Stellenbosch Municipality this week announced the establishment of the Stellenbosch Planning and Development Forum (SP&DF).
This is a collaborative and consultative forum among the municipal departments responsible for the functions of land-use planning, and all private professional practitioners involved in related land-use planning and development processes within the municipal area of Stellenbosch.
Executive Mayor Advocate Gesie van Deventer welcomed the initiative saying it is a big step in the right direction
The aim of the SP&DF is to create an environment in which Stellenbosch Municipality and private professional practitioners in land-use planning and development can engage on matters relating to urban planning and development legislation, policies and administration within a greater Stellenbosch municipal context.
“The SP&DF will aim also to provide an opportunity for private professional practitioners in land use planning and development to express their ideas and practical proposals with regards to urban planning and development, land use administration and the future planning for Stellenbosch Municipality,” Stuart Grobbelaar, Communications Manager at Stellenbosch Municipality says. “Also, to create an opportunity for information sharing among public and private professional practitioners in land use planning and development.”
He said representatives are not invited as individuals, but to represent the professional grouping involved in land-use planning and development processes.
“No individual land-use matter or development applications or cases will be discussed unless for purposes of illustration.”
Grobbelaar says it is important to note the SP&DF has no decision making powers. “Meetings are scheduled to be held on a quarterly basis or as required, and are scheduled for a maximum of two hours. Quarterly dates will be set by the secretariat for the calendar year. The SP&DF may create separate task-teams, from time-to-time to perform specific tasks or responsibilities arising from meetings.”
