Chinhoyi Municipality has given property developers a further six months to wind up the use of farm bricks in construction before they are banned.
The local authority had resolved to ban the use of farm bricks in construction effective 1 January 2022 but yesterday extended the deadline to 30 June.
The Council outlawed the manufacture of farms for the massive environmental degradation they have caused in Chinhoyi and surrounding areas.
A full council meeting held Tuesday decided to postpone the implementation of the new measures to allow those who had already sourced farm bricks to use them.
Chinhoyi mayor, Garikai Dendera confirmed the development to NewZimbabwe.com on Tuesday. He said:
We took heed of an outcry from residents who felt the council had given short notice on the farm bricks ban, hence we resolved to effectively ban their use in June.
So, all those who had started construction of buildings using farm bricks can complete them within this grace period because thereafter they will be banned.
Council also took the decision to ban farm bricks in order to stop deforestation as brick moulders use trees to fire kilns or ovens.
Mutare City Council and other municipalities across the country have banned the use of farm bricks for the construction of commercial, industrial and residential structures.
This is in compliance with directives from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).