Strategic accessibility assessment of facility needs to support quality living environments: identification of facility backlogs to develop integrated interventions

Abstract

Current settlement patterns and service provision inefficiencies in South Africa have resulted in the need to identify alternative planning approaches that will result in well-functioning, equitable and efficient human settlements. This paper describes an alternative methodology to those currently used in assessing service provision and developing integrated facility plans. This new methodology has been illustrated by a case study undertaken for eThekwini Municipality. The case study example illustrates how the application of the service access planning methodology (incorporating the use of GIS related software) can significantly contribute to achieving a more accessible, integrated and equitable strategic facility location plan. The approach and tools provide a defensible empirical base for the determination of facility needs in the study area, irrespective of planning or administrative boundaries that may be in existence. The study also shows how a common analysis base can support co-location and the development of multi-purpose centres or nodal developments. It further shows how the outputs can be used to evaluate the impact of social housing development on facility demand. This service access planning methodology and its associated tools can be used to improve the planning of both single facility and integrated services, thereby contributing significantly to improved integrated development planning (IDP) in South Africa and to the more efficient functioning of its cities in general.