Harare gets more land
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
The government has handed over seven farms with a total area of 5 673
hectares to the City of Harare, increasing the capital’s size to 1 457
square kilometers, The Zimbabwean has learnt.
07.08.1201:44pm
by Thabani Dube
The decision by the government is in response to the sharp rise in Harare’s
population. Old figures indicate that the capital is home to about 1.5m
people, but unofficial estimates put the figure at more than four million.
Harare City Council’s Environment Management Committee has approved the
gazetted new boundaries which incorporate Rumani Farm (494.7 ha), Acorn Farm
(744.5ha), Echo Farm (972.7ha) and Chirika Extension Farm (116.0ha).
Also gazette for expansion are: Lot J of Borrowdale Estate (657.7ha), Gurlyn
Burton Farm (48.8ha) and Caledonia Farm (2 638.9 ha).
The council, through the Department of Urban Planning Services, was
consulting on the state of the farms.
“The Director of Urban Planning Services reported that most of the farms
were not developed. He was further requested to submit the status of each
farm in liaison with the urban settlement in terms of what percentage of
land had been allocated and what was left,” read the council minutes.
It is most likely that the council will use the farms for residential
purposes as the city’s stands waiting list has a backlog of over a million.