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rep

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in t

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ea.

EM

NA

MB

ITH

I LA

DY

SM

ITH

LO

CA

L M

UN

ICIP

AL

ITY

p

rep

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by:

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ES

T

Col

enso

Reg

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n P

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an D

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ITIE

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AT

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and

ser

vice

s w

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the

CB

D p

rovi

de a

sol

id

foun

datio

n fo

r de

velo

pmen

t int

erve

ntio

n an

d st

rate

gies

. �

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imum

cap

italis

atio

n of

ste

ady

inte

rnat

iona

l to

uris

m a

nd d

omes

tic

trip

s to

the

Bat

tlefie

lds

regi

on.

�

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que

rura

l to

wn

feel

and

cha

ract

er o

f re

side

ntia

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eas

imm

edia

tely

ad

jace

nt to

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rovi

de.

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e re

serv

es a

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atur

al e

nviro

nmen

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eral

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ad

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tour

ism

pot

entia

l �

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mot

hbal

led

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enso

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er S

tatio

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mai

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lined

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estm

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h un

empl

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pov

erty

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in p

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anta

ged

area

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ad t

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rest

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attr

actio

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ompl

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uild

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r w

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qu

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ct

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stm

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and

tour

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with

in t

he s

tudy

are

a.

EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

8 June 2011

37

������������ Lynch Analysis

5.2.1 Key Physical Elements

It is deemed necessary to gain an understanding of the physical features that play a key role in the

development process. Certain sorts of physical elements can be grouped into five key elements which are

hereunder listed as follows:

• Nodes

• Edges

• Paths

• Districts and;

• Landmarks

Nodes: Nodes are focal places, such junctions of paths: examples extend inter alia from roundabouts to

market squares.

Edges: are linear elements which are either not used as paths, or which are usually seen from positions where

their path nature is obscured. These elements include rivers, railway viaducts and elevated motorways.

Paths: are amongst the most significant of these elements. They are channels of movement – alleys, streets,

motorways, railways and the like – and many people include them as the most important features in their

images of the place

Districts: Paths, nodes, landmarks and edges constitute the skeleton of the urban image, which is fleshed out

with areas of less strongly differentiated urban fabric. The flesh itself is organized into districts: medium-to-

large sections of the city, recognizable as have some particular identifying character.

Landmarks: In contrast to nodes, which can be entered, landmarks are point references which most people

experience from outside.

5.2.2 Analysis

This section seeks to explain how the Colenso analysis was undertaken. The first point of departure was to

ascertain the existing potential of site and its potential. Look for any existing activities and forms which could be

used to make the place more legible and recorded them – and how they might be used on a plan. It is often

helpful to use Lynch’s checklist of elements – paths, nodes, landmarks, edges and districts – to stimulate this

analysis. Typical factors that were looked for include the following.

Paths: recorded any routes which adjoin or cross the site noting their relative intensity of use,

Nodes: noted any place where paths meet; recording the relative importance of each path, and the public

relevance of any associated buildings.

Landmarks: recorded any publicly-relevant activities, either in buildings or in outdoor spaces.

EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

8 June 2011

38

Edges: recorded any distinct limits to areas with different patterns of use or visual character and recorded any

strong linear barriers.

Districts: recorded areas with different patterns of use, areas with different visual characters, and decided

what makes the differences; overall building forms, materials or details.

5.2.3 Combining the Elements

This section seeks to explain the various elements depicted on the Colenso Lynch Analysis Plan.

a. Residential Districts

Colenso Town Residential

• Characterised by the old rental housing stock for Eskom labourers.

• Lies adjacent to Colenso Commercial District.

• Architectural uniqueness and character

• Low density residential

• Very large individual plots

Nkanyezi Township

• A former R293 township characterized by high density low-cost housing, poor infrastructure and

community services or lack thereof.

• Similar architectural character-typical of low-cost housing development in South Africa

“Indian Area”

• Formal middle-income residential that was historically occupied by the Indian community.

