Development & Land Use Management
Improving access to land for all South Africans is at the core of future economic transformation. Land use management is the tool through which this will be achieved. StratPlan engages in land use management on a number of levels and performs a wide range of development planning and land use management functions.
StratPlan offers clients services related to:
Township Establishment
We have a good understanding of township establishment processes and the activities forming part of these processes. This understanding has been gained through working in rural and urban contexts.
Township Planning
Strong skills in township layout planning augments our ability to manage township establishment processes from site identification through to transfer of deeds.
Statutory Planning Applications
StratPlan engages in statutory planning applications on an ongoing basis and is familiar with the legislation, bylaws and schemes applying to various localities in KwaZulu-Natal.
Property Development
An interest in spatial economic transformation and planning inevitably led to developing an understanding of the tools that will contribute to transformation being achieved. Property development is the most basic tool to transform space and the economy, providing opportunities to all.
StratPlan advises a range of clients (small to multi-national) on:
Strategic Location
With our understanding of economic space, gained specifically in the complex KwaZulu-Natal context, we are able to advise clients on strategic location decision-making, whether for a business, a housing development or a social service. Our intimate knowledge of the Province enhances our ability in this regard.
Site Feasibility Assessment
We have the skills and experience to assess investments in sites from the business, technical, planning and financial perspectives.
Site Packaging and Acquisition
We currently act as broker for a major multi-national in not only identifying, but also acquiring, strategically located sites throughout KwaZulu-Natal. We have the capacity to package land development opportunities and acquire access to properties on behalf of our clients.
Spatial Assessments and Planning
Based on specifically our understanding of the South African spatial economic landscape, we offer our clients a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities in both urban and rural areas across South Africa. Our work in this field is underpinned by the theory of economic geography, which recognises the relationship between spatial location, spatial planning, and economic development. The principles of spatial economic development are applied to all levels of our planning, whether international, national, regional, local, or settlement.
We have a broad range of experience in spatial assessments and planning including:
Project Specific Spatial Assessments
Spatial assessments are an integral part of the project level assessments undertaken by StratPlan. Our tailored spatial skills and approach enable us to critically assess project feasibility in rural areas.
Rural and Urban Strategic Spatial Development Plans
Based on a good understanding of rural and urban spatial development dynamics, and working with other specialists, StratPlan has developed models for guiding future capital investment in rural and urban areas.
Area Based Planning
StratPlan has extensive experience in spatial economic development planning on all levels, from neighbourhood to regional. Support can be provided in the development of Neighbourhood Plans, Local Area Plans, Precinct Plans, and Area Plans.
Economic Transformation and Informal Economy
Economic and spatial transformation is at the core of what we think and do. We believe that Economic Transformation will only be achieved once all South Africans have equal access to economic opportunities. We acknowledge specifically the spatial economic inequality in South Africa, and other developing countries, and are committed to actively contribute to spatial transformation. This is a key consideration in each assignment we undertake.
StratPlan actively pursues assignments aiming to contribute to:
Informal and Formal Business Development
Through strategic economic development planning, business planning and feasibility assessments StratPlan contributes to informal and formal business development. We have a keen interest in informality and the role thereof in development.
Business Support and Facilitation
StratPlan has implemented a number of programmes, most notably the Participative Economic Action Planning approach of the eThekwini Municipality, aimed at supporting and building small local businesses. An awareness of the role of business support, facilitation and mentorship was developed through our involvement in assessing opportunities for support and incubation centres.
Economic Feasibility Assessments
We have successfully concluded feasibility assessments for retail centres, petrol filling stations, social facilities, tourism projects, production opportunities, and projects in a range of economic sectors. We endeavour to indicate to our clients early on in any assessment or business planning process if we view a project to be unsustainable. We will provide a clear motivation for our reasoning and offer more suitable alternatives, aimed at achieving successful development outcomes!
StratPlan has the skills to prepare a range of feasibility assessments and implementation development plans, including:
For Retail Centres and Petrol Stations
These assessments consider catchments, local conditions, development costs, and stakeholder support, in order to develop implementable project proposals.
For SMME Support Centres
SMME support can act as a springboard for the growth of job opportunities in rural, non-metropolitan areas. Our research shows that informal service and manufacturing sector businesses are in desperate need of appropriately serviced space and capacity building. As experts in our field, we respond to this need by promoting the establishment of such centres in rural and urban areas.
For Rural Tourism Products
Opportunities in the tourism sector must be carefully assessed and StratPlan is equipped to undertake municipal, area and product-specific assessments, as per client requirements.
LED Implementation Plans
We believe that the most effective development of implementable plans occurs in consultation with stakeholders. The combination of our expertise in economic development and skills in stakeholder engagement results in optimal LED implementation plans.
Strategic Planning
A strategic plan focuses the energy, resources, and time of everyone in an organisation or institution in the same direction. It is a specialised management tool, not an abstract planning document or a ‘tick box’ plan trying to cover everything. We believe that current guidelines for strategic plans seriously disrupt and even derail strategic planning processes. In the spirit of effective planning, StratPlan strives to be truly strategic, moving away from wish lists and comprehensive plans, and working towards plans with specific outcomes.
Along with a range of strategic planning activities, our Products include:
Integrated Development Plans
We assist and support municipalities in developing strategic plans that respond to current guidelines.
Strategic Development Plans
We have experience in preparing a range of strategic development plans. We have in the past developed integrated development plans, spatial plans and regional plans through consultative processes.
Strategic Organisational Development Plans
We can assist any organisation, whether public, private, or community sector in preparing strategic organisational development plans. We have developed strategic development plan on the organisational level and for departments / sections within an organisation.
Project and Programme Management
The StratPlan Team has developed strong capacity for project and programme management. Various project management tools are actively used in the day-to-day functioning of the firm. With project management tools, good communication skills and administrative capacity we always aim to deliver projects within resource and time constraints.
Project Management
The StratPlan Team offers clients well-established project and programme management skills and capacity in:
- Multi-disciplinary planning assignments
- Property development processes
- Research and planning initiatives
Programme Management
The StratPlan Team offers clients well-established project and programme management skills and capacity in:
- Multi-stakeholder longer term programmes
- Complex multi-project longer term programmes
StratPlan
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