Why Mixed Use Developments?

Stephen Roberts, Chairman, Bentel Associates International (Pty) (Ltd)

Mixed-use development is in a broad sense — any urban, suburban or village development, or even a single building, that blends a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated, and that provides pedestrian connections.

There is nothing new about mixed use developments; they have been around for a long time. Just walk around the streets of Mumbai, and you see them everywhere, shops on the ground floor and residential above. For years this has been the developer's way of maximising his land usage.

Nowadays of course we are concerned with, much larger pieces of land and therefore much bigger developments, but the principles are the same - how do I make most efficient use of my land and get better returns?