The past few years have seen major central business districts (CBDs) in South Africa transform before our very eyes. Investors and property developers are rushing towards city centres with the aim of converting old and often dilapidated building into sound property investments. The driving force behind this resurgence of investors, and property developers alike, to the CBs is manifold; among other reasons are the improved transport service systems (e.g. the Bus Rapid Transit/BRT & the Gautrain in Johannesburg and Pretoria), tighter security measures, and promised tax incentives within identified city’s urban development zones which form part of city’s integrated development plans (IDPs). In Johannesburg these urban development zones include among others: Braamfontein, Newton, Jeppestown, the Fashion District, and Faraday.
According to Nkosinathi Tomose, Director of ACHA, any building that is over 60 years old, occupy more than three erven/stands, over 5000 m2 (or even less when taking the age issue into account), is of unique architectural style, historical (socio-cultural & political) and of scientific significance is by law protected as one of South Africa’s cultural heritage sources. This is in accordance with the National Heritage Resources Act, No. 25 of 1999; a heritage legislation promulgated in 1999 for the identification, protection, management, conservation, and promotion of heritage resources sites in South Africa. This legislation plays an important role in influencing many of the cities bylaws and integrated development plans (IDPs). In terms of city developments this means the encouragement and realisation of synergies that exist between the past, present and future face of African cities. He furthers suggests that, this is important for cities that subscribe to the idea of World Class City like the City of Johannesburg which claims to be the World Class African City. To sum it up; in terms of development this means that, new developments have to complement historic landscapes and architectural features that have, over time, come to characterise most of South African cities cultural landscape like the monumental structures, streets scapes, and public spaces of cities such as Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth etc. For investor and developers this means that, it is important and advisable for one to fully understand the nature and character of each building or block of buildings that one intends to invest in and/or develop; there are some buildings that one can do certain things with such as getting a permit from the relevant authority for total demolition of the building to put up a new structure, permit for intensive renovations and alterations, and those building that one would have to work with under certain restrictive measures such as doing minor alterations without tainting the historic fabric of the structure and its surrounding. Cities that subscribe to the agenda of World Class City and which use heritage as one of their branding strategies have very strict rules when it comes to developments that are not sensitive to heritage resources. Therefore, developers have to always do heritage assessment of the building they intend to develop prior to any form of development taking place at the site. This is encouraged by many cities’ Planning and Development Departments: departments which authorises city’s developmental projects.
According to Nkosinathi, a heritage impact assessment (HIA) is basically a study aimed at assessing and evaluating the potential impact of development on heritage resources or sites. It is required in developments that involve: historic buildings and shelters; monumental sites/structures (e.g. the Old Park Station opposite Nelson Mandela Bridge); historic landscapes features such as pavements, bridges, bus stops, road circles (e.g. the Brooklyn Circle in Pretoria; tramps/bus trolley tracks (e.g. in Newtown, Johannesburg & in Church Square, Pretoria); in large developments as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and in land zoning projects. At times developers are exempted from doing HIA; however, this is varied from case to case and depends on your heritage specialist motivation of the project and why an HIA will not be required.<br />
Nkosinathi Tomose is a Founding Director at Art, Culture & Heritage Africa (ACHA) cc, a cultural resources management firm based in 18 Clamart Road, Richmond, Johannesburg, South Africa. He can be contacted on the following number (078 163 0657) and e-mail: acha.cc@gmail.com.
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