Development Constraints and Challenges in the Planning Zones Zone 3

This zone is fairly complicated being influenced by west lands commercial node that belongs to two zones. Most of Ngara and Parklands is rapidly commercializing with residential land use diminishing. It is undergoing intensive subdivision and redevelopment. A long the Highway from Museum to Westlands the buildings have converted to high rise mostly office blocks. Existing recreation facilities are the Old Asian sports facilities with diversified participation.

The Museum, Highway, Parklands road and Ojijo road is rapidly commercializing. It is receiving the overspill of commercial developments from the Westland node. Area above the

Museum on the high way side is occupied by hotels, professional offices, and Casino, and a long Parklands road, there are a number of hotels. The area below Westland node bounded by Parklands road is of mixed development with declining residential land use.

Tarifa road and Ojijo road block formally railway land and housing has undergone rapid redevelopment into apartments. Property should not open to the highway that is currently being constructed. Parklands road, Tarifa and the highway is mainly institutional area containing some residential.

The Ngara area/block is of mixed use and undergoing intensive change from residential to commercial. It is neighbouring the museum hill area that is mainly institutional, has also the boulevard hotel and Norfolk towers. The Ngara side has a commercial element while the river valley has the potential of being developed for recreational use. It has not been planned for organized recreational use by the public with conservation and protection at the forefront.

If left in its current state, it will be difficult to control and manage it. Commercial developments should be restricted a long Kijabe road.

The Limuru road Forest road block or UPPER part of Ngara is basically institutional while the lower part has mixed developments of residential and commercial. Residential is rapidly declining. Most developments on forest road have gone high rise of middle income residential and there is a presence of old Asian housing typologies. Beyond Muranga road, on the Ngara side there is residential comprising government housing quarter where there were earlier government offices. The developments between Forest road and Muranga road will be affected by the construction on Muranga raod and the Limuru road link particularly the inter change junction moving up to Ngara road area.

Main Parklands bounded by Mpaka road, sixth Parklands Avenue, Parklands road and Limuru road, is still dominantly residential but densities have increased from single dwelling, double storey to apartments. It is for both high and middle income, and contains a number of institutions within it. Besides the University of Nairobi Law School, there opposite side of Parklands road has Kenyatta University School of law. The high ridge shopping centre has been maintained at a central place. It has not attracted a lot of expansion. It seems not to have the direct commercial influence of Westlands node. There are spots of commercial within the area and intensification of land is towards maisonettes, and apartments/flats from bungalows and double storey. The Asian organize their housing as a grouped community with business interests. This is the original Parklands where the landscape begins to change from the dissected to more open land. It has the grid layout

Westlands lies between two zones, three and four and is rapidly expanding commercial centre with dense developments. It has a highly mixed functional land use character in terms of the mixture of commercial, residential and office development facilities. The main part has concentrated in the area defined by Mpaka road, Wayiaki Way Parklands Road, Lower Kabete road and Karuna road. It is expanding Northward between Ring road Parklands, Peponi road, and Parklands road and the whole area between Parklands road and Ojijo road and the Highway is undergoing rapid commercial development. There is also expansion of the centre towards South West across the highway towards Sports road, and also along the Highway on both sides up to the junction with James Gichuru It has become a major competitor in terms of business operation to the main CBD. The problem experienced is the lack of a plan to guide the development of the node. The development of the commercial centre appears to be piecemeal and haphazard lacking in any control. Much of the original residential units have been converted rapidly into commercial.

One of the problems of rapid growth is the control on building heights; some professionals have questioned on the expected heights of buildings. The lack of control is leading to the risk of a distorted image of the centre as a major node of urban development. Maximum heights are supposed to be at the centre and tapper off away.

There should be a limit as to how far Westland should accommodate growth to avoid becoming uncontrollable and costly due to negative externalities (congestion, lack of parking, pollution,etc.). Rapid growth is taking place without regard to infrastructure capacity: roads, mobility, water and sewerage.

