Govt lifts moratorium on town planning

The Government has lifted the moratorium on planning processes for local authorities and is implementing a structured programme to improve town planning systems across the country, according to Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe.

The moratorium, introduced in 2025, had temporarily halted applications for change of land use or land reservation for 90 days. It was initially imposed to curb unregulated developments, including the rapid emergence of service stations, casinos, and bottle stores in urban areas.

Speaking during a Spatial Planners' Interface with officials from all 92 local authorities, Minister Garwe said the decision to lift the moratorium follows a comprehensive review of council performance and planning systems.

He noted that most local authorities have now aligned their processes with approved master plans and statutory frameworks, allowing for the controlled resumption of planning applications.

"As we speak right now, there are very few local authorities that still have that challenge," he said. "The majority have approved their master plans and have reconfigured their planning processes."

The Minister emphasised that planning will now strictly follow master plans, local development plans, and provisions under the Urban Councils Act and Rural District Councils Act, signalling a shift toward more structured urban development.

Government has also moved to institutionalise planning functions by establishing dedicated departments of town planning in all local authorities, including rural district councils. These roles are expected to evolve into senior leadership positions to strengthen oversight.

In addition, Cabinet has directed the resumption of structured training programmes for local authority staff to address gaps in practical governance skills.

"Most of these officers are fresh from college and universities, with academic training but without practical grounding in local governance issues," Garwe said.

The reforms mark a shift toward improved regulation, professionalisation, and coordinated urban development, with Government emphasising collaboration with planners to address long-standing challenges in local governance and infrastructure planning.