| Land in cities is used for many different
purposes, including urban activities, agriculture and conservation. Land use is a
particularly important environmental consideration in that it depicts the amount of
transformed land compared to the remaining natural areas. In the CMA rapid has resulted in low-density urban sprawl
and inappropriate use of land. Urban development in the CMA has led to a fragmentation and
reduction of natural areas. Valuable agricultural land has also been lost. Map 1 shows major land-uses in the CMA.
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| Contents of CONTEXTUAL INFO on the
Spatial Use Pattern: |
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| Urban |
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| Urban land in the CMA is characterised by high, medium and low density
commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational uses. The Central Business Districts
(CBD) of the City of Cape Town and City of Tygerberg display the highest building
densities in the CMA. Medium density commercial and residential urban development activity
spines in the CMA extend south, north and east from the Cape Town CBD. Urban development in the southern parts of the Cape
Peninsula is mostly residential in nature and is limited by topographical constraints. The
south-eastern area of the CMA on the Cape Flats displays medium to low density formal and
informal urban sprawl, with few commercial and recreational precincts. These areas are
largely the remnants of dormitory towns created during the 1960s and 1970s. To the north
and north-east are industrial and commercial precincts, mostly concentrated along major
roads and railways lines, with low density residential urban sprawl predominating.
The CMA is unique in that it offers a range
of recreational opportunities and facilities in relatively close proximity to most
inhabitants. Access to recreational facilities is constrained in the south-eastern area of
the CMA due to prevailing poor socio-economic conditions and overcrowding. Many
recreational facilities and opportunities are located on and around the Cape Peninsula.
Table Mountain, Cape Point and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens are amongst the
most popular for residents and tourists alike. Eco-tourism also adds economic value to
recreational areas, with the CMA being a popular destination for both international and
local tourists.
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| Agricultural |
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| Agricultural land is concentrated to the north-east along the Tygerberg
Hills and to the south-east around the Helderberg Mountains and to the south around
Constantia and Hout Bay. Continued low-density residential expansion into these areas is
placing pressure on remaining good soils and agriculture. The Philippi horticultural area
situated to the south of the City of Cape Town is also under threat from urban expansion. |
| Minerals Resources |
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The CMA has a variety of exploitable mineral deposits. These areas are
threatened by urban development. Shale, sandstone and granite as well as their numerous
derivations are found in the CMA. Deposits of limestone on the Cape Flats were mined from
1939 to 1980 while Kaolin is exploited in the southern Cape Peninsula (Theron et al,
1992). Other minerals are also found within the CMA, including: building sand from dunes
on the Cape Flats; clay in Bellville, Brackenfell and south of Atlantis; Table Mountain
sandstone in Camps Bay; hornfells from the Tygerberg; and, large quantities of high grade
silica sand from the Phillippi area on the Cape Flats.
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| Conservation
areas and metropolitan open spaces |
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| Conservation areas and open spaces provide invaluable urban amenities for
a large urban population. The largest conservation area within the CMA is the Cape
Peninsula National Park that stretches from Table Mountain to Cape Point. More details on
specific conservation areas see Terrestrial Ecosystems. Low
density urban expansion, as well as informal settlements, are encroaching on a number of
valuable natural areas, many of which do not have official status as protected
environments. Open spaces within the city are also under pressure from urban development,
particularly those along watercourses and on steep slopes (see Map 2). |
| Heritage
conservation |
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| Given that the built environment is dynamic and subject to perpetual
development and change, it is necessary to conserve elements of the past townscape. This
is especially important in the CMA as it is the oldest city in South Africa with many
historic sites. These historic elements are an important resource for the tourist
industry. Heritage is not only
represented by national monuments and buildings but includes sites, places and patterns of
historic value that were influenced by diverse cultures and traditions. Heritage
conservation in the CMA should reflect all cultures including those dating back to
pre-history to give the inhabitants of the CMA a true sense of identity, history and
place. Traditionally urban heritage management has focused on object specific or
museum-oriented conservation, however there is a move towards a broader understanding of
sites of significance. A map showing a number of sites of significance in the CMA is
presented in Map 3.
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