• Predominantly residential, interspersed by a number of vacant properties and also suffers from poor

road quality (gravel).

Rural Residential

• Typical rural housing development, typified by traditional housing typologies as well as poor

infrastructure and community facilities.

Newtown

• Formal middle-Income residential that was historically built to absorb the overspill form Colenso Town.

• It is characterised by one-site-one unit.

Industrial District

• A cluster of large vacant subdivisions which are earmarked for the development of an Industrial hub as

part of an LED initiative to attract investment, job creation and economic growth.

Commercial District

EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

8 June 2011

39

• Central business District

• Unique architectural character

• Zero building line

• Colonnaded Verandas

• 23m wide road reserve.

Eskom District

• An area consisting of Eskom cooling towers and the associated

• Former backbone of Colenso economic activities and employment

Civic District

• An area comprising of a number of Government buildings such as the Colenso Police Station and other

institutions.

• It is also an important node as it serves as an entrance to the Colenso Town to the north-eastern

quadrant of the town.

• Furthermore it possesses the Colenso Stevenson Museum and historical Old stream engine train.

b. Landmarks

Refer to key physical elements above

Colenso Town Primary Node

• Entrance to the Commercial District

• Acts as a central connection to the rest to Colenso

• Weakly defined node – provides opportunities an institutional node as it provides an interface with the

Colenso residential district and its associated community facilities i.e. Library, community hall, school,

sports fields etc.

Colenso Primary Spine

• It is a major path that connects all the identified nodes

• It acts as a regional connecter as it bisects the town in a north-westerly direction towards Ladysmith

and beyond.

• It provides access in and out of the town.

• Major pedestrian movement occurs primarily along this route.

• Major economic activity is predominantly along the primary spine.

c. Major Paths

R103 is a significant major path as it emanate from the N3 and runs in a north-south direction through Colenso

towards Ladysmith, thus providing both Provincial and Regional access.

EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

8 June 2011

40

The R74 plays a secondary role, however it is significant the sense that it runs through Colenso in a west-south-

easterly direction whilst intercrossing with the R103 providing direct access to Colenso Town, Winterton to the

south-east and the N3 to the west.

d. Edges

• Tugela River is a significant major edge forming the north-western boundary

• The railway line is also a significant major edge as it runs in a north-south direction whilst separating the

Colenso Town with rest of the significant areas to the east.

• It is also noteworthy that there is only one access point across the railway line to connect with the

eastern areas which severely inhibits connectivity.

(See Annexure 7 – Lynch Analysis Plan)

EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

8 June 2011

41

6 DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

������������ Context

The development and maintenance of the Colenso Power station was the key driving force in transforming what was once a “wagon halt” village in 1855, into to a functional town in 1985, complete with Town Planning Scheme bulk infrastructure and social facilities. Colenso town has experienced serious decline in the last 30 years, the onset of which is directly related to the closure of its historic Power Station in the mid 1980’s. Despite the closure of the power station, many staff and their families chosen to stay on in Colenso and retire rather than move to bigger urban centres.

The key symptoms of this decline, as noted by the ELM included marginal public investment, lack of private investment, rapidly deteriorating standards of living, poor levels of social capital, infrastructure decay and crime. This decline was further reinforced by the realignment of the N3 National Freeway in 1990’s which saw lucrative Johannesburg/Durban through-traffic being diverted to a newly developed toll road which crossed the Tugela River, 16km west of Colenso town.

������������ Understanding the Challenge

Colenso Town faces a number of challenges:

• Neighbourhood decay and neglect due to a number of reasons such as inadequate infrastructure maintenance; inconsistent service provision; and poor planning.

• Infrastructure and service obsolescence resulting from production and market changes that have rendered the built environment non-functional.

• At a residential level, poor economic conditions, declining employment opportunities, and the influence of poorly managed industrial areas, have further undermined the quality of life in the area.

