The NCPC has assisted five industrial spaces around South Africa to accelerate their sustainability objectives through an integrated approach known as concept planning – a structured process that enables industrial spaces to move beyond fragmented interventions towards coordinated planning approaches that balance economic growth, environmental sustainability and social value creation.
The work is being undertaken as part of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP), funded by the Swiss government and implemented in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Each concept planning exercise produced a practical roadmap of priority actions tailored to the unique needs and opportunities of the participating industrial parks. While priorities differed across locations, the concept plans shared a common objective: to strengthen industrial competitiveness through integrated planning, improved resource efficiency, enhanced collaboration and sustainable infrastructure development.
“Concept planning engagements conducted through the programme have demonstrated the value of collaborative decision-making. Through facilitated discussions, stakeholders have collectively identified opportunities to improve industrial competitiveness, strengthen resource efficiency, unlock investment opportunities and address challenges affecting businesses and surrounding communities,” says Lee-Hendor Ruiters, manager at the NCPC-SA
“In practice, concept planning shifts industrial parks from a conventional factory space leasing model to an integrated industrial ecosystem that is investment-ready, competitive and sustainable.”
While collaboration is a common foundation across all engagements, each industrial space has unique characteristics, opportunities and challenges. Through GEIPP, the NCPC-SA and UNIDO have supported concept planning processes in five industrial spaces to date.
The concept plan for the Rosslyn Industrial Area in Pretoria identified opportunities to strengthen utility resilience by mapping water, wastewater, gas, electricity and ICT infrastructure, and by exploring industrial water reuse and renewable energy solutions, including a potential biogas facility at the existing landfill site.
The Wadeville Industrial Area in Ekurhuleni concept plan focused on strengthening the foundations required for a more resilient and competitive industrial precinct. Stakeholders identified safety and security, infrastructure maintenance and reliable municipal services as immediate priorities, recognising that these are critical enablers of business growth and investment. It also highlighted the need for collaborative funding models to support infrastructure upgrades and the implementation of identified interventions.
At the East London Industrial Development Zone‘s (ELIDZ), a key outcome was the enhancement of strategic development of industry precincts and clustering, enabling businesses with complementary activities to co-locate and benefit from shared infrastructure, services and utilities.
For the iSithebe Industrial Estate in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the concept plan proposes dedicated areas to attract new investment, including space for micro-enterprises, SMME incubation facilities and service industries that can support the growth of the industrial estate and create employment opportunities. The concept plan also established a roadmap for improving the estate’s energy, water and waste management systems.
Benefits of concept planning for industrial parks
Through concept planning, industrial spaces can identify opportunities related to the circular economy and resource efficiency, as well as associated risks and solutions, and receive support for clustering.
Energy resilience and sustainability emerged as additional areas of focus. Industrial spaces can explore opportunities in renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy recovery, and future infrastructure requirements to support industrial competitiveness while advancing environmental objectives. These measures help prepare for a rapidly changing industrial landscape and identify opportunities associated with the just energy transition.
Beyond industrial operations, the concept planning process considers the wider ecosystem in which industrial spaces operate. Industrial spaces can identify opportunities to strengthen social infrastructure, support skills development, improve safety and security, and enhance engagement with surrounding communities. These interventions recognise that successful industrial spaces depend on strong relationships between businesses, communities and institutions.
Across the participating industrial spaces, concept planning has highlighted the importance of strengthening governance structures, improving stakeholder coordination, creating mechanisms to accelerate implementation of development priorities and aligning future interventions with long-term industrial development objectives.
Connect with the NCPC to learn more about the GEIPP and related interventions. Visit https://www.sustainableindustrialspaces.co.za/.