Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Daniel Garwe has hailed the country’s leading property developer, West Property for its contribution towards the government’s vision of delivering decent and mass accommodation to citizens.
Garwe made the remarks on Friday last week while officiating at a function where West Property was handing over keys to 60 households who purchased properties at its Millenium Heights in Borrowdale.
“The housing delivery pillar in the National Development Strategy 1 is expected to deliver 470 000 units by 2025 and all this is being done in partnership with the private sector and we are humbled by the participation of our private sector and West Property in particular. The contribution to date of the private from 2018 to date is about 156 000 housing units, our initial target was to produce 220 000 houses by 2023, we have since revised the figures from 220 000 to 470 000 because of the private sector,” said Garwe.
He added that as government they were charmed by West Property’s campaign to Bring Dubai to Zimbabwe saying gone should be the days when people build horizontally but vertically.
“This campaign, Bring Dubai to Zimbabwe resonates very well with the ministry’s thrust towards establishment of mass settlements where people can live, work play in modern environment,” said Garwe.
He also reiterated government’s efforts to end the scourge of land barons which has resulted in sprouting of unplanned settlements across the country.
“Our vision as government is to see structures which depict a growing and prosperous economy where our people are guaranteed of settlements which allows them to thrive and conduct their day to day activities in a conducive environments. We are not getting off on the call to put an end to the scourge of land barons which has led to the growth of unplanned settlements,” added Garwe.
Speaking at the same function, West Property Chief Executive Officer, Ken Sharpe said his company has a deliberate policy where 50 percent of the development space will be green open areas.
“We have a deliberate green policy for all our developments. The strategy for Millennium Park involves having over 50% green open areas, Pomona City will be similar and Warren Hills to set a record breaking 80% plus open space in which plants, shrubs and trees and lawns will be planted not only in the open spaces but also on the buildings themselves,” said Sharpe.
