Guidelines for the identification of well-located land for human settlements

This guide has been written as the first step towards concretising and standardising the process involved in the identification and assessment of well-located land for human settlement. The Housing Development Agency (HDA) has been involved in the land identification, profiling and assessment process in response to various requests from stakeholders (provinces and municipalities), offers from state-owned companies and private owners. Planners within the organisation have also proactively identified and assessed land. The experience gained from this process has highlighted some issues that need to be addressed.

It is necessary to mediate between several development interests, priorities and objectives that are sometimes not aligned. Criteria were therefore developed to inform the acquisition, release and transfer of land for the development of sustainable human settlements – the Land Identification and Assessment Criteria (LIAC).  The LIAC are based on a well-located land continuum with four dimensions: context; suitability; integration; and alignment. The principles were developed through a series of internal engagements and workshops and are being applied in the HDA to profile and assess land and properties that have been identified. This guide complements the LIAC and was developed to inform the practical application of the criteria and targets used by all the stakeholders involved in planning and development. It is intended to ensure that best practice is standardised, documented and shared.