Assessing the development control measures in new towns in Uganda; a case study of Nakifuma- Naggalama Town Council, Nakifuma East Ward.

Abstract

Development control is the main tool used in regulating the urban environment especially in housing development. It is aimed at enhancing environmental quality, efficient delivery of utility services, beautiful layout and access, optimum land use, improved housing conditions, privacy among residents and proper ventilation, among others. In spite of the role development control plays, there are still issues of haphazard development in our urban areas. This then questions the effectiveness of development control mechanism in new towns. This study therefore sought to examine the effectiveness of development control activities in regulating housing in Nakifuma East. The study was carried out through the administration of structured and semi structured questionnaire to some selected homeowners, business people, developers. The responses revealed a low rate of awareness of developers about the key idea of housing development regulations but they however lack adequate knowledge in the various components and requirements of building and development permits which forms the basic tool used in regulating housing development. The inadequate knowledge about the detailed aspect of development control affected developer’s compliance to regulations. The study also identified problems hindering effective development control from inadequate personnel, inadequate supervision of on-going developments, lack of organized public education on development control mechanism, and above all, lack of coordination between the various stakeholders of development control. All these have resulted in the ineffectiveness of development control in regulating housing development in the Nakifuma-East ward. With the identified problems, the study made a number of recommendations. They included; need to build institutional capacity, intensifying planning education, coordination and co-operation between the development control agencies, enforcement sanctions among others.