Browsing by Author "Spocter, Manfred"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Gated developments : international experiences and the South African context
    (SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein, 2012) Spocter, Manfred
    Gated developments, more commonly known as gated communities, have become a feature of urban living throughout the world. Gated developments in South African cities are an ubiquitous feature of the contemporary urban landscape with many new housing developments in the form of secure estates or fortified town house complexes. A review of international research on gated developments reveals four broad themes into which such research can be placed. South African gated development research is discussed within these themes and it is found that the themes are present in varying degrees in South Africa. This highlights not only global commonalities in gated development research, but also the importance of local or regional conditions in facilitating the increased proliferation of gated developments.
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    Growth potential study 2014
    (Western Cape Government, 2014-03) Van Niekerk, Adriaan; Du Plessis, Danie; Spocter, Manfred; Ferreira, Sanette; Dondaldson, Ronnie; Loots, Lieb; Boonzaaier, Ilze; Janeke, Dudley; Terhoven, Quinton
    This study determined the growth potential and socio-economic needs of settlements in the Western Cape outside of the Cape Town metropolitan area using quantitative data (e.g. factors relating to socio-economic, economic, physical-environmental, infrastructure and institutional aspects). The results of the quantitative analyses were combined with qualitative information (e.g. stakeholder engagements) to identify potential interventions that might unlock latent potential within settlements and regions.
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    Non-metropolitan gated developments in the Western Cape : patterns, processes and purpose
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-03) Spocter, Manfred; Donaldson, S. E.; Landman, K.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gated developments, also known as gated communities, have become a feature of urban living throughout the world and have been the subject of intensive research. Gated developments in South African cities are a ubiquitous feature of the post-apartheid urban landscape with many new housing developments in the form of secure estates or fortified townhouse complexes. Almost all the international literature on gated developments has focused on them as a metropolitan phenomenon. Very few international studies have investigated gated developments in non-metropolitan locales and this topic is unexplored in the South African context. This dissertation addresses this research gap. The study area is the entire non-metropolitan area of the Western Cape province. The politicoadministrative concept of non-metropolitan is used rather than the descriptor rural because the latter implies an area of primary production with no diversification of productive activities. The study area excludes the metropolitan area of Cape Town but includes the rest of the province within which there are settlements of varying sizes having a diverse range of economic activities. It is in these places that gated developments were investigated to cover and discover particular aspects of the hitherto unexplored non-metropolitan gated developments of South Africa. The specific objectives were to place the research in the theoretical and conceptual debates of gated developments; map the occurrence of the phenomenon; and spatially analyse the location and security aspects of the developments at a macro scale. Two towns, Swellendam and Ceres, were selected as case studies as their gated developments present a host of significant features warranting further micro-scale analysis. The spatial and locational analyses yielded other researchable themes specific to certain types of developments, namely retirement gated developments in Oudtshoorn and Swellendam and gated developments outside the urban edge. A comprehensive spatially-linked database of gated developments in the study area was compiled from numerous sources, culminating in a process of groundtruthing that resulted in the collection of data on the physical features of each development. Qualitative data was collected from respondents through interviews, electronic communications and a questionnaire survey. Distribution patterns of gated developments were determined from spatial data and data on physical features was used to calculate security level index values for the gated developments. These data sets enabled spatial and typological comparisons to be made. Qualitative data added a ‘voice’ to the quantitative data and provided insights into social, economic and planning aspects of gated developments. The location of gated developments in the province is largely determined by proximity to metropolitan Cape Town and areas with high occurrences of amenities. The spatio-temporal patterns and typological distinctions of gated developments are influenced by location-specific factors. In some towns the gated developments typify a living space and in others a living and lifestyle space. The security features of gated developments also vary typologically and spatially. Crime data was used to show that the distribution of non-metropolitan gated developments is not necessarily associated with towns with high levels of criminal activity. Security in these developments is not a response to rampant crime, rather a strategy brought into play in case something happens – preparedness in the unlikely event of a breach of security. The gated developments in the two case-study towns are strongly influenced by locationspecific needs, the purposes of residents and the processes of municipalities. Niche market gated developments, as represented in the thematic case studies of retirement gated developments and gated developments outside the urban edge are promoted by pull factors within towns and by the allure of an exclusive rural residential lifestyle of living in areas with high amenity offerings. The latter is linked to the transformation of agricultural land into gated developments, which signals a shift to postproductivist change in the study area. The results of this seminal investigation into non-metropolitan gated developments suggest avenues for further research endeavour. These include the need for greater understanding of the changing nature of social relations between gated and the non-gated inhabitants of non-metropolitan locales; investigation of the potential for increased topophobia within towns; and examinations of the functions of the various stakeholders and role players in establishing non-metropolitan gated developments.
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    A revision of the 2004 growth potential of towns in the Western Cape study
    (Stellenbosch University, 2010-03) Van Niekerk, Adriaan; Donaldson, Ronnie; Du Plessis, Manie; Spocter, Manfred
    One of the objectives of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) is to undertake spatial planning that promotes and guides the sustainable future development of the Western Cape province and redresses spatial inequalities. This goal led to the development of the Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF), which identifies the areas of growth in the province and the areas where, in terms of the sustainable development paradigm, growth should be emphasised in the future. It also addresses the form that this growth or development should take and further emphasises the restructuring of urban settlements to facilitate their sustainability. To provide guidance and support for implementing the PSDF, a thorough understanding and knowledge of the characteristics and performances of all the settlements in the province is needed.