Influences on strategic spatial planning and spatial concepts in the South African context: a case study of the city of Johannesburg

Abstract

Strategic Spatial Planning is an approach in planning which is not defined universally and encompasses a range of elements for consideration in its practice. This is what literature indicates but this research is aimed to identify the understanding of Strategic Spatial Planning (SSP) and its related concepts in the South African context. It also identifies the preferred spatial concepts being used by spatial planning practitioners in Strategic Spatial Planning, especially in the public sector. The concern with influencing factors is to clarify why certain spatial concepts are chosen. These influencing factors are probed through a qualitative case study of the City of Johannesburg in its immediate, broader and historical context. The research uncovers the influences and understanding of Strategic Spatial Planning and its related concepts through investigating the processes by which decisions are made to use certain spatial planning concepts. Some of the aspects investigated in terms of Strategic Spatial Planning include governance and politics around decision-making processes, international Influences on Strategic Spatial Planning in the context of South Africa, Town Planning principles which influence decision making in terms of the concepts used in Strategic Spatial Planning, historical significance of the concepts used in South African Strategic Spatial Planning, original meaning/intention of concepts chosen to be used in South African Strategic Spatial Planning. The lenses of New Institutionalism, Governance and Power in Planning have been used to analyse the research data and it has been found that Strategic Spatial Planning is political in nature as it takes direction from the government in power. However, planning practise differs between the various spheres of government due to limited direction or co-ordination between the spheres of government. The study further illustrates that power in planning is linked to the position one holds in an institution in terms of decision making power but also that power is linked to knowledge. The research further uncovers how Strategic Spatial Planning possibly influences external forces and not only how external forces influence the practise and understanding of Strategic Spatial Planning.