Harare adopts draft master plan

Harare adopts draft master plan
Published: 03 July 2018
Harare City Council has adopted a draft master plan, which is expected to reflect the socio-economic realities, as well as avoiding the over stretching of the Central Business District.

A city master plan is a document prepared by the planning department and spells out the appropriate land use within the local authority.

The master plan contains aerial photos, illustrations, maps, reports and statistical information to support the planning vision.

According to recent minutes of the Environmental Management Committee, director of works Engineer Zvenyika Chawatama said the master plan will be placed on public exhibition for a period of two months. Eng Chawatama said after the expiry of the exhibition period, the master plan will be submitted to the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo for his consideration.

"That the director of works prepare the City of Harare master plan in terms of Section 14 of the Regional, Town and Country planning Act," read the minutes.

"There shall be public notice of the place or places at which, and the period for which, the draft master plan will be exhibited as in the daily newspaper."

Eng Chawatama said the proposed master plan will include measures such as regulation on the use of land and the construction and use of buildings, the development and upgrade of all essential infrastructure and the conservation and improvement of physical environment. Other measures, Eng Chawatama said, would be the economic development of the planning area and the movement of traffic.

"The proposed master plan would take into cognisance the approved Master Plans of the neighbouring local authorities and any plans that were still at preparation stage," he said. "Thus the study process could extend beyond the boundaries of the City of Harare."

In his state of the city address, Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni said the city planning and development division was working on reviewing the city's master plan, which is due for review after 15 years, but is now 23-years- old.

"The review of the Harare Combination Master Plan is, therefore, a vehicle through which the City of Harare will promote development and growth of the city as well as fostering order and dealing with city challenges, which include traffic congestion, lack of a mass public transportation system, urban sprawl, rural to urban migration, poor service provision, and rapid population growth among others," he said.

Town planner Mr Percy Toriro is on record encouraging local authorities to periodically review their plans.

"The Harare master plan is a 1993 plan," he said. "So many policies and other parameters have changed. It is of necessity that it is reviewed to capture all those changes. Likewise, all local plans must undergo the same process."

Harare-based urban planner Mr Shingai Kawadza once said it was evident that Harare's CBD was experiencing spatial changes, as its boundaries were encroaching into suburban areas such as Eastlea, Milton Park, Belvedere and Belgravia, leaving the CBD under stress of decay. Mr Kawadza said some of the factors influencing urban relocation included high and unaffordable rentals in the CBD.
- the herald
Tags: Harare,

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