City Of Harare | St Martin’s development commences

The City of Harare has started pegging stands for St Martins Housing Scheme along Airport Road after some stands on the initial approved plan were affected by a 200 metre statutory cantonment (buffer zone) for the Zimbabwe National Army (Commando Barracks). When the initial layout was approved in 2017, a 70 metre buffer zone had been provided for but following further stakehokder engagements it was increased to 200 metres. The development comes after home seekers under Happiness Housing Pay Scheme raised concerns that they had not been given the permission by Council to develop their stands despite entering into an agreement with the local authority over two years ago. The City’s acting Land and Development Manager, Eng Faith Kashangura, yesterday said a team of City of Harare surveyors is carrying out the requisite title survey on the land in question. “Right now, we have a team of surveyors under Principal Land Surveyor Tinashe Fusire, who are conducting the title surveys. They are expected to be on site for the next two weeks following which, in consultation with the beneficiaries, some earth moving equipment will deployed to the site to commence earthworks, servicing and development,” she said. “After pegging, we will submit the survey records to the Surveyor General for statutory approval. Upon meeting all compliance requirements (including road and stormwater, sewerage and water reticulation services provision), we will then start issuing certificates of compliance. The beneficiaries will then develop the super structures on their stands,” Eng Kashangura said. Council has since met with the beneficiaries to iron out their differences. “There were some challenges with some beneficiaries who were seeking to understand what was going on. We had a site meeting with the beneficiaries were we agreed to work together to enable us to develop St Martins and for the development processes to comply with statutory requirements,” she said. Eng Kashangura urged residents to seek Council approval before and during the development process of their newly-acquired stands.