We are a boutique urban planning and development consulting firm with a distinct global South lens.

Charting the pathways for a sustainable future with you.

Collaborative planning and implementation of projects is the route to transformative and lasting impact.

Our expertise

We are a research-led development advisory and planning practice that partners with public, private, and civil society stakeholders to design and implement strategies that deliver inclusive, spatially just, and development-oriented outcomes, particularly in emerging economy contexts.

NS Development Consultants combines:

Academic rigour and applied policy expertise
Professional town planning excellence
Deep contextual knowledge of South Africa and emerging economies
A proven ability to navigate complex statutory, political, and stakeholder environments

Integrated advisory and professional planning services across the full project cycle to ensure lasting impact.

Drawing on deep expertise in human settlements, spatial planning, land governance, and urban policy, NSDC provides integrated advisory and professional planning services across the full development lifecycle—from strategic visioning and policy formulation to statutory approvals and implementation support.

Our services

Meet our team

Our team ranges from seasoned urban planners to media and communications.

Dr Nobukhosi Ngwenya

Co-Founder & Urban Planner

Siyakholwa Noah

Co-Founder, Media & Communications Specialist

FAQs

Who is behind NS Development Consultants?

NS Development Consultants was co-founded by Siyakholwa Noah and Dr. Nobukhosi Ngwenya in 2014. The boutique urban planning and development consultancy remains grounded in rigorous research and policy analysis, enabling clients to align projects and programmes with broader developmental, spatial transformation, and governance objectives.

Can I apply to be a part of the team?

There are no opportunities to join the team at the moment but do keep checking this page for announcements. We make announcements across all our social media pages as and when they are available.

Services

We offer a range of services to take your project from an idea into the real world.

Development advisory & strategic planning
Professional urban planning & statutory development rights applications
Human settlements, housing and urban research
Stakeholder engagement, partnership development, & communications advisory
Capacity building, skills development & knowledge transfer
Communications advisory

Core Areas of Service

Development Advisory & Strategic Planning

We advise clients on development strategies that are responsive to complex socio-spatial, economic, and institutional contexts. Our work is grounded in rigorous research and policy analysis, enabling clients to align projects and programmes with broader developmental, spatial transformation, and governance objectives.

Professional Town Planning & Statutory Development Rights

We offer expert professional town planning services across all aspects of the statutory land development process, with a particular focus on unlocking and enhancing development rights to support public interest and development-led outcomes.

We have an established track record in leading multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder statutory processes for large and complex developments, including projects with social infrastructure, housing, mixed-use, and strategic land release objectives.

Human Settlements, Housing & Urban Research

We integrate cutting-edge urban research into planning and advisory work. This enables evidence-based decision-making and policy-relevant outcomes.

Stakeholder Engagement, Partnership Development & Communications Advisory

We specialise in stakeholder aggregation and relationship management in politically and institutionally complex environments. We act as an intermediary and development manager, supporting alignment across government, communities, financiers, developers, and civil society.

Capacity Building, Skills Development & Knowledge Transfer

Recognising the importance of institutional capacity for sustainable development, we support skills development and knowledge transfer within public institutions, private entities, and community-based organisations.