A public meeting on the future development of Kensington, Factreton and surrounding areas will be held on Saturday 19 September, giving residents an opportunity to have their say on the City of Cape Town’s draft Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF).
The Open Day will take place at Factreton Community Hall, where residents and stakeholders can engage with the proposed spatial vision for the area and provide input on how it should develop over the coming decades.
The draft LSDF covers Kensington, Factreton, Wingfield and surrounding areas along the Voortrekker Road Corridor, with public comments open until Sunday 1 November.
Spatial Vision
An LSDF determines the development vision for an area on a local level. Once approved by Council, the City uses the LSDF for guidance when making decisions about development applications and land uses in the area.
These decisions determine how a neighbourhood will function, look, and feel in the future.
Leslie Swartz, Kensington Factreton Residents and Ratepayers Association (KFRRA) chair, said the association supports the principle of having a “comprehensive spatial development framework” for the area.
“We welcome investment, urban renewal, improved public transport, affordable housing, economic development and the utilisation of strategically located underused land.
Swartz said development and densification must be carefully managed to ensure existing communities are protected and that infrastructure and public services can keep pace with growth.
“We will not support indiscriminate intensification and densification that occurs without adequate infrastructure, transport capacity, public facilities, environmental protection and meaningful protection of established residential neighbourhoods.”
Swartz said there were several reasons for supporting the Kensington and Factreton LSDF, including its potential to provide the community with a long-term spatial vision and recognise the area as a strategic location.
Traffic Pressure
He said the largely “underutilised” Wingfield land presented a potentially transformative opportunity, while the identification of the need for affordable housing and the protection of large open spaces was also welcomed.
Swartz added that the proposed vision could create opportunities for improved urban mobility in the area.
He said residents had also raised several concerns about the proposed LSDF, particularly the risk that intensification could lead to uncontrolled densification.
“Traffic congestion is already a problem, protecting the established residential character and commercial development needs proper traffic assessments.”
According to Swartz, there are concerns about protecting the established residential character of the area.
He added that any commercial development should be supported by proper traffic assessments, while heritage and the community’s identity must also be protected.
Swartz said affordable housing should result in genuine integration and stressed that the success of the LSDF would depend on its implementation.
“As important as the LSDF and vision is, the implementation must be real, with clear and specific timelines,” he said.
Swartz said the key question around the future development of Kensington and Factreton should be determining what type and scale of development the area can accommodate.
“What kind of development can KenFac accommodate, where should it occur, at what scale, and what infrastructure must be preceded and provided before it happens?”
Have Your Say
Eddie Andrews, deputy mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning, urged residents to provide input.
“We value your input as you have a direct experience of your neighbourhood. By participating and making your voice heard, you have a say on how your area can develop over the next few decades. Please get involved, attend the open day, and submit your comments.”
Andrews said the areas are facing a range of development challenges, including the growth of informal settlements and land invasions, congestion, and pressure on existing services infrastructure in some areas.
“It is well located with easy access from the N1 and via Voortrekker Road; is in close proximity to transit routes and job hubs, which could attract investment. Vacant and underutilised land, including the Wingfield military base, also provides opportunities for urban regeneration.”
Andrews said once finalised and approved by Council, the LSDF for Kensington, Factreton, Wingfield and surrounding areas will elaborate on and support the spatial development guidelines as set out in the Table Bay District Spatial Development Framework, which is the higher order spatial plan for the area.
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