Chronicle Editor
Michael Makuza, Business Reporter
VEHICLE dealership company, Toyota Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, has unveiled plans to establish a large automotive complex in Bulawayo as it expands business footprint in the country.
The company has already secured land from the local authority to construct the new vehicle infrastructure and services facility.
The proposed site for the project is between the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company (ZITF) and Bradfield Low Density area.
Once complete, the project would provide different services such as car show room, vehicle service centre and a motor spares shop.
“Toyota Zimbabwe intends to establish an automotive business complex, which will involve the construction of vehicle infrastructure and services: car show room, vehicle service centre and a motor spares shop,” reads a public notice published this week by the company’s consultants for environmental impact assessment, Kumatso (Private) Limited.
“The proposed project site is between the ZITF grounds and Bradfield Low Residential area, south east of Bulawayo’s Central Business District (CBD) along Hillside Road.”
According to the notice, the site is a vacant open space designated in terms of the city’s outline plan and covers approximately 1,3 hectares, which is used as an unofficial car park during the ZITF period.
Toyota Zimbabwe has said its drive was to provide affordable vehicle sales, support and maintenance for the local community as part of business growth.
“The project is expected to provide much needed affordable formal vehicle sales, support and maintenance for the Bulawayo community. The facility will enhance surrounding infrastructure profile, more so since the site is adjacent to ZITF,” said the company.
It said project designs and plans have already been submitted to the City Council for approval and the project also entails the development of an elaborate sewage and water reticulation system, which will be put in place and connected into the outface sewerage system; access roads will be constructed for easy vehicular movements.
Meanwhile, Toyota Zimbabwe has committed to protection of the environment, human health and well-being, mitigation of climate change and the conversation of nature to fulfill its sustainability and sustainable development obligations.
“In accordance with this commitment the organisation has a proactive practice on conducting Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), which take into account compliance obligations, the needs and expectations of interested and affected stakeholders, enhancement of socio-economic aspects of the new project’s surrounding local community and conversation of the bio-physical environment,” it said.
Toyota Zimbabwe has engaged Kumatso (Private) Limited’s occupational safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) consultants to get views from stakeholders affected by the project as well as from those interested in the project’s activities.
“The purpose of this stakeholder consultation is to ascertain on the immediate, short to long-term direct and indirect impacts of the project on the surrounding communities and other stakeholders,” reads the notice.
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