Farm 694

PROJECT INFORMATION

CLIENT: Department of Human Settlements
TYPE: Informal Settlement Upgrading
STATUS: Completed
COMPLETION: 2022
ADDRESS: Erf 694, New Woodlands, Cape Town

Farm 694 was identified as a five-hectare site in New Woodlands, Mitchells Plain, as the first opportunity to provide permanent housing for residents of the Kosovo informal settlement through a planned decanting strategy. The approach responds to the challenge of upgrading an established informal settlement while its residents continue to live there, allowing households to be relocated into permanent homes while sections of Kosovo can subsequently be de-densified and upgraded. The site was planned to accommodate 434 dwellings, providing a new neighbourhood within the broader Southern Corridor Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme.

The decanting strategy was developed through a participatory process and workshopped with the Kosovo community, ensuring that relocation into permanent housing remained connected to the wider social and spatial networks of the existing settlement. Urban analysis informed the planning of the site, with the design guided by the principles established for the wider upgrading programme and aligned with UN-Habitat guidelines for sustainable neighbourhoods. Particular emphasis was placed on creating efficient and walkable street networks, making effective use of land, encouraging social integration and avoiding isolated, single-function development.

The design establishes a compact and interconnected urban structure that accommodates the required density while creating a legible hierarchy of streets, pedestrian routes and shared spaces. Housing is organised to support a strong relationship between homes and the public realm, with an efficient street network providing clear movement through the neighbourhood and opportunities for social interaction. The strategy prioritises density without sacrificing liveability, integrating the principles of mixed land use, social mix and interconnected movement networks to create a resilient and inclusive neighbourhood. All 434 homes have now been completed and handed over to beneficiaries, providing a permanent new home for families while enabling the incremental upgrading of the wider Kosovo settlement.