Chronicle EditorProperty Reporter —
HARARE City Council is seeking investments into mixed-use buildings that will incorporate residential, retail, commercial and light-industrial activities in new and existing structures.
Mixed-use development is a type of urban development that blends residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses, where the functions are integrated.
“We are going to see quite a number of such mixed use development taking place in the city. We are encouraging investors even with existing buildings to take advantage of (this opportunity) and make sure we can bring new life into the city, acting town clerk Josephine Ncube told a ZBC News current affairs programme last week.
“If you look at development taking place along Robert Mugabe road (where Old Mutual is constructing an SME’s complex), it is going to be a mixed use building, which means there will be SME’s infrastructure at the bottom and some shops at the top.”
The use of buildings has evolved in recent years, according to town planners, with mixed developments becoming a new global trend. “In the early days when cities were small and only starting to develop, buildings in the city centres were typically multipurpose, that is mixed use. There would be shops on the ground, offices in the middle, and the owner could stay on the upper floor,” renowned town planner Percy Toriro said.
“This set up was good as it kept town centres lively after work hours. Harare changed from that set up after independence and there was a new clear separation of uses.
“There is however a new thinking in planning that is advocating mixed use zones rather than single use zones. Regionally this has worked in Mozambique. Maputo City centre has more life after hours than Harare because there are many people that live right in the city centre. It’s good not only for city vibrancy, but also for economic development. This need not apply only on city centres but also in all zones.
He said the Government enacted the Statutory Instrument 216 of 1994, which intended to promote development of mixed use structures mails commercial residential.
But there was no corresponding amendment of plans to take advantage of the legislative development. He said planning had been generally reactive rather than proactive.
“We must further develop that to encourage entrepreneurship without too many restrictions.
“We need a new crop of planners that realise that their lack of innovation is not neutral, it affects everyone else,” he added.
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