Spatial planning can be defined as an interdisciplinary field in the engineering and social sciences that deals with the spatial arrangement and development of living, working and environmental conditions at a wide range of spatial levels.
Close to 40% of the Namibian population are living in shacks.
Over the years, we have witnessed the adverse effects of top-down, costly and lengthy land development processes that drastically limit the scaling-up of and/or delivery of land to the poor as a significant challenge.
Namibia, like many other African countries, is saddled with high debt and the legacy of past mistakes. Now, more than ever, substantive policies are critical to resolve these development challenges, and should be personified by an integrated spatial planning policy.
An integrated spatial planning policy has the potential to integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development, namely economic, social and environmental, and can be a valuable tool to support sustainable development by basing plans, measures and interventions on key sustainability principles. It further has the potential to act as a coordinating instrument across sector interests and policies.
In advancing the welfare of people, spatial planning tends to have a two-fold approach. Firstly, it can help create functionally, integrated, efficient and equitable urban economies - and secondly, it can initiate a social environment which contributes to a better quality of life and ultimately the reduction of poverty. It is, therefore, critical for an integrated approach to be at the core of meaningful sustainable progress.
Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) speaks to making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, and specifically sets a target for countries to substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements, adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans. The reality is, many SDGs are interconnected, and the progress in achieving one SDG has a direct and indirect impact in achieving other development goals.
Namibia’s spatial integration
The development of an integrated spatial planning policy should stem from the national level. The central government should develop a sound and coherent policy framework, setting spatial development principles and objectives. Such policy should optimise the spatial potential of all towns and regions to advance prosperity and well-being, while outlining the respective roles the various government levels should have for economic development in the country.
It should facilitate the alignment and coordination of spatial plans across the spheres of government - national, regional and urban. There is a need for the central government to explicitly specify its priorities in terms of private and public investment in larger urban areas, smaller towns and rural areas, respectively. At urban and regional levels in particular, combatting urban sprawl with its wide spread of negative impacts on expenses, efficiency and effectiveness should be a priority for sustainable, inclusive and integrated development.
It should facilitate industrial growth and employment-creation at local levels. Emphasis must be given to the supply of basic services’ infrastructure such as clean water, reliable electricity and accessible social services at rates which are affordable and sustainable.
This integrated spatial planning policy should now, more than ever, facilitate quality living environments and public places which provide for a range of adequate housing typologies and processes. There continues to be a housing backlog, and informal settlements are rapidly growing, placing increasing pressure on environmental resources and its ecological processes.
Finally, such policy should not overlook coherence across sector policies, and should aggressively promote stakeholder engagements while strengthening the capacity of governments to innovate.
Above all, as Namibia is known for good policies and plans, but less successful implementation, these integrated policies must foster monitoring, evaluation and accountability for all spatial planning and development efforts in the country.
Urban governance reform
One fundamental objective of Vision 2030 is to achieve effective governance in support of long-term development through decentralisation and devolution of authority to the lowest effective level. This is done to ensure that local people properly exercise their option to be involved in decision-making and the management of resources.
It increasingly becomes apparent that the debate on developing and implementing an integrated spatial planning policy cannot be divorced from the long-needed urban governance reform issue.
Urban governance reform in our case will come with the development and implementation of integrated spatial frameworks that tackle the multidimensional challenges Namibians face.
We need more focused actions, programmes and networks of stakeholders to implement Vision 2030 objectives, other policies and the devolutionary process.
Together with this, a strong high-level political driver (champion) is critical to move towards an integrated spatial planning policy at all levels.
*Vivian !Nou-/Gawaseb is a sustainability enthusiast and an urban studies scholar. He is pursuinga post-graduatedegree inUrban andRegional Planning.