Residents of Glen Lorne have asked the Government to stop construction activities at a proposed cluster housing development on Lytham Road, warning that continued work could damage wetlands and threaten the Umwinsi River.
The residents have appealed to Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe to intervene in the dispute involving developer Zhuomu International (Private) Limited. They allege that earthworks, borehole pumping and other activities have continued despite instructions to suspend work while outstanding planning, environmental and legal issues are addressed.
Their appeal was contained in a letter copied to Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Evelyn Ndlovu, the Office of the President and Cabinet, the City of Harare, the Environmental Management Agency, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority and parliamentary portfolio committees.
The dispute centres on a proposed 89-unit gated cluster housing development at Stand 4717, Glen Lorne Township. A City of Harare public notice issued under the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act invited members of the public to submit objections and representations on the application.
Residents, however, claim that the notice was published after boreholes had been drilled and indigenous trees cleared at the site. They further allege that preliminary work began before the planning and consultation process had been concluded.
According to the residents, more than 400 objections were submitted during the consultation process, with officials eventually acknowledging 452 written objections to the development. They described the number of objections as evidence of strong opposition from surrounding communities.
The latest appeal follows a meeting convened by Minister Garwe on August 3. An invitation seen by Hurumende News shows that Zhuomu International, the Nyaguvi Sub-Catchment Council, the Environmental Management Agency, ZINWA, the City of Harare and the Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association were invited to discuss the proposed development.
Residents allege that officials directed the developer to stop all work pending the resolution of outstanding regulatory and legal questions. The ministry has not publicly released minutes of the meeting, and Hurumende News could not independently verify the account of what transpired.
The residents also referred to an environmental assessment of the property, saying the Environmental Management Agency had classified about 70 percent of the site as non-wetland and 30 percent as wetland.
They further alleged that the EMA director-general told a site meeting on July 10 that the project’s environmental impact assessment permit had been revoked for review. According to the residents, the review followed concerns about the assessment process and whether public objections had been properly considered.
