TOWN PLANNING FACT SHEET
Did you know?
Town
Planners make better and more sustainable places for everyone to live, work and
enjoy. Planners balance social, economic and environmental needs to shape the
way that towns and cities grow and to create great communities for everyone.
What do
Town Planners do?
Depending
on the job role, it may include:
•
designing
new towns or villages
•
improving
communities and the environment
•
writing
and explaining regulations and rules
•
protecting
buildings that are of historical and architectural importance
•
ensuring
that suitable land becomes available for development and supporting business
and jobs
Did you know?
Zoning is
the way governments control the physical development of land and the kinds of
uses to which each individual property may be put. Zoning laws/Schemes typically specify the
areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities
may take place.
What is a subdivision?
The
subdivision of land is a process where one property is divided into two or more
portions. Schemes and policies usually
specify the minimum erf size for an area when undertaking a subdivision.
Did you know?
You may
change the zoning of your property to another zone through a processed called ‘rezoning’.
Let’s say your property is zoned Residential 1 in terms of the zoning scheme
and you now intend to operate a business on the same property, a rezoning to a
business zone would enable you to do this.
What is a Local Spatial Development Framework?
A LSDF is a
plan that provides the long term vision of how a specific geographical area in
the Municipality should be developed. Some municipalities refer to this plan as
a Local Area Plan
I want to build a house- where do I start?
You need to first acquire a site and check whether the zone
of the property permits the development of a house. The Residential 1 zone is
the most appropriate zone for a dwelling house
What is a pre- consultation?
A pre- consultation is the process in which advice can be
sought from the Council before submitting a formal application for your
intended development
Did you know?
That the
Land Use Scheme of the Municipality contains a zoning table which indicates
uses that are freely permissible and uses that can be obtained via Councils
Special Consent
How can I find out what my property is zoned for?
You may contact the Land Planning branch of the Municipality
on 041 506 2241 or visit the municipal website on www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za
What is a freely permissible use?
A freely permissible use does not require submission of an
application to the Municipality for land use rights. However, Council requires
the submission of a Site Development Plan indicating how the use rights are to
be implemented on site
How much does it cost to submit a Site Development Plan?
Nothing at
all- this service is offered by Council for free
Did you know?
That some
title deeds contain restrictive conditions which may limit future development
of a property. An application can be submitted to the Municipality to have
these removed
Did you know?
That the
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (No. 16 of 2013) serves as a
framework that regulates all matters pertaining to spatial planning, land use
management and land development in South Africa
Where can I obtain application forms for permission to
carry out development?
The forms
may be obtained at the Properties and Administration branch of the Municipality
on the 2nd floor at the Lilian Diedericks Building (former Brister
House)