Project type: Urban master planning & development

Client: Tongaat Hulett Developements

Landscape value: R 122,000,000

Project description: 26 Ha of indigenous coastal forest forms part of the triangular piece of land which was being utilised for sugar cane farming up to now. The site is being developed by Tongaat Hulett Developments and consists of commercial and office space as well as parks and low to high density residentially zoned areas. The open space design and development is done in conjunction with Albonico, Sack & Mzumara (ASM) Urban Designers where NLA is responsible for the overall landscape strategy and principles as well as the design and implementation of all major open spaces and road verges on the property.

The concept of eco-urbanism is motivated by the design: amongst the rehabilitation of the natural forest and the shaping of green networks, the landscape strategy also involves the retention and re-using of storm water on site for irrigation purposes. Also high on the priority list is the protection, rehabilitation and sensitive utilization of the naturally occurring forest on the lower part of the site. As one of the first activities on site, the forest rehabilitation program is carefully conducted in collaboration with local ecologists. Similarly, the new planting palette is being chosen with the input of a local specialist to be indigenous to the region. Landscape codes further determine the use of the same indigenous planting palette for each of the development sites. An on-site procurement nursery is being prepared in association with the Wildlands Trust – an initiative to create employment opportunities and ensure the availability of sufficiently sized indigenous planting material for the whole development.