Final Charette, hosted by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, asks stakeholders ‘How Will We Get There?’
ABU DHABI, 12 May 2015:
Plans for the sustainable growth of the Seychelles over the next 25
years reached a key milestone as the final Charette to discuss the
preferred growth strategy got under way yesterday.
Around
120 stakeholders including government ministers and officials gathered
in the capital, Victoria, for the third in a series of Charettes hosted
by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC), which is overseeing the
Seychelles Strategic Plan.
The three-day meeting, which ends on Wednesday
(13thMay), is the last opportunity for planners and other stakeholders
to reach consensus on the details of an urban development framework for
the Indian Ocean island nation.
It commenced with a welcome address by Minister Christian Lionnet from the Ministry of Housing and Land Use.
Under
the direction of Abu Dhabi’s Leadership, the UPC is providing technical
assistance for the project, which began in May 2014, and will set out
the urban development framework for sustainable growth of the Seychelles
up to 2040.
The
Charette, titled ‘How Will We Get There?’, builds on the foundations of
the first two charettes held in September last year and January this
year. It represents the final opportunity for technical stakeholders
from different government ministries and elected officials to discuss,
develop and agree the key elements of the Seychelles Strategic Plan,
which includes a framework plan for Mahé, and a master plan for
Victoria.
Stakeholders
will have to agree key assumptions underpinning the Plan (e.g.
population projections, household size, etc.), test and agree the
strategies and policies that underpin the Plan, and the actions for
implementation.
Within
this, the framework plans, policies and actions (such as delivery
mechanisms, responsibilities, priorities and potential issues), will be
agreed for the Mahé Framework Plan.
A
draft master plan for Victoria, including policies and actions, will
also be agreed, which encompasses the detailed design for three key
areas in Victoria, including Market Street, Waterfront and
Plaisance/Mont Fleuri. This will illustrate linkages/connections,
circulation, streetscape improvements, façade improvements and the open
space network.
The
Charette will give stakeholders the opportunity to review and test the
three Plans and most importantly provide their input on how these Plans
can be implemented in the short, medium and long term. This input will
help form the Implementation Plan, a holistic document that defines the
actions that are required to ensure the policies set out in the
Seychelles Strategic Plan are realised, and to ensure successful
implementation.
The
Seychelles Strategic Plan will cover all of the islands that comprise
the Seychelles, with a particular focus on the main island of Mahé. The
Strategic Plan will provide a blueprint for urban development and
sustainable growth of the Seychelles over the next 25 years.
Amer
Al Hammadi, Executive Director, Planning & Infrastructure Sector,
UPC, said: “The third and final Charette will review and test the three
draft Plans including the strategies, framework plans and policies
contained within them. It will also focus on refining the Victoria
Master Plan and undertaking detailed design of areas within the capital
city to help realise its potential to 2040. Stakeholders will also
consider how the three Plans can be delivered and implemented.
“From this, the overarching Seychelles Strategic Plan will be finalised, which we expect to complete by June.
“This
has been an extremely rewarding project for the UPC to be involved in,
and we’ve enjoyed collaborating with the Seychelles government. We’re
proud to have been able to share all that we have learned from our
experience in planning Abu Dhabi, and that those learnings will benefit
the people of the Seychelles.”
Christian
Lionnet, the Seychelles Minister for Land Use and Housing, commented:
“The Seychelles will really benefit from the preparation of such a
detailed plan, which will set the urban development framework for
sustainable growth of the Seychelles up to 2040.
“The
Plan preparation process has enhanced stakeholder ownership and has
provided Government Ministries with the necessary technical skills to
implement and update the Plan as and when necessary. It has been a
tremendously rewarding project and I am excited for the next phase of
implementation.
“On
behalf of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, President James
Michel, I seize this opportunity to convey our sincere gratitude to His
Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United
Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning
Council for their support,” he added.
The
Plan will set out the urban development framework for the sustainable
growth of the Seychelles over the next 25 years, and will address
priorities for the nation such as; facilitating economic growth and
diversification, protecting the environment by ensuring development is
undertaken in appropriate locations and in a sustainable manner,
appropriate allocation of land for residential and economic use,
protecting the character and heritage of the Seychelles, and preserving
and enhancing its social and cultural aspects, to ensure a high quality
of life for all.
