dyton mupawaenda
HARARE City Council has been criticised by residents over the manner in which they are handling the issue of cluster houses and housing projects on wetlands.
To express their displeasure, Harare residents recently petitioned council over the formulation of the cluster housing policy.
On a number of occasions, residents have rejected the development of cluster houses arguing that densification in existing suburbs promotes the development of cluster houses without upgrading the existing infrastructure.
What disappoints the residents is that when council reaches out to them when they receive an application to change use of residential stand in the low density areas to build cluster houses, they reject out rightly.
However, the projects still go ahead and there is no feedback to explain why their views were not taken into consideration in the end.
They rightly believe they are just used to authenticate processes that would have already been completed and approved.
“As ratepayers and residents, we are concerned at the manner in which HCC has continued to recklessly approve densification and cluster developments with no guidelines and no concern for, or interests, on behalf of residents on the character of our suburbs, sewer lines, water, boreholes, roads, amenities, noise pollution, and crime.”
We recommend that HCC must include the views of current ratepayers and residents,” reads part of the complaint.
It is accepted that urban areas in Zimbabwe are battling an increase in population and, as a result, a rise in demand for accommodation.
Inevitably there will be housing projects to try and alleviate the problem and the utilisation of lesser land to accommodate more is the way to go if done properly.
On paper, cluster housing developments concentrate development in specific areas, enabling efficient resource utilisation and better infrastructure management.
However, without proper planning, these structures create pressure on infrastructure thereby creating problems of water, sanitation, electricity, sewer and road network.
Again on paper, cluster houses are meant to ease pressure for those in the low-income brackets where the population rises faster.
However, the reality on the ground is that these projects are concentrated in the low density suburbs hence the petition came from those in places like Mt Pleasant, Mabelreign and Avondale.
Without proper planning, the residents fear a rise in burst sewer pipes, uncollected garbage and depreciation of values to their property due to crowding.
It is therefore very important that the City of Harare genuinely engages residents on the issue of cluster houses as they are likely to come up with workable solutions that have every stakeholder’s input.
The current set-up creates an unhealthy relationship between Harare City Council and its residents.
Online Reporter