Land shortages hit mountainous Mutare

via Land shortages hit mountainous Mutare 11 December 2014

THE city of Mutare is facing serious land shortages for residential stands development.

Currently the housing waiting list backlog stands at 30 000.

But Town Clerk, Obert Muzawazi, this week said Mutare is surrounded by mountains and thus cannot expand further.

He said the city fathers will soon meet to draft a master plan with a view to expanding to the north and West near Odzi River. He said he was optimistic that the master plan would be approved by the government so that they can access extra land for expansion.

Muzawazi said the local authority was determined to provide housing but progress in providing residential stands has been handicapped by financial constraints.

“We are going to work on reducing our housing waiting list backlog which is standing at above 25 000 for high density and 10 000 for low density. We cannot do it alone we need land developers who can partner us,” said Muzawazi.

He took a swipe at some land developers whom he described as dishonest in their operations.

A senior Town Planner, Richard Simbi said over 3 000 stands have been allocated in Dreamhouse and Hobhouse suburbs to ease housing problems.
He also said 166 stands were allocated in Chikanga Extension, 283 stands in Datvest, 509 stands in Mountain Rise of Devonshire, 1500 stands in Gimboki South of the 5,500 available there.

He said through partnerships with government and land developers a further 222 stands were availed in Greenside, 311 in Beira Corridor and various other allocations of in-fills in various suburbs.