Zone 4

The connections across the rivers Nairobi, Kirichwa Ndogo and Kubwa are non existent leading to connection and traffic flow problems. The plan of 1948, organized the layout on a tree model structured by the ridges and valleys hence no connections. Utility networks tend to follow the same layout. It did not benefit from the 1973 plan. It was predominantly residential of single dwelling but has changed rapidly into multiple dwelling either through subdivision or apartments. There is also sporadic establishment of commercial areas hence need for a proper land use plan to regulate development. The intensification is moving outwards from the centre. What was preserved as riparian has been allocated and intensive development is taking place in very low density areas. Riparian reserve control is weak in the entire planning area.

The sporadic spread of commercial areas is devoid of market catchment analysis such that some businesses operate in very close proximity limiting profitability of the investments.

Community and social facilities particularly schools in the area are inadequate (primary and pre-primary). Those available are high cost and mostly private which are not accessible to those who earn less income. Even for the high income, there is no enough schools owing to the increasing demand due to intensification of land use towards residential. Distribution of health and schools according to the population is very essential. The increased densification is taking place without commensurate expansion of infrastructure capacity. Westland node

cannot just be allowed to sprawl, it should be regulated. This implies alternatives of secondary nodes such as Dagoretti, Village Market, and immediate lower ones. This will inject some level of spatial equitability to avoid getting into diseconomies in future.

In the upper part of Zone 4 there is intensive development but no commensurate community, social, and commercial facilities. This upper part has more connectivity than the lower part.

The lower part between the river and the highway is isolated as all traffic is channeled back to Wayiaki way leading to congestion. It has a tree like road network hence poorly connected.

Lack of connectivity across the ridges exaggerates the traffic leading to congestion.

Kileleshwa is undergoing rapid redevelopment and increasing densities with no commensurate plans to increase the community and social services and facilities. In another 5-10 years it will be a place of lower of community and social facilities and services. It will therefore tend towards the slum conditions. The release of public land to private sector has played a role in increasing the development densities in this area. The present programmes for redevelopment do nopt incorporate the plans for community and social facilities besides the upgrading of physical infrastructure. It will become a very inefficient neighbourhood for community life. It lacks any specific commercial neighbourhood centre. The current haphazard location of commercial facilities along the traffic routes is not sustainable. It increases and exaggerates the problem of traffic.

The development of apartments in the area is against a background of inadequate capacity of infrastructure capacity. This could lead to poor living conditions in future. Densification is through subdivision and development of multiple dwelling units (apartments/flats). Typology of housing is changing from single dwelling to multiple dwelling leading to increase in population. This is leading to environmental stress manifested in increases surface run off, and destruction of greenery. The riparian reserve has been abused in this area. Although the area has a number of rivers they have not been used for recreation. A move in the direction of using them for recreation with compatible uses will enhance the protection of the riparian.

The developments around Kirichwa Kubwa area and Denis Pritt road are also isolated having fewer exit options. This results in congestions on the roads. The upper Kileleshwa behind Lavington is undergoing a lot of redevelopment through high rise and subdivision. The available commercial area are in Valley Arcade and Lavington.

Moving towards Kilimani the lower part of Lenana road there are military installations, embassies as well as state house. There is need to regulate developments in this area. From Rose Avenue westwards the intensity of development picks up of deluxe apartments. The

efficient operation and connectivity. The area is inadequately provided with community and social facilities. Although there has been an increase in private sector provision of social services, education, health, including recreation, they are not planned in relation to the rapid redevelopment taking place in the area. Originally the area was low density high income single dwelling, but has changed into apartments for both middle and high income. Due to focus on high cost developments (residential, commercial and offices, land values have shot up beyond the resident population capacity. Rental values are among the highest in the City ranging from 50,000 to over 100,000. It is dominated by walk up apartments. The developments are basically for economic gain and speculation. Apartments are basically for sale and not for rental. The influx of the Somali Money has also led to the high property values in the area besides remittances. This poses the question whether this can be sustained in the long run. Purchase of the units is likely to experience market freeze and hence less demand for residential units. It is impossible to purchase the units on mortgage. The speculative forces are likely to hit a crisis leading to serious economic problems. This tends to perpetuate housing demand shortfall especially for the majority. The housing provided does not respond to the needs of the lower income workers in the area.

Argwings Kodek cannot be sustained as a corrider of commercial development. There is need for the development of a node that is more viable and accessible to the inner areas of zone 4.

