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The establishment of a framework for evaluating the sustainability of integrated residential development projects

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The sustainability of a human settlement is a multidimensional problem, dealing not only with
settlement spatial or housing dimensions, but also with spatial characteristics, geographic location,
environmental considerations, economic viability, institutional capacity, human development, and
social relationships and aspirations. With the ability to address spatial restructuring, effect
integration and optimise the use of infrastructure, the South African government, through its New
Comprehensive Plan for the Creation of Sustainable Human Settlements, promulgated in 2004,
has identified integrated residential development, essentially comprising medium-density mixeduse
housing opportunities, as the core contributor to the creation of sustainable human
settlements.
Through its land release programmes, government seeks to stimulate the development of
integrated and sustainable human settlements. The evaluation criteria applied in the assessment
of development proposals however differ between the various spheres of government. The criteria
evaluating the inherent sustainability of a development proposal have not been evident in the
literature review of the advertised proposals. With no overall assessment framework in place to
assess the overall sustainability of integrated residential development projects, there has been an
evident lack of consistency in the evaluation of such proposals. Furthermore, the lack of
consistency and the lack of a consistently applied evaluation framework does not allow for
adequate monitoring and evaluation after development.
The aim of this investigation was to facilitate the development of an appropriate and adaptable
framework that can guide government in evaluating an integrated residential development proposal
in terms of its sustainability and the extent to which it endeavours to achieve government’s desired
outcomes. An empirical study was conducted through evaluation research and comparative
studies to investigate the indicators informing the creation of sustainable and integrated residential
developments. Primary data were acquired through questionnaires to targeted public and private
sector stakeholders involved in integrated residential developments, and were supplemented by a
literature review on the aspects informing the sustainability of housing development.
The research found that there is a lack of consistency and integration in the evaluation of
proposals for integrated residential developments. Similarly, the key aspects and means of
measuring sustainability were found not to be integrated into the evaluation process.
The degree to which a development proposal was considered to be sustainable therefore is, and
will remain, unknown until it is researched.
Without the ability to measure the level of perceived sustainability pre- and post-implementation of
development proposals, and with cognizance of the newness of integrated residential
developments as a housing model, it is doubtful whether there will be progress towards the
realisation of ideal sustainable human settlements. To facilitate the realisation of sustainable
human settlements, the proposed framework seeks to establish a consistent means of evaluating
an integrated residential development proposal pre- and post-development.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/95658
Date12 1900
CreatorsKoopman, Robin
ContributorsSmith, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatxvii, 105 p. : col. map
RightsStellenbosch University

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