The State Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to construct 10,000 houses on a 56-acre parcel of land that was recently repossessed from grabbers in Nairobi’s Industrial Area.
Until it was repossessed, the land initially belonged to the Kenya Meteorological Department but was transferred to five private firms in 2005.
After the Environmental and Land Court revoked the title deeds issued to the five firms, the Ministry of Lands is now in the process of re-issuing the deeds to the Treasury, which will hold the land in trust for the State Department of Housing.
“The development of the housing units will be on the land that initially belonged to the Kenya Meteorological Department and is being transferred for this use and to be under the National Treasury as its trustee,” said the State Department.
“There will also be change of use for this specific piece of land from a zoning perspective, from industrial to residential.”
The housing units are expected to benefit dwellers of informal settlements in Mukuru slum.
“A total of 10,000 affordable units are planned in the long-term. The number of units projected for construction is between 3,000 and 5,000 per year.”
The project will have 375 blocks, each with five levels. Each block has 40 units, translating to eight units per floor, Standard reports.
“The site falls within an industrial area as per zoning regulations, but change of use is being sought to allow the land be used for residential purposes,” said the State Department in an impact assessment report.
The Housing Department is also seeking stakeholder views on the planned development.
