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Acting President Constantino Chiwenga has said the time of unplanned urban and rural settlements was over and called on local authorities to plan urban expansion in line with Government’s vision to achieve a middle income economy by 2030.

The Acting President said this while officially opening a two day Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing workshop on spatial planning.

“The era of unplanned urban and rural settlements is gone. We need to take spatial planning seriously and it is my hope that this workshop will come up with sound and sustainable solutions that address the challenges that local authorities are faced with today,” he said.

“It goes without saying that the mushrooming of new suburbs that have become an eyesore in many parts of our cities and towns, is a consequence of either the absence of, or poor spatial planning.

Acting President Chiwenga said any development should be guided by Master, Local and Layout Plans to create orderly, healthy, safe, functional and attractive environments.

More to follow. . .