The Waterfront Development Project |31 August 2022

An artist’s impression of the proposed Victoria Waterfront Project

An expert citizen’s view

• “It is a big project, costing USD 48 million, and if we do not get it right we are finished”

A simple online search of the best Waterfront developments in the world, and the same cities pop up repeatedly. Sydney, Stockholm, Dubai, Helsinki and London feature among the best, most iconic Waterfronts in the world, that fulfils the needs of everyone who lives there – rather than focusing on the demands of cars and traffic engineers.

Dissimilar and unique, each in its own way, what they have in common is multi-use, multi-dimensional public spaces, and strong links to the identity and history of the city.

The 29,000 square kilometre Victoria Waterfront project is definitely one of the long-awaited national-scale developments, which many hope will breathe some new life to the little town of Victoria.

Ahead of the project which is set for 2024, Seychelles NATION consulted expert citizen David Lowseck for his perspective on the proposed project.Mr Lowseck holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Tourism Planning from the UK’s Bradford University, serving within the local and international tourism industry over the years.

Aside from developing a ten-year Tourism Development Plan for the Seychelles during the industry’s earlier days, he has also done the same, developing a Tourism Development Strategic Plan for the Townsville Region in Australia, with a population of 800,000.

Below is Mr Lowseck’s take on the multi-million dollar development.

“The Victoria Waterfront Project earmarked to start in January 2024 will no doubt help the small city of Victoria to wake up from a deep slumber of laziness and indifference. It will add much needed oxygen to its tired lungs and revitalise the Victoria precinct into a vibrant little town. We need an icon for Victoria.

Developing the Waterfront Project

With my past experience in Waterfront development, notably in Australia, and my many visits to waterfronts in the world, such as Amsterdam, Nice, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Sydney, Gold Coast, Townsville, Port Louis and many more, I believe that I am more than capable to comment on the proposed Victoria Waterfront.

To try and develop a high investment Waterfront project in Seychelles, we have to analyse and place the project in its right perspective. Firstly, we have to take note that the whole of Seychelles has a very small population of 90,000 plus inhabitants, and most people normally enjoy themselves on Fridays and Saturdays. Hence, during the weekdays, it is expected that local visitations to the waterfront area will be minimal. Investors who believe in high-yield returns will be disappointed in such a scenario. Contrary to what was said by the Ministry of Land Use that the Waterfront project will be aimed uniquely at the local population unlike the business waterfront on Eden Island, I believe that this in itself is short-sighted and bound to failure. We have to add visitors to the equation that will provide an excellent mix of visitations to the project. A 50/50 percent ratio will be excellent.

When we start planning a waterfront development, we must remember that such a project is and will remain live for many years. Waterfront must be allowed to evolve over time, and we have to think ahead, for the next 25 years.

Many waterfront projects in the world have failed as their product mix and visitation mix were not balanced. In Seychelles, we will need to have a Waterfront Development Control programme in place from the beginning of the development. It should be an integrated system to guide any future development in the Victoria precinct. The National Development Committee (NDC) should aim to ensure sustainable and integrated development on the waterfront, and must be able to analyse ways to reduce potential conflict with the Port Authority and other partners.

Designing the Seychelles Waterfront

It should be noted that a waterfront development is complex, and demands proper planning and strategic thinking. It should be multi-functional and encompass different elements to fulfil many purposes. Aside from the physical and material aspects, the designers of the Victoria Waterfront must also think of social, cultural, environmental and economic values and to term it as ‘leisure and entertainment’. The equitable use of the foreshore areas for private development, with diverse layered activities 7 days a week will no doubt be the ideal scenario.

The integration of the Convention Centre, New Port Cruise Terminal, Marine Charter, Yacht Club, retail shopping and souvenirs, restaurant and cafes, and the re-emergence of controlled, live music, cultural activities and local art with smart technology, will no doubt spark revitalisation to the Waterfront area.

To have a successful Waterfront development, there must be a perfect balance of uses that will bring a mix of people into the area seven days a week. The successes of the Victoria Waterfront Project will depend on the ‘wow’ factor and how the local population and visitors perceive and enjoy the waterfront area, and its activities and attractions.

A waterfront project must become a destination in its own right. There must be community engagement to develop local ownership and pride. Unlike a master plan, a community visioning process is a citizen-driven initiative that can evolve over time to make the necessary changes to the waterfront image.

Along the waterfront, there must be destinations that are connected to each other, to make your presence enjoyable and relaxing. A critical point is to be continuously walkable with a mix of activities along the way, hence allowing the appeal of each destination to strengthen the image of the whole place. Too many parks and esplanades must not serve the whole waterfront. Too much passive, one-dimensional open-space can be boring and can reduce the inherent vibrancy of the Victoria Waterfront Project. This is why by creating seamless connections between destinations can be a fascinating challenge that involves mixing uses (recreation, dining, entertainment, retail).

People will need meaningful and enjoyable experiences when visiting a waterfront project. It should be alive, well maintained, and secured at all times. It should evolve… People must be able to interact with water in numerous ways – in other words, there must be water and plenty of it… this is why it is called a waterfront, and boardwalks must be present along the shoreline.

It must not fail

The proposed Victoria Waterfront Development is too precious for Seychelles and we cannot afford to get it wrong. It’s a huge investment taking up valuable land-space in the Victoria region, and once it is developed, it will remain forever in our history.

It cannot and must not be a ‘white elephant’. It must succeed and achieve its objectives, and we would like to see it developed into an icon for Victoria, and for the Seychellois people and all visitors to be proud of. For once, let’s think outside the box and go for it.                                  

Compiled by Laura Pillay