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HWANGE Local Board (HLB) is in the process of coming up with a Master Plan, which will guide it on future infrastructure developmental programmes in its area of jurisdiction.
HLB town secretary Pastor Ndumiso Mdlalose said the local authority has engaged Urban Development Corporation (UDCORP) to develop a Master Plan.
“We have already engaged UDCORP to do the Master Plan project for us and this will guide us on future infrastructural developments,” he said.
UDCORP was primarily set up for the purposes of encouraging and assisting Local Authorities to plan and co-ordinate urban growth and development, as well as to improve the standards of living of the general populace of Zimbabwe through the development of proper housing and related infrastructure.
HLB town planner Mr Themba Sibanda said there was a need for the local authority to formulate a Master Plan premised on Hwange’s anticipated growth.
“Hwange is fast growing but it doesn’t have any Master Plan. There is only a draft copy at the provincial Government offices,” he said.
A Master Plan is a dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development. It is about making the connection between buildings, social settings, and their surrounding environments. It also includes analysis, recommendations, and proposals for a site’s population, economy, housing, transportation, community facilities, and land use. It is based on public input, surveys, planning initiatives, existing development, physical characteristics, and social and economic conditions.
“A Master Plan gives direction for future growth than a piece meal approach whereby if a certain investor comes and submit an application we run and allocate them land. It (Master Plan) gives a direction of a town’s growth whereby it clearly indicates where commercial and industrial are presently and in future. It gives direction of 20 years plus,” said Mr Sibanda.
The local authority is also in the process of identifying illegal structures and developments in residential, commercial and industrial areas with a view of improving standards of facilities constructed within its locality.
“We are trying to identify illegal structures or developments in residential, commercial as well as industrial… It’s unfortunate that other developments were seen coming up but no one paid much attention to correct the situation,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said an infrastructural development undertaken without Council approval is deemed illegal.
“If one owns a stand but develops it without an approved plan, it becomes an illegal development. We will suspend all construction works and ask the developer to regularise his or her situation,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said the local authority was not heavy handed in its engagement with offenders.
“We can apply to the court to pull down a structure but that’s the last resort. Otherwise we try to give these programmes a human face where we engage with individuals and spell out the conditions and try to give them a timeframe by which they should make a wrong a right,” said Mr Sibanda.
The local authority is also carrying out a peg and stand identification and replacement exercise.-Hwange newsletter.
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