The City of Cape Town’s Council has recently approved the local spatial development framework (LSDF) for Maitland.

Drafted in collaboration with the local community and business owners, the spatial vision intends to revitalise the area by guiding public infrastructure investment and unlocking developments.

Maitland is strategically located within the Urban Inner Core which the municipality has prioritised for investment. It is also a development focus area and an economic node located within the Urban Development Zone meaning that there are tax incentives to facilitate sustainable urban regeneration and job creation.

The City started on the drafting process in March 2023 with the opportunities and constraints as a guide. These include a growing population and density – and the pressure this applies on aging services and infrastructure, the lack of high-quality open spaces; and localised flooding caused by the Black River, according to the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

Local residents, businesses, the community, and other stakeholders contributed to this contextual analysis which informed the draft LSDF with seven public engagements hosted by the City.

The approved LSDF now determines the development vision for Maitland on an area level and going forward, the municipality will use this as a guide when making decisions about development applications and land uses.

“Maitland has a lot going for it, its unique location means it is easily accessible from Kensington, Ndabeni, and Paarden Island; is near the Cape Town CBD and Bellville CBD’s labour markets; has multiple public transit modes; and zonings that allow for industrial, community, mixed use and medium-high density residential uses,” notes Alderman Andrews.

“On the other hand, we are experiencing the impact of passenger rail decline, continuous load shedding and ageing infrastructure on Maitland. And there are also some constraints that are limiting the area’s potential, among which the Black River flood line, and connectivity barriers such as the river, the M5 freeway, and rail infrastructure. As such, the City will use the LSDF as a policy instrument to guide public and private investment to build on Maitland’s potential and mitigate the impact of the constraints.”

The Maitland LSDF pursues a spatial vision that will assist with the regeneration of the area:

• Maitland represents the gateway to Voortrekker Road which is a development corridor and activity route, and the Urban Development Zone along Maitland and Kensington offers an opportunity of urban regeneration with a diversity of mixed uses that will be supported by the first phase of the Voortrekker Road Streetscape and road widening.
• Prioritised, coordinated, and sequenced City improvements of Maitland’s Road infrastructure are important catalysts for urban regeneration and include the planned new MyCiTi bus station and proposed upgrade of Berkley Road. The projects will enhance and enable the movement of goods and people and facilitate an improved public realm for better access supported by job generating activities. The City is currently sourcing comment from the public about the proposed upgrade of Berkley Road.
• Prioritising universally accessible and safe pedestrian movement.
• Using the Black River as an asset to create new opportunities and improved access between Maitland and the river.
• Improving access and connectivity with the creation of integrated and inclusive communal spaces.

The LSDF also includes:

• Maps to reflect current and future elements such as road networks, public transport systems, public open spaces, and public facilities.
• Land use management guidelines, guidance on improved connectivity and greater accessibility to support a high-quality urban form and universally accessible public realm in line with transit orientated development.
• The spatial proposals to improve the urban space, among which indicating areas where public and private development should be prioritised, and areas in need of strategic intervention to pursue the vision of a City of Hope for Maitland.
• Key infrastructure requirements to enable the spatial vision have been prioritised, sequenced and phased as part of the implementation plan.
• An implementation plan indicating City projects at a concept stage, and others that have been confirmed and those that are already underway to realise the spatial vision.
• Technical input and analysis led by the City’s Urban Planning and Design Department, with input from City line departments, the Western Cape Government, National Ports Authority, Transnet, and National Department of Public Works.

The Maitland LSDF elaborates on and supports the spatial development guidelines as set out in the Table Bay District Spatial Development Framework, which is a higher order plan for the greater Table Bay area; and the City’s Municipal Spatial Development Framework that sets the overall spatial vision for Cape Town.