Urban Planning & Design
Master Plan for Yala (Palatupana) Wild Tourism Zone
On the 20th April 2018, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), offered the contract for the preparation of a Master Plan for the SLTDA property in Palatupana, Yala to Canopus (Private) Limited (Consultant).
Client
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
Time Frame
April 2018 to November 2018
The total extent of the land owned by the SLTDA is 1136 acres, of which 467 acres falls into the buffer zone of the Yala Wild Life National Park, and the balance area of 669 acres is available for development.
On the 20th April 2018, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), offered the contract for the preparation of a Master Plan for the SLTDA property in Palatupana, Yala to M/s Canopus (Private) Limited (Consultant). On the 5th of May SLTDA held a stakeholder consultation meeting at the “Hotel Cinnamon Wild, Yala”. Representatives of all the hoteliers in the project area, public institutions involved in the provision of infrastructure, and regulatory functions attended the stakeholder meeting together with the Chairman, and Director General of the SLTDA and the representatives of the consultant. SLTDA advised the consultant to commence the work with effect from the 5th of May.
No more hotel developments would be necessary for the project area
Conservation of the project area to represent the dry zone wildlife habitat would be the most needed activity of the master plan
Land use changes without distorting the native habitat would be acceptable to attract more wildlife.
Social and economic benefits to the community should be adequately integrated.
The theme of the master plan should be “Sri Lanka s’ signature wildlife resort.”
Based on the TOR and the outcome of the first stakeholder meeting, the preparation of the master plan was divided into three phases.
Phase one consists of the situation analysis (Diagnostic Phase), which will look into the global, regional, and local situations.
Phase Two of the submission will cover (i) Vision development, (ii) SWOT analysis, and planning and design guidelines.
Phase Three of the master plan will include a zoning plan, design interventions, planning and building guidelines, and implementation programme.
Core Planning Team
Hemantha Jayasundera
Co Team Leader / Land Use Planning – Urban Design Expert
Devsriyani Jauasundera
Co Team Leader/ Tourism Planning Expert
Thulasi Varman
GIS Specialist / Land Use Planner
Anusha de Silva
Architect
Dr. Laith Rajapaksha
Hydrologist
Dr. Pruthuviraj Fernando
Elephant Habitat Management Expert
Samangi Hevage
Ecologist