Urban growth and strategic spatial planning in Johannesburg, South Africa

The article examines the way strategic spatial planning in the City of Johannesburg has attempted to reshape existing and emerging spatial patterns of a divided sprawling city, focusing particularly on current initiatives to link spatial planning and infrastructure development through the growth management strategy. The strategy has been well institutionalised in the municipality, with strong political support and links to budgets. New public transport systems are being introduced, linked to spatial plans, although some of these developments have been contested. While the property industry is responding positively to some aspects of planning, moving towards greater spatial equity remains challenging. The planning-infrastructure link seems to be strengthening planning, but it is a demanding approach which requires a very different form of planning than the traditional master planning.

► Johannesburg’s spatial planning attempts to restructure a sprawling divided city.
► A growth management strategy links infrastructure development to spatial plans.
► The strategy is well institutionalised and supported within the municipality.
► Early property market responses are mixed, but spatial inequalities persist.
► Linking infrastructure and spatial planning is useful but complex to achieve.