State wants multiple storey buildings

WE ARE about to issue regulations that will compel whoever wants to build in certain areas to build not less than five storeys because we are running out of space especially in the capital, Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale has said. Mr Mwale said that was why the government had to harmonise our construction works to accommodate best practices. And Mr. Mwale has maintained that Shumeite Investment was free to construct its mall in Kalundu as the area was classified as a mixed development zone by cabinet four years ago and that he had no powers to stop anyone setting up commercial facilities as it was now a policy. Speaking to the Daily Nation, Mr. Mwale said Government was moving in to address land scarcity especially in areas such as Lusaka by engaging best construction practices to ensure that developers maximised the space they were given by coming up with multiple storey buildings. He said to that effect, he had written to most of the developers who have put up structures along Kafue road for failing to live by the guidelines given to them at the time they acquired their pieces of land to come up with two storey buildings. “We are about to issue regulations now that whoever wants to build in certain areas must not build less than five storeys because in the next 10 to 20 years, we will not have space in the capital and so, we need to harmonise these things. Without the best practices at the moment to encourage people to build up, we will have a problem in future. “Even in Kafue, I have written a letter to have to those who have built along Kafue road that those who have come up with a one storey building will have to double because that was the condition that was given to them at the time land was given to them because we are running out of land,” Mr. Mwale said. And Mr. Mwale has maintained that Shumeite Investment was free to construct its mall Kalundu as the area was classified as a mixed development zone by cabinet four years ago and that he had no power to stop anyone setting up commercial facilities as it was now a policy. “These people were granted permission by the master plan and that there is no need for me to give them or not. The master plan of that area gives them permission automatically. The master plan classifies Kalundu as a mixed development area. We want this whole area to become the new CBD and we are encouraging people to build in a modern way. “NCC gave them (Shumeite) permission three months ago. ZEMA permitted them a week before I did, with conditions. I cannot begin to reverse a Government position. If people go to court today and claim that I prevented them from building, Government will lose a lot of money because this is a Government policy.