Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has given local authorities across the country the greenlight to exercise change in land use within their jurisdiction in terms of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act following the withdrawal of the Conditional Moratorium which had been imposed in May last year.
In a Notice of Withdrawal of Conditional Moratorium addressed to all mayors and chairpersons, chief executive officers, town clerks, town and board secretaries, Local Government and Public Works Minister, Honourable Damiel Garwe said local authorities are no longer prohibited from exercising change of land use and change of reservation which the moratorium had imposed.
The notice reads: “It is hereby notified that the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, has, with effect from 31st March 2026 withdrawn the Conditional Moratorium which had been imposed in terms of Section 69 of Regional, Town and Country Planning Act Chapter 29:12 on change of uses (section 26 (3) and change of reservations (section 49 (3) and (4) applications which was issued on the 2nd day of May 2025.
“With this withdrawal of the Conditional Moratorium, local authorities are no longer prohibited from exercising the above quoted Local Planning Authority powers in respect of change of use and change of reservation which the moratorium had imposed.”
Minister Garwe noted that the decision was reached after consideration that local authorities have significantly improved their internal planning and development control capacity.
“The decision to withdraw has been taken after careful appraisal and assessment, which generally show that local authorities have significantly improved their internal planning and development control capacity, including compliance with conditions stipulated therein.
“The Ministry is satisfied that the measures put in place are adequate to address the challenges that had caused the moratorium to be imposed.
“Local Authorities are encouraged to continue strengthening the newly established Departments of Spatial Planning and to exercise robust development control measures.
“Further, the Ministry, through its Inspectorate Department, shall ensure compliance with the array of measures which Local Authorities undertook to abide by in order to achieve the objectives of orderly and functional settlements,” notes Minister Garwe’s notice.
