TO REDUCE delays in issuing environmental impact assessments, a Johannesburg town planner has suggested the Gauteng agriculture, conservation, environment and land affairs department set up a register in which areas are classified in terms of environmental sensitivity.

Steve Jaspan, of Steve Jaspan and Associates, says this would help fast-track approvals for developments which do not affect the environment.

"The fact that developers are subjected to scrutiny in terms of the environmental impact of developments is a good thing.

"However, most developers and town planners would agree that there are different levels of environmental sensitivity."

He says if a developer wants to develop a vacant plot surrounded by existing development and it clearly is not affected by watercourses, exemptions or approvals should be received quickly.

Developers and town planners want the department to establish a register of all areas in Gauteng. He says having a register would "certainly improve the situation".

"They could be assisted in this endeavour by the City of Johannesburg and the Pretoria city council," he says.

Built-up areas with odd pockets of vacant land cannot be seen in general to be environmentally sensitive, Jaspan says.

"Certain other areas would be seen to have some environmental sensitivities which require certain considerations for developments.

"Some would be seen to be highly environmentally sensitive which would be either no-go zones or developments subject to stringent criteria."

Some developers, who did not want to be named, said they faced "unacceptably long delays in getting records of decisions" on environmental impact assessment exemption applications.

Developers say it is not uncommon for them to wait for 12 months or more for the records of decisions.

"You can't start building without a record of decision. If it is a big development, developers lose a lot of money," says one developer.

"It costs us a substantial amount of money. We have holding costs which add up."

Pat Flanagan, of developers Flanagan & Gerard, says the concept of developing in an environmentally sensitive manner is sound.

"The extent to which legislation prescribes it is debatable.

"The problem, which is endemic in all government departments, is delays. It's a volume issue."

Flanagan says service delivery by government departments in granting approvals needs improvement.

Brian Kirchmann, CEO of commercial property association Sapoa, says he has heard about delays facing developers.

"Yet again another hurdle and an enormous holding cost waiting for these studies to be done.

"Are they (government) aware of this huge penalty that property developers have to pay?" says Kirchmann.

Despite several attempts to get comment, the Gauteng agriculture, conservation, environment and land affairs department failed to respond.

Nov 05 2003 07:21:01:000AM Nick Wilson Business Day 1st Edition

Publisher: Business Day
Source: Business Day