Beyond master planning? New approaches to spatial planning in Ekurhuleni, South Africa

Traditional master planning has been criticised, but continues in various forms. This paper critically assesses an initiative by a South Africa metropolitan municipality to develop ‘local spatial development frameworks’: comprehensive integrated plans, dealing with 22 sectors, for some 103 areas, to guide land use decisions and to provide a framework for development. The paper concludes that despite some innovative aspects, several elements of traditional master planning were evident. New approaches to spatial planning were being shaped by older thinking, but also by the impact of a traditional land use management system. The findings point to the need for greater attention to debating alternative forms of spatial planning and their appropriateness in various contexts.