Next time you look at a map of Jo’burg notice the huge chasm between Braamfontein and the city filled with parallel black lines. City Council and the Johannesburg Business Forum have been examining that space and similar ones around the city occupied by marshalling yards, railway lines and the big gaps between them, and they are scheming.

Recently mayoral committee member for economic development Sello Lemao announced a land reclamation project that would involve the decking of the railways and environs with the view to bridging the gaps in the cityscape like the one between Braamfontein and the CBD, at the same time making use of land that currently does not generate any income for the city.
The intention is to create specific precincts that would continue the city’s ongoing regeneration projects. Offices and residential (low cost and upmarket) buildings are planned, as well as hotels and open green lungs so vital for cities.

The idea of decking the railways is not a new one. In Chicago the 99 000 sqm Millennium Park was built over its rail network providing it with its second largest tourist attraction. It took seven years to build, four years longer than projected.  It ended up 60% over budget which had to be picked up by business and the good taxpayers of Chicago. In Johannesburg’s case we’re looking at an estimated R2Billion for phase one of the project. Ninety percent of the bill will be picked up by private enterprise. The city will have to come to the party in terms of infrastructural development.

There is some ambiguity with regards to land rights and ownership.  Head of the city's special catalytic projects, Bokaba Maluleke, says that the land is owned by the city but “the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and Transnet have servitudes over the lines, so it will have to be decided who it belongs to.”

This brings us to ‘air rights’. Legally the concept is quaintly wrapped up in the Latin phrase Cuius est solum, eius est usque ad caelum et ad inferos meaning “For whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to Heaven and down to Hell.". Originating in medieval Roman law it was notably popularized in common law in Commentaries on the Laws of England. World wide it underpins the notion that owning or renting land or a building gives one the right to use and develop the air rights to further that building above. There could be difficulties adjudicating who financially benefits from such air rights. Bokaba Maluleke brushes this ambiguity aside saying: “But either way, the land above the lines will be leased by either us, or the railway servitude owners, to the developers. “ Time will tell.

In New York, for example, building on platforms over railway lines is considered very profitable for the rail service. Recently the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority attempted to sell air rights to the New York Jets Football team so that they could build the West Side Stadium over the West Side Rail Yard near Penn Station as part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, a project similar to the Jo’burg’s Decking of the Railways. The MTA has even proposed building a platform themselves to encourage development. In Brooklyn, the Barclays Centre is proposed to be constructed over the Atlantic Yards.

Sello Lemao a spokesman for Jo’burg’s mayoral committee for economic development said the project planned to creatively use the space above the railway lines to “develop a balanced district” improving public transport and the road network in the area advance accessibility to the inner city. Public amenities, open green spaces and resultant sustainable jobs. Proponents of the project claim an estimated 19 000 jobs would be generated initially with a possible 40 000 jobs over the longer term. Given that the project is likely to span thirty years, job sustainability seems a realistic outcome.
3000 jobs were created by the Federation Square built in Melbourne Australia. Constructed on decking over the Flinders Street railway yards. It was opened in 2002 and cost a$450 million to build. The decking on which the building and its surrounding piazza stands is supported by over 3,000 tonnes of steel beams, 1.4 km of concrete 'crash walls' and over 4,000 vibration-absorbing spring coils and rubber pads. Federation Square joins the Melbourne CBD to the Yarra river. The complex is home to the art and design institutes like the Australian Centre for Moving Image, The Design Institute, the Victorian Visitor Information Centre, and features concert areas, restaurants and bars.

Jo’burg council’s plan is ambitious. Initially the intention is to develop non-decked areas on the periphery of the intended decking area and due to start by the end of 2011. The under-used land between Joburg's inner city and Braamfontein will support the intended investment and automatic regeneration in the inner city. Over the next 30 years five precincts will be targeted:  the eGoli Design Centre, to the west of the M2 highway beside Fordsburg; the Newtown precinct adjacent to the Mandela Bridge. This is the location for WITS University’s science centre, which is to be surrounded by a ‘green area’ or park. Then there is the Park station transit-orientated development serving daily commuters as well as intending to be a node for tourist activity where the Gautrain gives access to OR Tambo International Airport and the Northern Suburbs. The Joubert Park precinct will be focused on the current museum which will be upgraded. Finally there is the Doornfontein transit-orientated development which will revolve around the University of Johannesburg and the Coca-Cola Park sports precinct.

Given that the city can only really move upward the plan to reclaim the space above the rail network and land pinched between marshalling yards and other development would certainly be a creative and efficient use of space and has huge potential to earn through rates and taxes. There is no doubt that the vision for the regeneration of Jo’burg’s CBD would be given further energy and initiative through the decking project. Feasibility studies have been received by council and the project is being studied by what has been called the Decking Working Group, finalizing the first draft business plan. Council has promised a further round of consultations later this year.