Institutions are scattered in some places which requires consolidation and exit and entry along the major primary roads becomes difficult. Enhancement of linkage can be enhanced by connecting Olenguruone road to Dennis Pritt road. Argwings Kodek and Ole Odume road has been the main public transport spine. Kileleshwa and the upper parts require connection to the City as well as connection between the ridges. The speculative behavior of the growth of the City has denied the most parts of the City of a proper road hierarchy. Below the Impala club there is public housing of middle income. There are isolated strings of commercial development on the major highway of Ngong. These development efforts require consolidation in one node.

Ole Odume road, Gitanga road and Riara road, there are increasing redevelopment of increased density for both residential and commercial. Within this area there is no community and social facilities. Within certain subzones residents have put in place regulations to control development.

Zone 5

The commercial node in Lavington is quite central but has not shown any prospects of growth. It lacks capacity to satisfy the demands of residents within the area. People access commercial services from other surrounding nodes. Lavington node requires expansion.

Gitanga road spine, link to Ole Dume and Argwings is key link to the city centre for public transport vehicles and private motorists. To increase alternatives there is need for another particularly from Lavington through parts of zone 4 to in Kileleshwa to City Centre. Bernard estate and Lavington are undergoing intense redevelopment of higher densities through subdivisions into smaller plots but for single dwelling. High way and Manyani road west

Comprises high class residential buildings or developments. There is a presence of institutions at Ewaso Nyiro Park.

The landscape has quite a number of streams and is quite dissected. There is increasing density of housing of double storey. Plot sizes range from 1 acre to a quarter an acre depending on availability of services. The area below the highway has scarcity of community and social services and experiences poor connectivity. The scale of population growth is not commensurate with the available community and social facilities. There is a high presence of private schools in the area. Public schools within zone 4 and 5 are not serving the local community within. The area of Strathmore linking riverside is undergoing redevelopment.

There is also conflict of redevelopment with riparian areas. The connectivity of the ridges should be explored to ease movement of vehicle and people. ABC area has very high values and contains single dwelling residential development and some professional offices. The Kianda triangle has some serene environment that is attractive to high class residential units mostly of low density single dwelling. Increased redevelopment is taking place on Chalbi drive through subdivision. Initially Lavington had large plot sizes but has transformed into smaller plots. Typology of units has changed due to introduction of double units and smaller plot sizes as well as a number of units put on a single plot. It has aspects of gated communities taking place without upgrading infrastructure facilities and services as well as community and social facilities and services. On the upper part of Wayiaki way there is public institutions. Beyond the subzone, there is Kiuna public housing scheme of medium and low density. The upper areas of zone five have low density high cost residential developments. Some have converted into professional offices while plot sizes remain large of over half acre. The connectivity of the upper zone is poor showing the piecemeal approach to planning and development. Cross linkage is poor for both roads and water and sewerage.

Community and social facilities are scanty in this area and commercial nodes are scarce or the available have stagnated in growth and few for the vast area. Planning of this area should incorporate commercial nodes, community and social facilities and also apply to zone 13.

Useful linkages should be created across the valley ridges to make it more effective in terms of mobility. A hierarchy of neighbourhoods should be identified to be used as a basis of provision of a variety of nodes, and particularly a local commercial node. It also lacks a public transport system making it difficult for those who work in this area. There is no provision for the low income earners in this place in terms of housing, affordable commercial facilities, community and social services. It explains the presence of slums, kiosks within and proximity of the areas to the informal settlement areas of Kangemi, Dagoretti, Mathare and Kibera.

 Diminishing tree cover in all the zones

 No commensurate growth in community, and social facilities and services as redevelopment towards high densities goes on.

 Patchwork approach to the development of zone 5 based on piece meal isolated comprehensive planning has a lot of inadequacies.

Overall spatial framework of reorganization based on the following

 Nodal system of reorganization to redistribute the concentration of developments based on a hierarchy-Higher level (Westland, Dagoretti, and Village Market), Second level (lavington, Yaya, Hurlingham) and lower level.

 Transport and infrastructure linkages (to the nodes and hierarchies, public transport systems, links to the rest of city,

 Drainage and riparian system which is the heritage of the City

 Enhanced institutional capacity in terms of personnel, and resources to implement and enforce planned development in collaboration with the city residents.

3.11 Institutional and Capacity Building