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Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer

Purpose – This dissertation investigated the degree to which the City of Cape Town understands a ‘notional' Cape Town property developer within the Transit-Orientated Development (“TOD”) context. This dissertation is not meant to draw a distinction between a right or wrong model of a local property...

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Main Author: Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez
Other Authors: Viruly, Francois
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Construction Economics and Management 2020
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access_status_str Open Access
author Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez
author2 Viruly, Francois
author_browse Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez
Viruly, Francois
author_facet Viruly, Francois
Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez
author_sort Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez
collection Thesis
description Purpose – This dissertation investigated the degree to which the City of Cape Town understands a ‘notional' Cape Town property developer within the Transit-Orientated Development (“TOD”) context. This dissertation is not meant to draw a distinction between a right or wrong model of a local property developer, but to investigate what a richer model would look like using alternative economic perspectives that capture the multiplicity of reality and possible TOD policy implications. Design – A literature review was undertaken to understand institutional and behavioural economic frameworks, how each framework relates to the property market, and how to use the frameworks to assist in defining a developer. Further research was conducted to consider the property development process from the perspective of the Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) framework. The property developer as an actor within the property market was then deconstructed. Alternative approaches to local government involvement in the development industry and the developer's perspective on TOD was also explored. A qualitative, semi-structured localist interview was conducted with nine major developers operating in Cape Town. They were selected because they are likely to participate in catalytic TOD-type projects. The interview aimed to understand their world view and how their lived experience relates to the City of Cape Town municipality. Findings – There is a ‘definition gap' between how the City of Cape Town has defined a developer and the findings of this dissertation. Policy implies a developer has perfect decision-making qualities pursuing maximum profits, whereas this dissertation found that developers tend to be focussed on risk reduction and exhibit satisficing and loss-averse behaviour. There are also those who prefer to build and hold a portfolio of rental properties which are not defined in policy. This type of developer possesses a different outlook and investment behaviour than the one defined in the TOD Strategic Framework. The City of Cape Town does not appreciate its positioning within and its influence on local property market dynamics, as it relates to the ‘rules of the game'. Practical Implications – Without understanding these distinctions, developers may not necessarily, predictably and readily respond to any TOD incentives and levers as set out in the Framework, resulting in policy perpetuating the very spatial inequalities and status quo the City of Cape Town aims to redress.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:27.580Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2020
publishDateRange 2020
publishDateSort 2020
publisher Department of Construction Economics and Management
publisherStr Department of Construction Economics and Management
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/32429 Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez Viruly, Francois Project Management Purpose – This dissertation investigated the degree to which the City of Cape Town understands a ‘notional' Cape Town property developer within the Transit-Orientated Development (“TOD”) context. This dissertation is not meant to draw a distinction between a right or wrong model of a local property developer, but to investigate what a richer model would look like using alternative economic perspectives that capture the multiplicity of reality and possible TOD policy implications. Design – A literature review was undertaken to understand institutional and behavioural economic frameworks, how each framework relates to the property market, and how to use the frameworks to assist in defining a developer. Further research was conducted to consider the property development process from the perspective of the Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) framework. The property developer as an actor within the property market was then deconstructed. Alternative approaches to local government involvement in the development industry and the developer's perspective on TOD was also explored. A qualitative, semi-structured localist interview was conducted with nine major developers operating in Cape Town. They were selected because they are likely to participate in catalytic TOD-type projects. The interview aimed to understand their world view and how their lived experience relates to the City of Cape Town municipality. Findings – There is a ‘definition gap' between how the City of Cape Town has defined a developer and the findings of this dissertation. Policy implies a developer has perfect decision-making qualities pursuing maximum profits, whereas this dissertation found that developers tend to be focussed on risk reduction and exhibit satisficing and loss-averse behaviour. There are also those who prefer to build and hold a portfolio of rental properties which are not defined in policy. This type of developer possesses a different outlook and investment behaviour than the one defined in the TOD Strategic Framework. The City of Cape Town does not appreciate its positioning within and its influence on local property market dynamics, as it relates to the ‘rules of the game'. Practical Implications – Without understanding these distinctions, developers may not necessarily, predictably and readily respond to any TOD incentives and levers as set out in the Framework, resulting in policy perpetuating the very spatial inequalities and status quo the City of Cape Town aims to redress. 2020-12-22T06:12:14Z 2020-12-22T06:12:14Z 2020 2020-12-21T07:15:47Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32429 eng application/pdf Department of Construction Economics and Management Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
spellingShingle Project Management
Abdullah, Mohammed Perwez
Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer
title_full Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer
title_fullStr Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer
title_full_unstemmed Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer
title_short Rethinking the Cape Town Property Developer: Understanding the local developer's perspective of the City of Cape Town Municipality and comparing this perspective to local Transit-Orientated Development policy constructs of the developer
title_sort rethinking the cape town property developer understanding the local developer s perspective of the city of cape town municipality and comparing this perspective to local transit orientated development policy constructs of the developer
topic Project Management
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32429
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