Residents, businesses, stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to attend an open day on 21 May 2022 about the City of Cape Town’s proposed local spatial development framework (LSDF) for the Bellville central business district.

The draft LSDF includes a core precinct masterplan for the Bellville CBD with a proposed long-term spatial vision, interventions and investments. It also seeks to support the short-term urban management actions that are currently being implemented by the City and under the guidance of Subcouncil 6.

‘Once approved by Council, the LSDF will, in the longer term, have an impact on all who live, work, study, and do business in Bellville. We need to hear from as many people as possible what they think of the draft spatial vision, and to submit comments on how we can improve or add to the framework that is now available for public participation. The open day is an ideal opportunity to ask officials questions and get more information. A team will be available for three hours to assist. If you are interested in your future Bellville, try and get there on this day,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The details of the open day are as follows:
Date: Saturday, 21 May 2022
Time: Between 09:00 and 12:00
Venue: Bellville Public Library, Carl van Aswegen Street, Bellville

The Bellville Future City Masterplan of 2021 and heritage studies informed the draft LSDF, which also proposes various road schemes and public transport upgrades; and detailed implementation plans of projects to be undertaken by the City, public partners and the private sector to spatially transform the Bellville CBD into a more sustainable and thriving centre.

Bellville’s unique location as Cape Town’s second metropolitan node should be used to stimulate investment in sectors that can create jobs, drive inclusive growth and resilience.

The implementation plans supports job creation, infrastructure investment and affordable housing provision. These include coordinating efforts and actions from public stakeholders such as the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Transnet, and tertiary education institutions, and to align these with actions from City partners such as the Greater Tygerberg Partnership.

The following opportunities arise from the draft LSDF:

• To improve movement and mobility between the metro-south east and the northern districts as an important employment area, particularly within the Voortrekker Road Corridor;
• To apply the principles of transit-oriented development to create urban spaces with a mix of high density residentially-led development, commercial, retail, and recreational spaces;
• To create a safe and convenient precinct that facilitates and encourages walking and other forms of non-motorised transport, together with a master basement to accommodate parking in the CBD underground;
• Improved public transport services and facilities;
• Implementation of a new vertically integrated multi-modal Bellville Public Transport Interchange as a catalytic project, phased over time to unlock urban renewal
• Implementation of quality social amenities
• The release of vacant City-owned land for mixed use development, including the establishment of a ‘government precinct’, accommodating a mix of public uses, facilities and services; and promoting Bellville as an innovation district that seeks to leverage the cluster of tertiary academic institutions located in this area

The overarching vision for Bellville is thus to create a CBD that is vibrant, attractive, sustainable and efficient in terms of development and transport.

Residents can submit comments until 4 July 2022.

Source: City Of Cape Town