Gweru council warns residents against cultivating open spaces

GWERU City Council has warned residents against cultivating a vast open space between Mkoba 12 industrial site and Woodlands suburb after the area has been earmarked for the development of a new suburb.

Several households in Gweru were allocated small plots on the vast land that separated the city’s industrial site and the residential suburbs under the Urban Small Holder Scheme.

The area has been earmarked for urban expansion.

Gweru town clerk Mrs Elizabeth Gwatipedza said in a statement that residents who owned plots around the area should find alternative means.

“All plot holders who used to engage in urban small holder agriculture activities at the areas between Mkoba 12 Industrial site, Mkoba 16, Mkoba 17, Mkoba 20 and Woodlands are advised that the area has been set aside for industrial stands development,” she said.

Mrs Gwatipedza said work on developing the area in preparation for a new Mkoba 21 suburb will commence this month. She warned those who have started preparation for the 2017-18 farming season to stop planting on the area.

“Servicing of the area is to commence this October 2017 and those who ignore this notice risk having their crops destroyed once work on the area starts,” she said.

Mrs Gwatipedza said residents who had plots on the mentioned areas should contact council for allocation of plots elsewhere.

“Those interested in urban agriculture can contact our housing director for allocation of plots at other designated areas,” she said.