From green to gold: a South African example of valuing urban green spaces in some residential areas in Potchefstroom

Abstract

English: Recent scientific studies identified multiple benefits of green areas in terms of liveability and sustainability. As such, the need to value green spaces within residential areas is increasing, especially in developing countries. This article summarizes current approaches to green space planning, and introduces the Potchefstroom case study as example where 1) the value of green spaces were determined by means of hedonic price analysis and 2) the impact of green spaces were evaluated on site-scale and neighbourhood-scale, also identifying certain uses and benefits, described as ecosystem services. Five sites in the more affluent residential areas in Potchefstroom were selected to investigate the impact of proximity to green spaces in relation to residential property prices. This research illustrated contradicting results to most international case studies. Green spaces were found to have a negative impact on site-scale, but a positive impact on neighbourhood-scale. Similar studies need to be conducted in more areas to make evidence-based conclusions in this regard. This article can serve as point of departure for such.

Afrikaans: Onlangse wetenskaplike navorsing toon die veelvuldige voordele van groen gebiede in terme van leefbaarheid en volhoubaarheid. Binne hierdie konteks neem die behoefte toe om die waarde van groen ruimtes in residensiële gebiede te bepaal, veral in ontwikkelende lande. Hierdie artikel som die huidige benaderings tot groen ruimtebeplanning op en verwys na die Potchefstroom gevallestudie waar 1) die waarde van groen ruimtes bepaal is deur middel van hedoniese prys analise en 2) die impak van groen ruimtes geëvalueer is binne die erf-skaal en buurt-skaal en sekere gebruike en voordele as ekosisteemdienste beskryf is. Vyf plekke in die meer gegoede woongebiede in Potchefstroom is geselekteer om die impak van die nabyheid van groen ruimtes in verhouding tot residensiële eiendom pryse te bepaal. Hierdie navorsing het kontrasterende resultate getoon tot meeste internasionale gevallestudies. Daar is bevind dat groen ruimtes ‘n negatiewe impak het op erfskaal, maar ‘n positiewe impak op buurt-skaal. Soortgelyke studies moet egter in meer gebiede gedoen word ten einde bewysgebasseerde gevolgtrekkings te kan maak. Hierdie artikel kan dien as sodanige vertrekpunt.