Gweru council to move Kudzanayi bus terminus

Gweru City Council has extended the development period of commercial, industrial and residential stands to six years up from the traditional two years, the City's Assistant Town Clerk, Mr Tapiwa Marerwa, said.

Unveiling a host of investment opportunities and incentives in the city to guests attending a Midlands Business Opportunities Conference in Gweru recently, Mr Marerwa said the council hoped the unveiling of a new incentive and condition of sale package on residential and commercial stands would help lure more individuals and investors to Gweru and help develop the city.

"For all stands, a development period of six years from date of signature of sale of agreement is granted. In the presence of evidence of meaningful development, council may then grant further yearly building period extensions at a fee of $400 per year.

"If no development is done at the expiry of the six-year development period, the stand is repossessed by council only after the owner has been offered the right of first refusal to repurchase it," said Mr Marerwa.

However, the city council increased extension fees charged on undeveloped properties from $10 per quarter after two years of signing of agreement to $400 per year after six years.

The $10 quarterly fees charged on undeveloped properties after two years would amount to $120 only after six years.

Meanwhile, the City of Gweru is working on sprucing up its image by relocating the Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus to an area near Mtapa suburb. The proposed terminus would be named Monomotapa Long Distance Bus Terminus when completed.

Mr Marerwa said the city council has identified a 20-hectare piece of land for the Mtapa terminus project.

He said the terminus stand, which was partially serviced, would contain a shopping mall and industrial stands.

"We are working on a proposed Monomotopa Long Distance Bus Terminus project. We have already identified a site and it measures 20ha in extent and is partially serviced. Cost of land for business people who would like to invest in the project is $15 per square metre.

The site is suitable for the development of a long distance bus terminus, shopping mall and service industrial stands. The facility is to be developed on a Build Operate Own and Transfer concept," he said.

The relocation of Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus was first mooted more than five years ago.

Mr Marerwa said the old terminus site on the peripheries of Gweru Central Business District, will be taken up by a private developer for the development of a shopping mall.

"We have identified another site situated between Fairmile Hotel and the Fire Station for the development of a hotel. The area measures three hectares in extent. Selling price for the land is $400 000," he said.

Mr Marerwa said the city had a number of one-hectare industrial stands at Halifax and Zambezi Industrial Park and some light industrial stand in Mkoba Village 12 Industrial area.

He said all the industrial stands on offer were not serviced and were being sold at $3,50 per square metre.

"Other commercial stands will be advertised in the local Press and sold on a first come first served basis.

"These will be available in Mkoba Village 21, Nehosho 1B and Randolph. The cost per square metre is $15 for unserviced stands," said Mr Marerwa.

On residential stands, Mr Marerwa said the city council has an area targeted for the development of five blocks of flats in Senga suburb and more than 6 000 residential stands in Mkoba Village 21.

"There are a total of five unserviced stands averaging 2 000 square metres in Senga. The selling price is $8 per square metre. In Mkoba Village 21, a total of 2 041 stands measuring 150 square metres, 2 401 stands measuring 200 square metres and 1 936 stands measuring 300 square metres are on offer. The total servicing cost is $18 million, with $13 million going towards roads while $5 million is for sewerage.

"The average cost per square metre is $12 for a serviced stand," he said.