Following the recently ended Global Airport Cities 2013 conference in South Africa, the city of Ekurhuleni has announced plans to finalize its previously announced 30-year aerotropolis master plan for Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport during the course of May.  |
| OR Tambo's Envisaged Midfield Terminal (NACO) |
With its concept already adopted as part of the airport's long term 2055 growth strategy, the "aerotropolis project" will form part of SIP 2: Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics and industrial corridor which amongst others, has provision for a deepwater port in Durban, as well as a strengthening in the logistics and transport corridor between SA’s main industrial hubs in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban.
"Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele says the master plan, which is being overseen by Jack van der Merwe, who previously drove the Gautrain project, will seek to consolidate the metropolitan area’s status as ‘the workshop of Africa’.Using the aerotropolis concept, the aspiration is to leverage the city’s two major existing assets, the OR Tambo International Airport and its industrial capacity, to stimulate growth, investment and job creation."
Source [polity]
Dubbed entitled "Aerotropolis East", the Airports Company of South's plans for ORTIA's proposed landside development opportunities include the creation of a world class aircraft maintenance and general aviation facility and the development of a mixed use precinct conceived as "a high quality urban environment founded on the live-work-play principle".
According to the proposal: the long term vision for Aerotropolis East is:
- World class Aircraft Maintenance and aviation facility.
- Development of a Mixed-Use Precinct founded on the live – work – play principle.
The plan is to more fully integrate the city’s future development with Africa’s biggest freight and passenger airport, which is owned and operated by the Airports Company South Africa.
South Africa now joins Egypt, Nigeria and Angola who have all laid down proposals for their own versions of an aerotropolis.
