initiatives in terms of lively place and green space planning
Table 41: Evaluation of WIN-project initiatives in terms of lively place and green space planning
Table 42: Successful proposed initiatives of current rural legislation policies
Table 43: Conclusive checklist for evaluating lively places and green spaces
Table 44: Lively place planning and green space planning benefits in terms of social challenges
Table 45: Successful lively place approaches and green space case studies to address rural
challenges
Table 46: Gaps in pilot test communities inhibiting best practices to address social challenge
Table 47: WIN-project as successful social planning initiative for addressing social challenges
Table 48: Conclusive answers to the primary research questions
Table 49 a: Implementation of lively and green public place planning for local rural communities: Nigel
and Zonkizizwe
Table 49 b: Implementation of lively and green public place planning for local rural communities:
Umgababa
Table 49 c: Implementation of lively and green public place planning for local rural communities:
Vaalharts
Table 50: Proposed phases of execution when planning a lively and green public place
Addressing social issues in rural communities by planning for lively places and green spaces
List of Figures

Figure 1: Structure of document
Figure 2: Place-making elements

Figure 3: Planning scales in practice

Figure 4: Land tenure systems reform

Figure 5: Structure of Chapter 7
Figure 6: Highest scoring needs
Figure 7: Corresponding needs-related themes
Figure 8: Basic human needs according to Maslow
Figure 9: Structure of Chapter 8
Figure 10: International lively place planning statistical graph
Figure 11: Local lively place planning statistical graph
Figure 12: International green space planning statistical graph
Figure 13: Local green space planning statistical graph
Figure 14: Structure of Chapter 9
Figure 15: Lively and green public place planning

List of figures Page X