47. Circular Economy and Adaptive Reuse in Supporting Resilient Community Development at the Point, Durban

Bounded by the sea and the harbour, one of the earliest settlement areas at Durban on the east coast of South Africa should be a sort after residential and commercial area and a tourist attraction. Known as the Point, forced removals in terms of apartheid legislation, a downturn in the economy and perceived crime have resulted in the heritage and other buildings being abandoned and becoming derelict. Foreign nationals living there are also the victims of xenophobia. The impact of recent floods has led to the harbour collecting waste, mostly washed down through an underground canal. Town Planning incentives introduced by the municipality to encourage the Point’s redevelopment, both new and the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings have been partly successful. An ambitious plan for luxury high-rise towers at the edge of the promenade has not gained traction as people in that economic bracket are intimidated by the levels of crime in accessing the area, preferring to live elsewhere. The Historic Urban Landscapes approach enables the mapping of resources, intangible heritage and accommodates change. This and circular economic theories used successfully in other historic port cities in the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings creating affordable housing, access to green space and easy transport links to the city centre could establish a resilient community with the buy in of residents and local government.