Title: Planning for sustainable development: Case study

Mauritius
Principal Speaker
Baguant-Moonshiram, Yashwaree
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of
Mauritius; k.baguant@uom.ac.mu
Authors:
Doobur, R., Nowbuth, M. D. & Baguant-Moonshiram, Y.
Paper Type:
Oral paper
Extended Abstract
Town and country planning is essentially a matter of resolving conflicts
between different land users and ensuring that various demands made
upon limited land resources are met in an orderly fashion (Ardill, 1974).
Brundtland report (1987) has defined the term sustainable development
as the development that meets the needs for the present without
compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own
needs. Sustainable development and planning is structured essentially
around three main elements; economic growth, social development and
environmental protection. While development is associated with social
development, it is also associated with environmental disasters if the
development is not well planned. In 1992, following the international
conference in Rio de Janeiro, a number of guiding principles were
established on action that countries could take to achieve sustainable
development (Agenda, 21).
Based on these guiding principles, Mauritius promulgated its National
Agenda 21 to address the pressing problems and to cater for new
developments with a view of achieving the balance between development,
social benefits and environmental protection. In the pursuit of sustainable
development, a number of legislation and policies in the field of planning
have been enacted; the National Environment Policy (2002), the Planning
and Development Act (PDA, 2004), the National Development Strategy
(NDS) and the National Physical Development Plan. The PDA (2004) also
makes provision for the introduction of the Planning Policy Guidance (PPG)
which shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency, over a development
plan when applications for developments are to be determined by the local
authorities. Together these documents provide a strong basis to
development frameworks for planning for sustainable development in
Mauritius.
The village of Rivire des Anguilles covers a surface area of about 20km2,
and is located to the south of Mauritius. The current population of the
village is around 9800 (CSO, 2005). In the past the village was mostly an
agricultural area. Most of the inhabitants at that time were main sugar
estate workers for the then existing sugar estates, namely; Britannia,

Beau Bois, Saint Aubin and Benares. Residential zones started to grow in
the early sixties, following a very strong cyclone, cyclone Carol. As from
the 1960s, there had been strong migration towards the village. The
village was very famous for its recreational centres, two cinema halls and
a gorgeous cascade on a nearby river, the Dynamo river. Since the rivers
passing by the village were very productive in the past, fishing was an
important recreational activity in the past.
Nowadays, the majority of the inhabitants of the village work either in the
agricultural or the manufacturing sector. Inhabitants have also found
employment in the Governmental and private sectors, by the presence of
two primary government schools, three secondary colleges, one public
library run by the Ministry of Education, a police station, a social security
office, industries (The Industrial Complex and Sonaiwear Garments), La
Vanille Reserves des Mascareignes and Bel Air Sugar Estate. Other smaller
businesses include one bakery, three supermarkets, fifteen corner shops
and twenty taxi operators. With regards to facilities and services, the
village is served by a Post Office, a Citizen Advice Bureau, and a relatively
big market. The village also has appropriate infrastructure such as road
network, water supply networks and electricity networks. The primary
access of the village to the main city centre of the island of Mauritius is via
a highway known as the A9 highway from a junction on an M1 motorway.
The village is connected to other nearby villages via an A and B class
roads.
The village is administered by the village council, whose main objective is
to provide for street lighting, scavenging services and maintenance of
roads. Building and land use permits are granted by the Grand
Port/Savanne District Council.
Findings
The findings of the survey of the village have confirmed that in the past
development have been haphazard catering only for short term
requirements. This has led to some chaotic situation with respect to the
environment and safety prevailing in the village. The village is located
close to the coast and the tourism sector is blooming in Mauritius, so
sustainable development and planning has become a must for the village
and also for nearby villages, which suffer from the same problems. The
following is a proposed framework which takes into consideration the
prevailing situation and future development requirements. The main
sectors that need to be reviewed are discussed below:
a. Mixed use developments
b. Facilitate regional economic growth activities.
c. Create new development opportunities.
d. Revitalise and rehabilitate out of use locations and develop buildings.
e. Improve local traffic, reducing congestion, increasing road safety and

environmental conditions.
f. Provision of community and sports facilities
g. Improved disposal of solid and liquid wastes
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anon (1994). National Physical Development Plan Volume 1, Ministry of
Housing, Lands and Town and Country Planning
Anon (1995). Outline Planning Scheme for Grand Port-Savanne District
Council Area, Ministry of Housing, Lands and Town and Country Planning
Anon (2002). Meeting the Challenges of Sustainable Development ,
Ministry of Environment
Anon (2004). Halcrow, National Development Strategy, Volume 1
Anon (2005). Mauritius - Staking Out the future , Ministry of
Environment and National Development Unit
Anon (2006). Outline Planning Scheme for Grand Port Savanne District
Council Area, Ministry of Housing and Lands
Anon. (2006). The Finance and Audit Act 2001, State Law Office
Anon (2004). Policy and Planning Guidance - Industrial Development,
Ministry of Housing and Lands
Anon (2004). Policy and Planning Guidance Commercial Development,
Ministry of Housing and Lands
Gonzalez, S., (2005). Cities Divided - Spatial Segregation in Urban Africa.
Mungur, B., Burrun B., (2000). An invitation to the charms of Mauritian
Localities
Website:
http://Sustainable development.gov.uk