Nassau Urban Lab - Central Nassau Urban Regeneration Plan

PLANNING AREA 2 Development Plan of New Providence Island and the City of Nassau (1969)

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2.3 Planning and Subdivision Act 2010 as legal framework of Urban Planning Many land-use and urban planning studies have been carried out over the years by consultants, which provide pertinent information on where structures are built in the Downtown and Over-the-Hill community, including concepts on how the City of Nassau and the Island of New Providence should be developed post-1961. These studies yielded plans that illustrate building types with their locations and adjacencies. However, what is lacking currently is a comprehensive Land Use Plan with direct correlation to the building codes, planning legislation and planning practices of The Bahamas. The 2010 Planning and Subdivision Act is a strong document providing a set of valuable land use controls. The Act is comprised of instruments such as Zoning Orders, Bonus Zoning, Temporary Use By-Laws, and Secondary and Local Study Area Plans. Secondary and Local Study Area Plans are useful tools to address special planning needs of areas such as Grants and Bainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town that require economic regeneration and coordinated development. More-

over, the Act includes provisions for the preservation of buildings, sites and other features of architectural, cultural or historical significance, and additionally refers to the National Development Policies, calling for the protection and enhancement of downtown central areas and cultural heritage. However, the Act has several shortcomings. The zoning rules such as construction restriction zones, or green area zoning that prohibits construction, are not clearly defined. Also, the instrument of the Secondary plans lacks a clear definition. Nonetheless, the Act constitutes a solid basis to further develop urban planning policies on the Island of New Providence. The City of Nassau Revitalization Act, adopted in 2008 by The Government of The Bahamas, aims to encourage the revitalization of the City of Nassau, by granting several exemptions and fiscal incentives to developers engaging in such investments. The Act was passed by the Government in 2008 with an initial effective period of five years, and has since been extended on an annual basis. While first focusing on Downtown Nassau, the area of coverage was expanded in 2013.

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Nassau Urban Lab - Central Nassau Urban Regeneration Plan

Published on Jul 27, 2016

Roland Krebs

This is a plan to utilize Central Nassau’s natural and cultural assets to rejuvenate this area and create an economically successful, sustainable and diverse economically interconnected community. Nassau is currently facing a key moment in its growth trajectory as a city, facing challenges in the areas of affordable housing, unemployment and crime. Despite the rapid urban growth of the city, Nassau’s Downtown today remains empty and disconnected from the rest of the city. Based on the interviews, the collective diagnosis developed during the Nassau Urban Lab, the emerging topics, together with results of the Social Cartography of Perception and the different urban scenarios, a common urban vision was elaborated and validated with the representatives of the community and governmental officials. This vision, the general planning goals and the design criteria, were the basis for the design of the urban projects.