Housing Programme

Shayamoya rental flats (click to enlarge)

Background and Principles
Cato Manor, by virtue is its size and location offers an unique opportunity in assisting in solving Durban’s housing backlog. Most of the land is vacant and can therefore be developed  as ‘Greenfield’ sites. Other densely settled areas will be subject to in-situ upgrading. Housing delivery in Cato Manor is informed by the following principles:

• Maximise the number of housing opportunities
• Broaden the range and variety of housing opportunities are affordable to low and low to middle income earners
• Achieve economies associated wit large- scale delivery but avoid vast monotonous housing estates that are unsafe and environmentally unsustainable.

In view of these principles the target income mix requires a balance between income groups where the greatest shortage of housing exists and the need to create a heterogeneous built and social environment.

The income mix to be targeted in Cato Manor is outlined as follows:

Wiggins Fast Track

Shayamoya Rental Flats

Housing Types

1. Single and double storey units on individual erven; small rental units associated with these: Located predominantly between flat ridge top and bottoms
2. Rental units in close proximity to public transport routes
3. Proportion of residential area :83%
4. Low rise two to three storey apartment blocks
5. Located principally within 200m of bus routes, on flatter areas alongside secondary roads and in areas with views near open spaces.
6. To be interspersed amongst single units
7. Proportion of residential area : 6.75 %
8. Low rise two or three storey apartment blocks with commercial activities on the ground floor.
9. Located predominantly along main activity spines/corridors and at key intersections/ bus stops on feeder bus routes
   Proportion of residential area : 6.75%
10. Medium rise four to six storey apartment blocks To be developed on key nodes along Booth/Francois and Bellair activity corridors.
11. Proportion of residential area:3.5%

Residential Densities

1. The aim is to maximise housing opportunities and the fact that 83% of residential land is to be allocated for units on individual erven implies increased densities. Traditionally, delivery of this form has relied on:
   • the creation of a level platform through cut/fill technology
   • Placement of dwelling unit in centre of plot
   • wide platform road access to all plots.
2. This approach yields low densities (37 du/ha) and results in problematic road access, little privacy and environmental damage.
3. The proposed approach is to maximise yields while delivering livable environments. The following techniques are proposed.
4. Alternative founding or footing systems to avoid excessive cut/fill
5. Housing units that are narrower along the contour
6. zero lot lines or party walls
7. suspension of requirements for road access to all lots

This approach could yield overall densities of 60du/ha. Feasibility of this approach would depend on the cost of founding systems and consumer responses to zero lot and party wall design approaches.   

Tenure options and Delivery Systems
The Cato Manor Project aims to accommodate a wide range of incomes and households. A diversity of tenure options is to be accommodated;

• Full Ownership
• Private ownership and a Body corporate taking responsibility for common areas.
• Rental form Private owners
• Institutional or social housing

Not all these have been tried and tested in the Durban market. Pilot projects will test the less familiar options.