Govt promotes high-rise apartments

GOVERNMENT, as the lead agency in human settlement and urban development, has taken the initiative to promote high-rise apartments to efficiently and effectively manage land use.

Speaking during belated World Habitat Day commemorations at Tafara Flats in Harare on Monday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said Government was now actively promoting and encouraging densification. Densification involves accommodating many people per unit area.

“The rationale behind construction of flats is that there is a policy shift to adopt densification; every development now has to provide for construction of highrise buildings,” said Minister Kasukuwere.

“Even for the recipients and end-users, we need a mindset shift to accept flats as housing. In some developed countries, they have what they call shop-houses, where, for instance, in one block you have shops on the ground floor, offices on the first and second floors (and) then the rest become housing units.

“I would like to urge all local authorities to take heed and enforce the Model Building By-Laws without fear or favour. Your development control units must up the ante and be vigilant to stop any further developments of that nature and resort to the site, service and occupy concept.”