Estate Living November 2016 Digital Issue | Page 52
is that contractors negotiate directly with
surveillance, it becomes very difficult to keep
Rob and his team, rather than the client or
costs down.”
developer.
He explains that the number of access
“Our aim is ultimately to inform and advise
points also directly impacts the developer’s
the architects that our clients use, enabling
overheads as staffing multiple entrances is an
them to provide solutions which are conducive
expensive exercise.
to good practice – to maximise security for
“There needs to be a security manpower plan
everyone.”
from the outset. A well-designed control point,
manned correctly, always saves money in the
RA&A were approached by Tongaat Hulett to
operational phase.”
develop a security master plan for all public
spaces in the Sibaya Coastal Precinct, which is
It is important to note that some of the most
a mixed-use development on Durban’s North
successful estates, in terms of their security
Coast. They were also tasked with writing a
track record, had all formed a subcommittee
security protocol for the various developers to
representing both developers and residents
whom Tongaat Hulett sold the serviced land.
from an early stage.
Included in these documents was a plan for
“Together they are able to fine-tune their
Crime Prevention through Environmental
security solution until it serves the needs of
Design
everyone.”
(CPTED),
which
aims
to
deter
crime through strategies − such as natural
surveillance, access control and territorial
reinforcement − that rely on influencing
offender decisions preceding criminal acts.
Securing the perimeter is the most costly
security measure for any development. In
most cases an electric fence is the chosen
solution, but unfortunately maintenance is
expensive and the false alarm rate is also
high. Rob believes there is plenty of room
for innovation in this area. The length of the
boundary fence versus the number of stands
to be sold is an important factor in securing
any built environment.
“If the price of a stand needs to subsidise
an excessive fence at today’s costs, plus