The Practice Group
Environmental in Pretoria

The rapid growth of the Company led to the subsequent establishment of a group of companies incorporating two support services subsidiaries, namely EnviroPractice and MapPractice as part of The Practice Group. PlanPractice Incorporated, a town planning consultancy, was established in Pretoria in 1986.

The mission of the group is to harness the combined skills, specialised knowledge, entrepreneurial spirit and ethical conduct of its members to create equal opportunities and to provide clients with a personal, professional and efficient service. The Practice Group is also committed to the Reconstruction and Development Programme of South Africa (RDP) and its Human Resources Development Programme in line with the RDPs chapter on Development of Human Resources. The group’s subsidiaries and personnel are members of or registered with the following organisations. Guidelines for the strategic and integrated development of planning areas are formulated on behalf of and in collaboration with provincial, metropolitan and local authorities and include determining the nature, intensity and arrangement of land uses with due consideration to socio-economic factors, transport matters and development priorities in a humane and environmentally sustainable manner. Applications are undertaken for the subdivision and consolidation of urban and farmland. Problems associated with urbanisation are solved by means of research and modern planning techniques and entail upgrading areas of urban decay and the planning of new land uses through effective consultation with interested and affected parties. The planning of new roads, rail and airport facilities and the revision and upgrading of existing infrastructure is undertaken in collaboration with transportation engineers to properly integrate land use planning of properties affected by such projects. Effective public participation during the planning of a project is a critical pre-requisite to achieving legitimacy and transparency in the approach to the project. The planner is usually required to act as a facilitator to ensure that the process is not unduly delayed. The group is also involved in community orientated projects such as arts and crafts projects, schools, relocations, land reform projects and the like on behalf of government and private institutions. New towns and urban areas for all income groups are planned and designed in close collaboration with affected communities and projects are co-ordinated to proclamation and the installation of the required infrastructure. Statutory land use schemes or town planning schemes and other regulatory mechanisms for the zoning, control and management of land uses are prepared and reviewed on behalf of metropolitan and local municipalities. The development potential of a particular property is investigated and a report submitted in which the client is advised regarding planning procedures, environmental requirements and time and cost implications of implementing alternative development proposals. In implementing a development proposal, a site development plan is prepared in collaboration with other members of the professional team. Town planning applications frequently attract objections or representations from affected parties and, as a result, the town planner is required to represent the clients’ interests at a town planning or appeal hearing scheduled for this purpose. Land development projects are often the subject of regulation under environmental legislation and assists in procuring water use licenses controlling the use of water. The group assists and advises clients with regard to the required environmental authorization and or appeal processes. New or amended land use rights are acquired through applications for rezoning and planning consent and other procedures in terms of relevant legislation. Mining Companies are assisted in determining compliance with land use legislation where mining rights have been granted. Corporate clients with extended property portfolios are assisted in analyzing their portfolios in respect of development potential and restrictions, minimizing taxes and tailoring zoning provisions to suit site specific requirements. Due diligence investigations are conducted to assess compliance levels before clients contract to procure new properties. Private and public resorts and Eco-tourism facilities are planned which involves an environmental assessment of the development potential of the particular property or area, the design of the resort layout and the acquisition of land use rights in terms of ruling legislation. These projects include game lodges, fresh and salt water marinas and general leisure resorts. Accurate mapping and draughting are offered in conjunction with and in support of the planning and environmental services.