Norton Town Council (NTC) plans to approach the government for more land for residential stands to meet demand from its ballooning population.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com recently, NTC acting town secretary, Blessing Mutyambizi said the town has a population of at least 68 000 people with many failing to acquire residential stands. Said Mutyambizi:
We are currently finalising our urban master plan which will enable us to approach relevant authorities in anticipation to unlock more land for our population.
Our hope is that the authorities may be able to hand over the nearby farms for housing development.
As it stands we can’t expand beyond the set boundaries because the town has run out of land for expansion.
He also said the local authority’s housing department was building vending sites for informal traders to operate from. Added Mutyambizi:
We have got a market stall which we are constructing to comply with social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols. We are anticipating that each should accommodate 40.
It’s not enough given the levels of need but it’s a good start. So this year alone we are anticipating building four of those vendor stalls plus public toilets.
The issue of sanitation is also paramount in the town.