BOCCIM 12 TH BIENNIAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE LAND ISSUES FOR BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT Interrogating Implementation - why is it a Challenge? Lekwalo Leta Mosienyane October 2012-Francistown

Looks Familiar?

Background Land A basic resource for food, shelter and livelihood. All business takes place on land Land is an asset for all business: Services development production Extraction Different sectors place different premiums on land

Background Steps taken to Deliver Land for Business 1. Survey 2. Zoning 3. Servicing 4. Allocation Opportunity lies in the business sector participating in the delivery of land- in all the steps

Background Implementation Context for Land Attaining set goals; in a given time, at a given cost, level of quality and for a given purpose These parameters are inter-dependent. Compromising any one of these affects the others negatively, e.g. cutting costs may affect quality, and cutting time may increase cost

Background Levels of non-Implementation Unmet expectations No implementation Very slow implementation Implementation with no desired results No Resources Poor, costly project mgt Corruption? Collusion?

Consensus on Issues Relating to Delivery of Land for Business 1. Proposals made by Planners are often not aligned with the expectations of business 2. Unavailability of serviced land for business: or, it comes at a very high cost; 3. Archaic land allocation system and non existence of land market, 4. Sprawling settlements that result in expensive and inefficient infrastructure and transport services and a lack of character in the built environment; 5. Implementation of proposals by different development agencies is disjointed and often destructive; 6. Land development needs of the market often does not match the social and political needs of government: An inordinately long time is taken to make decisions on Change of Land Use and planning permission applications; 7. Lengthy approval times; 8. Too much control, not enough facilitation; 9. Weak enforcement: Overlap between planning permission requirements and other requirements such as the environmental impact.

Consensus on Issues Relating to Delivery of Land for Business Lists unmet expectations Does not state the causes for failure to deliver land to business Presentation: identifies causes of failure and mitigation actions

Land for Business It is futile to continue to list unmet expectations that continue to frustrate business; Rather, we should; Recognise that government and business have a mutual desire for development Identify leverage areas for joint solutions that will achieve both the national development goals and profits for business.

Causes of Failure to Deliver Land 1. Lack of an Effective and Efficient Framework for Spatial Planning and Land Use Development: 2. Lack of Coordination of Activities and Efforts amongst Planning and Development Agents: 3. Non Budgeting for Proposals of Development Plans at Settlement Levels in the National Development Plans 4. Lack of Timely Review of Plans. 5. Inappropriateness of our planning system 6. Rigid Planning Regime 7. Lack Of Human Resource Capacity to Implement 8. Lack of a harmonised set of Development Legislation for Land Development 9. Lack of a comprehensive national planning structure

1. Absence of a Framework for Spatial Planning and Land Use Development Spatial Planning and Land development requires a framework that provides guidance on what needs to be done and how it should be done and by whom Recommendation: A National Spatial Development Framework to guide and inform all decisions relating to the planning, development and use of land in the country

2. Lack of Coordination of Activities and Efforts amongst Planning and Development Agents The result is often duplication of efforts and wastage of resources that impedes implementation. Recommendation: Establish an integrated interdepartmental and inter- agency Spatial Planning System.

3. Non Budgeting for Proposals of Development Plans at Settlement Levels in the National Development Plans Elaborate spatial plans, which often have little prospects of ever being implemented no established system to feed the Settlement Development Plans’ (SDP) budgets into the National Development Plans (NDP) or District Development Plans (DDP) while the NDPs/UDPs have a six year planning horizon, the SDP have a 24 year one Recommendation: time frames of the NDPs and Settlement Development Plans must be synchronised and budgeted for in the higher order plans

4. Lack of Timely Review of Plans Part III Section 6, 7 and 8 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1977 provides for periodic review of plans. However, the act does not pronounce on the timing of such reviews. Recommendation: Legislate for the ‘plan review periods’ in the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA).

5. Inappropriateness of the planning system The classification for planning does not distinguish between rural, urban village, town and city. Recommendation: Introduce classification that distinguishes between urban, rural and city, addressing the varying requirements for efficiencies of distribution

6. Rigid Planning Regime Despite the long periods before a review can take place, the existing development plans are used as a basis for rejecting some proposals or applications to accommodate emerging business needs and new socio economic environments (change of land use etc.) As a result some of the areas that could have had a face lift or developments intensified have remained stagnant. Recommendation: Introduce flexibility and frequent plan reviews to accommodate opportunities and remove any legal impediments to development, e.g gazettement of plans

7. Lack Of Human Resource Capacity to Implement Many planners, quantity surveyors and land surveyors etc. are promoted into administrative positions leaving professional work to junior, inexperienced officers who cannot make discretionary decisions. Recommendation: Best practice Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for senior staff to keep up with current trends in plan development and implementation

8. Lack of a harmonised set of Development Legislation for Land Development Different pieces of legislation on the same subject which results in such legislations conflicting e.g. Road Design Manual v/v Urban Design Standards. Recommendation: Harmonise land legislation across the various implementing agencies

9. Lack of a Comprehensive National Planning Structure Botswana does not have a comprehensive planning structure. The non-availability of some of the necessary categories of plans in the country affects the planning system as a whole. There is no guiding national framework to inform decisions relating to the use, development and planning of land. Recommendation : Include the following categories of plans, to complement the existing plans in Botswana: 1. National Spatial Development Framework 2. National Physical Plan 3. Regional Master Plan 4. Local Development 5. Local Subject Plan

Vision 2016 National Settlement Policy District Settlement Strategy District Development Plan Sector Policies Provides guidelines, policies and programmes for development of each particular sector or resource. Settlement Development Plans National Level District Level Settlement Level National Physical Plan Regional Master Plan Regional Level National Spatial Development Framework Local Development Plan Local Subject Plan proposed new category National Development Plan Other Sector Policies Policies and programmes for various departments etc.

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