Who decides
If your property is in Johannesburg, Midrand, Randburg, Roodepoort, Sandton, Soweto, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality is the planning authority for site development plans. As a metropolitan municipality it has no district council above it.
| Municipality | City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (metropolitan) |
|---|---|
| Province | Gauteng |
| Land-use scheme | City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme, 2018 (as amended 2025), 2018 as amended 2025 |
Local requirements
The aim of site development plans is to prepare and submit SDPs where the scheme or approval conditions require them. Common situations in Gauteng towns such as Johannesburg include: your rezoning approval requires an SDP.
Areas covered by City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality include Johannesburg, Midrand, Randburg, Roodepoort, Sandton, Soweto.
In City of Johannesburg, these applications are governed by the City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-law (reviewed and promulgated on 3 April 2024), read with SPLUMA (2013) and the City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme, 2018 (as amended 2025). Depending on the category of application, the decision is taken by an authorised official or the Municipal Planning Tribunal, with appeals to the City's appeal authority. Fees, required documents and timeframes are set by City of Johannesburg and change from time to time, so they are confirmed for each matter.
When you may need it
- Your rezoning approval requires an SDP
- You are developing a business, industrial or higher-density residential property
The broad process
- Brief and compliance check
- Draft SDP
- Submission and circulation
- Approval
Documents commonly required
- Approved rights and conditions
- Survey or site information
- Architectural concept where available
What affects cost
- Scale and complexity of the site
- Number of departmental comments
- Specialist input such as traffic or stormwater
Professional fees, municipal application fees, advertising and specialist costs are quoted separately for each matter. Timeframes depend on completeness, objections, specialist work and municipal processing.
Questions
Which municipality handles site development plans in Johannesburg?
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng is the planning authority for Johannesburg, Midrand, Randburg, Roodepoort, Sandton, Soweto. The exact property location should still be confirmed, as municipal boundaries do not always follow town names.
Is there a district municipality involved in Johannesburg?
No. City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality and handles its own planning applications.
What should I check before starting with site development plans in Johannesburg?
Useful starting points are: Approved rights and conditions; Survey or site information; Architectural concept where available. Title deed conditions, servitudes and previous approvals should also be checked.
Sources
- City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-law (reviewed, promulgated 3 April 2024) (as of 2026-10-21)
- City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme, 2018 (as amended 2025) (as of 2026-10-21)