By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK A new, multi-million-dollar township north of the city is one of the largest township developments planned by Trustco Group International to address the housing deficit for both low and middle-income city dwellers. The area, to be called the “Trustco Hills Township” is located around Lafrenz Industrial Area, sandwiched between the Western Bypass and the Brakwater Service Road north of Monte Christo Road. With an estimated N$50 million intended for servicing the land alone as well as a tho-roughly revised map layout, the company intends to develop a whole new township on a 351-hectare plot of land, bought from a private individual about two years ago. The portion of land measures 351 hectares, but because of the hilly topography, only about 170 to 200 hectares would be developed for low and middle-income groups housing. This is one of Trustco’s biggest property developments ever. Trustco property manager, Monica Pienaar, told New Era yesterday that approximately 500 plots of erven not smaller than 300 square meters to cost between N$250 000 and N$400 000 will go to the low and middle-income market in dire need of housing. “We saw an opportunity to serve the community’s backlog on housing and thereby ploughing back into the community,” said Pienaar. Having worked on the project for some time, the private developers have already done the entire layout design in consultation with the city council, to ensure they incorporate all municipal requirements. While the first phase comprising 36 hectares would consist of 500 plots, a further 1 200 – 1 300 erven would come from the remaining piece of land to host residential houses, a primary school, churches, open green spaces, four to six town houses, flats as well as a business shopping complex. Project coordinator Nico van der Westhuizen said the entire layout should be approved by the City of Windhoek in April/May this year, after which construction is expected to begin. Currently, the city is growing at a fast rate as increasing numbers of people are lured to it in search of better job and housing opportunities. However, the trend has for many years been that thousands of people find themselves either homeless or end up erecting shacks in informal settlements. Developing the new township would be carried out in three phases, where construction will first start on the southern side. To guide the clients along, four to six show houses would be built with different designs, after which houses will be built on a plot-and-plan basis. In other developments, Trustco Group International plans to start building a 45-apartment complex for the (4 500 square metre) Lang-strand development along the coastline, (between Swa-kopmund and Walvis Bay) this month.