Mutare City expands to Arda Transau

MUTARE City Council has applied for land in Transau and Credo areas where construction of residential and industrial properties is expected to be rolled out as the local authority starts implementing its approved Master Plan.

A Master Plan is an overall land use planning document, which constitutes policies and strategies regarding how land should be used and how developments should occur, looking at future water supplies, road networks, housing provision, industry, environmental management and transport over an envisaged period of time such as 15 to 20 years.

It promotes coordinated planning and downplays haphazard developments.

The Mutare City Council Master Plan boundary, which will cover a total of 31 295 hectares, will eat into neighbouring local Government jurisdictions of Mutasa and Mutare Rural District councils without necessarily altering the administrative structures.

Mutare City Council has a geographical and administrative size of 16 700ha.

Areas that are covered under the Mutare City Council Master Plan include Forbes Border area in the east, Sun Valley (Madziro) and to the south, Odzi and Transau area in the west as well as Imbeza Estate, Africa University, Hartzell following Mutare River up to its confluence with Odzi River (Musangano Lodge, Matongo and Chitowa Farm surrounding areas) to the north.

In an interview, Mutare City Council’s principal town planner, Mr Tonderai Brian Sango confirmed that the local authority had made the application to its parent ministry (Ministry of Local Government and Public Works) to acquire the land. Mr Sango said after the Master Plan Public Exhibition, only dairy farmers in the Greater Sisal and Greater Fernedal (areas around Nyanga Turn-off) area raised objections about change in land use and their case was deliberated, understood and amicable solutions were worked out.

“When a city completes the drafting of a Master Plan, it goes for a Public Exhibition, according to the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act, Chapter 29:12.

“The only objection that was raised at that stage was from the dairy farmers in the Greater Sisal and Greater Fernedal (areas around Nyanga Turn-off).

“They proffered their reasons which were understandable, given the value in the country’s milk production and the effect that disturbing them would have on the national milk production levels. Therefore, an amicable solution in terms of coexistence was structured.

“We have so far applied to our parent ministry for the land with respect to Transau and Credo areas where construction of residential and industrial properties is expected to be rolled out.

“What happens is that our parent ministry also applies to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development. When those processes are done, we then move in with planning, construction and monitoring as a local authority,” he said.

Mr Sango said the approval of the Master Plan and the expected land development in earmarked areas of expansion has increased appetite for development.

“Through this Master Plan, we have created appetite for development. What it means, for example, if one was an owner of agricultural land and it was designated for a low density residential area under the Master Plan, there is now interest in developing that land for residential purposes,” said Mr Sango.

The Mutare City Council Master Plan was approved on May 27, 2021, and after the approval, the law requires the gazetting of the Master Plan which was done in August 2021.

At the end of the gazetting period, the Master Plan becomes operational and its binding.