A CONCEPTUAL PROPOSAL BY THE UMDLOTI FORUM Representing the Umdloti Ratepayers and Residents Association and the emdloti UIP

A CONCEPTUAL PROPOSAL BY THE UMDLOTI FORUM Representing the Umdloti Ratepayers and Residents Association and the emdloti UIP

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE 1.0 Overview of Umdloti 2.0 Current challenges in Umdloti 3.0 The Proposed Response Strategy

Overview of Umdloti

OVERVIEW OF UMDLOTI Close proximity to King Shaka International Airport, beach and sea. Popular destination to both locals and tourists Well known for whale & dolphin watching Rare pristine coastal forest & natural features Natural Tidal Pool only one left in Durban and on this coast Close proximity to new Sibaya Precinct development

OVERVIEW OF UMDLOTI Umhlanga Rocks, Umdloti and Westbrook beaches are identified as Recreational / Tourism Nodes. Casurina Beach is identified as a recreational opportunity node. Westbrook Casurina Umdloti Beach Umhlanga Rocks

OVERVIEW OF UMDLOTI Cornubia South ±25 000 homes Cornubia North ±15 000 homes Sibaya ±10 000 homes Umdloti La Mercy Casurina Westbrook Umhlanga 7km 10km

CURRENT CHALLENGES Umdloti Village must now respond to the rapid development of Sibaya Coastal Precinct specifically from a public space and public infrastructure perspective Nodes 1 & 5 = +2325 residential units and +620 hotel rooms (±7 000 residents?) Node 8 likely to be overwhelmed by an additional ±50 000 Sibaya Precinct visitors a month Traffic pressure on M27 already severe Village already has a major parking problem gridlock in high season Node 1 Node 5 South Beach Road Node 8 Node 6 North Beach Road SOUTH BEACH RIVERSIDE UMDLOTI TRIANGLE NORTH BEACH

CURRENT CHALLENGES Node 5 Draft Precinct Plan for approval Proposed Treatment of M27 Entrance Key interface areas: Node 5 and Node 8

CURRENT CHALLENGES ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND PROTECTION 4 Vehicle dominated beach front OF No public interaction with the UMDLOTI BEACH S NATURAL buildings RESOURCES Barriers between the walkway and FOR the beach DURBAN RESIDENTS AND TOURISM BY UMDLOTI CONSERVANCY

CURRENT CHALLENGES Narrow pavements Limited parking Vulnerable dune / limited vegetation / sandbagged beach Cars dominate sea views Predictable road = speeding Only spare capacity / area is publicly owned pavement

CURRENT CHALLENGES Ocean is reclaiming the land Traffic dominated area Not enough parking at peak holiday times empty the rest of the time Lack of public space and facilities

CURRENT CHALLENGES Sand bag engineering provides only emergency protection of public land, infrastructure and services Sand bags fail after a few years and therefore do not provide sustainable long term protection Sand bags should not be used for long term planning and are not fit for this purpose Sand bags do not support human traffic or access or support the propagation of stabilising indigenous vegetation Sand bags inhibit public use

CURRENT CHALLENGES Engineered sea defenses to protect the land and infrastructure inadequate and unsustainable National Government and local Council cannot afford to keep replacing concrete walls collapsed by the sea with the same near vertical concrete loffelstein walls and sand bags over and over again This costs the country millions of rands whenever high seas are sustained. This situation is exacerbated by global warming Buildings, roads infrastructure and services are being put at increasing risk

CURRENT CHALLENGES UMHLANGA ROCKS IT CAN ONLY GET WORSE: Recent studies predict sea level increase of between 280 mm and 980 mm on the Durban coastline by 2100 Storm surges will make it much worse Retreat strategy is not an option for Umdloti We have one or two decades to put our sea-defences in place.

ACHIEVE UMDLOTI S VISION Estuary to Estuary & Green to Marine: Stimulating economic development and creating jobs through recreation and eco-tourism (The only Coastal Conservancy/ protected rocky shores on the North Coast, offering incredible marine biodiversity, snorkelling, rocky shore field trips, whales, tidal pool and coastal forests) The Proposed Response Strategy THROUGH Urban Regeneration Take back the streets for pedestrians Widen boardwalks for recreational use Prioritise pedestrians; traffic calming & reduce predictability Get humans on seaside & cars on landside Single surface / bollards & greening programme Create a town square as a nucleus for restaurant and retail development AND Increased Tidal Resilience Protect beach resource by installing sustainable sea defences Raise beach road curb levels Reinstate planting/dune beach nourishment

RECLAIMING THE STREETS Conceptually the homes are designed to be set into the landscape and have substantial outdoor spaces that area connected physically & visually by an abundance of glazing. Reduce traffic lanes Creating a Shared Street Extend sidewalks Installation of street furniture Introduce traffic calming measures Remove the predictability of the road Increase Parking Encourage restaurant and retail activity

CREATING A NUCLEUS Conceptually the homes are designed to be set into the landscape and have substantial outdoor spaces that area connected physically & visually by an abundance of glazing. Establish a Town Square Interactive space Heart/Pulse of the area Multi-functional zone

NORTH SIDE URBANISM Shared street concept creating a mixed movement zone Restaurant & Retail spill out onto the street to help activate the promenade Simple measures such as bollards and textured road surface to increase safety and reduce vehicle speeds VIBRANT SPACE WALKABLE STREET REESTABLISHING THE NATURAL FEATURES

NORTH SIDE URBANISM Interactive space and shared street creating a mixed movement zone Importance given to pedestrians Simple measures such as bollards and textured road surface to increase safety and reduce speed of vehicles Sloping natural rock perimeter to the beach to stabilize the bank and dissipate wave energy The rocks provide and attractive natural ecosystem and habitat, encouraging people to sit along the promenade Introduce Umdloti Pier with hanging restaurant designed around a featured disabled ramp access to the beach and tidal pool

NORTH SIDE URBANSIM Reclaiming the street (and strengthening sea defences) Rocks along the beach perimeter help to stabilize the bank and breakdown the energy of the waves due to their natural angle of repose The rocks also act as a natural habitat and encourage people to sit along the promenade

SOUTH SIDE URBANISM People before cars AND strengthen sea defences

PARKING AREA Current Parking Area Proposed Parking Area

Proposed Parking Area PARKING AREA Current Parking Area

CREATING A CENTRAL NUCLEUS The Umdloti Triangle, a pedestrian-friendly public space 4 7 3 5 7 6 SECTION THROUGH ENTRANCE ROAD - Paved sidewalk & Cycle Lane - Tree boulevard planting - Elevated Boardwalk 4 4 2 1 1. Creating a public space with a unique offering 2. Reclaim the traffic dominated central core of Umdloti 3. Re-establish the natural features of the site and use it to create a UNIQUE OFFERING Creating a Waterfront at the Ocean s Edge 4. Establish Pockets of Public parking 5. Establish Linkages and walkways that run along side the stream 6. Activate these walkways by converting the uses of the existing buildings that front onto the walkway 7. Create an infill of development

RIVERSIDE DEVELOPMENT" We-work spaces Bakery / coffee shop Restaurant Pet shop Library / newsagent Micro hotel Bike rental Barber

RIVERSIDE DEVELOPMENT Only lightweight interventions onto wetland Building form set into hillside. Discrete variable, small scale use.