News / National
Govt to build high-rise flats in Bulawayo
10 Jul 2017 at 14:23hrs | Views
THE Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing has applied for over three hectares of land from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to construct residential flats in Cowdray Park and Emganwini suburbs.
This follows President Mugabe's calls last month that there should be a paradigm shift in the provision of housing in a move that will see Government concentrating on building high-rise apartments, instead of expending more land building single-storey houses.
The Ministry of Local Government Public Works and National Housing is seeking 16 434 hectares of land in Emganwini suburb and 14 248 hectares in Cowdray Park suburb to build flats.
According to the latest BCC minutes, the Ministry wants a joint partnership for the project.
"The proposed development strategy when implementing the scheme is through joint ventures where the Ministry facilitates or sources finance for the infrastructure, the Local Authority may in this case provide the land for the construction of the flats," read the council minutes.
"Another option could be the local authority partnering directly with financiers towards construction of the flats.
"Similar cases in point in which the above strategy has been implemented are Iminyela Flats or the Entumbane cluster houses where Government provided the finance to construct the flats/houses on Council land."
Council said it has since resolved to set up an inter-departmental committee to look into the issue of entering a partnership with Ministry for the project to construct the flats.
"That an interdepartmental committee be set up to establish the best possible partnership agreement between Council and The Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing towards the construction of Flats on stand 21302 Cowdray Park and stand 2977 Emganwini," read the council minutes.
"That the allocation of stands 21302 Cowdray Park and stand 2977 Emganwini to the partnership be approved in principle.
"The development could see the city ease its housing accommodation burden as it battles with over 115 000 on the housing waiting list."
This follows President Mugabe's calls last month that there should be a paradigm shift in the provision of housing in a move that will see Government concentrating on building high-rise apartments, instead of expending more land building single-storey houses.
The Ministry of Local Government Public Works and National Housing is seeking 16 434 hectares of land in Emganwini suburb and 14 248 hectares in Cowdray Park suburb to build flats.
According to the latest BCC minutes, the Ministry wants a joint partnership for the project.
"The proposed development strategy when implementing the scheme is through joint ventures where the Ministry facilitates or sources finance for the infrastructure, the Local Authority may in this case provide the land for the construction of the flats," read the council minutes.
"Another option could be the local authority partnering directly with financiers towards construction of the flats.
"Similar cases in point in which the above strategy has been implemented are Iminyela Flats or the Entumbane cluster houses where Government provided the finance to construct the flats/houses on Council land."
Council said it has since resolved to set up an inter-departmental committee to look into the issue of entering a partnership with Ministry for the project to construct the flats.
"That an interdepartmental committee be set up to establish the best possible partnership agreement between Council and The Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing towards the construction of Flats on stand 21302 Cowdray Park and stand 2977 Emganwini," read the council minutes.
"That the allocation of stands 21302 Cowdray Park and stand 2977 Emganwini to the partnership be approved in principle.
"The development could see the city ease its housing accommodation burden as it battles with over 115 000 on the housing waiting list."
Source - chronicle