Considerable physical decay is evident in both the industrial, commercial, civic and residential area. There are the obvious signs of dilapidated and decaying buildings, roads and pavements breaking up, and illegal dumping of waste; in addition to the increasing difficulty to let buildings, declining rentals, and lower employment densities.

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NA

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p

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last

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rs

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ts h

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mit

h fo

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EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

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44

������������ Guiding Development Principles: Colenso - A Historic Town

The Urban Regeneration of Historic Towns1 stresses a focus of inducing life into decaying assets and developing future potential not only as a means to regenerate but as a base to sustain development. They go on to define assets and potentials as anything from built heritage, cultural resources and traditional industries. Hereunder is a summary of the assets and potentials that apply to Colenso and the possibilities that exist.

� Built Heritage

Whereas the town is fairly well serviced in terms of bulk infrastructure, the built form is largely insignificant as many buildings lie abandoned or in severe need of upgrading. There are a number of historic buildings/sites which to serve as points of interest which are however not marketed accordingly. In addition, given the historical significance of the town, there is an opportunity to develop the town with a rustic feel, in keeping with its rich heritage. The Urban Design Framework developed and included as part of the Colenso Regeneration Plan will provide insight and direction into developing the rustic character of the town.

� Cultural Resources

Given the role that Colenso played in the Anglo-Boer War, Cultural Resources are in abundance ranging from museums, remembrance memorials and even cemeteries where actual soldiers from the war were buried, as mentioned above.

In addition Colenso is advantageously located along the Battlefields Route and Battlefields Meander. Modeled along the lines of the Midlands Meander but aligned to the battlefield sites of the KZN Midlands the Battlefields Meander is: “An area renowned for some of the most gruesome and remarkable wars in all South African History, must be the Kwa-Zulu Natal midlands regions, also now known as the Battlefields. It attracts tourists from around the globe, in particularly British nationals, who would like to hear, and take a moment to feel the reinter-action of what happened in the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars over 130 years ago."2

Currently Colenso features as a point of interest if anything at all on the Battlefields Route and Battlefields Meander. The town is adequately positioned and as the potential to become a key stop-over along the Battlefields Meander, proving rest and relaxation facilities, restaurants sampling local cuisines, local entertainment, shopping facilities for arts and craft/curios, leather goods and other regionally indigenous items. Lessons can be learned from both the

1 Parlewar and Fukukawa, Urban Regeneration of Historic Towns: Regeneration Strategies for Pauni, India; 4th International Conference on Urban Regeneration and Sustainability (The Sustainable City), 2006

2 www.africanexclusivetravel.com; www.warthog.co.za

EMNAMBITHI LADYSMITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITY prepared by: SiVEST Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework

8 June 2011

45

Midlands Meander and the Free State town of Clarens, both have which have thrived especially due to their retention of their rustic character and feel

� Traditional Industries

Industries have been centered around the erstwhile Colenso Power Station, and naturally closed shop once the Power Station was decommissioned. However with infrastructure available, easy access to a labour force and a local authority willing to assist, there is an opportunity for niche industries such as cottage industries, arts and crafts etc. that are linked to the cultural built heritage and existing cultural heritage of Colenso as mentioned above.

������������ Value Filters

Value filters3 are a useful mechanism used to generate the requisite steps of an envisaged development path as part of an overall development framework. They act by screening a set of existing characteristics (in this case the project context, noted challenges, elements of the above-mentioned SWOT Analysis and guiding development principles), ensuring that the core values/principles and objectives are supported in the generation of a development path.

In the case of Colenso the core Value Filters would include:

i. Improved town functionality, ii. A more attractive urban environment, iii. Better urban management, iv. Perpetuation of new investment and economic opportunities, v. Efficient public transport, vi. Improved safety and security.

������������ Development Path

The envisaged development path towards realising a more attractive, better functioning Colenso Town will take into account the above Colenso Town characteristic sets and assess them against the noted value filters, there by defining the parameters around which regeneration can take place. This is better explained diagrammatically below.

3 eThekwini Municipality IDP 2010/2011 Annual Review

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Fig

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Dev

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