WALVIS BAY – The Walvis Bay municipal council plans to complete the first phase of Farm 37, which will see at least 677 erven ready for residents within the next six months.
The plots will cost approximately N$60 000.
This was announced by Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes during a series of public meetings that are currently underway at the town to brief residents on council’s development
plans.
Forbes told residents although council does not have money, they have come up with partnerships that will see plots being developed in Narraville and town as well.
“We will be focusing on portion 10 and 11 at Farm 37 or rather Green Valley that will yield 677 plots, and residents will have an option to repay the plots up to 20 years,” Forbes said.
He added the 677 plots will be fully serviced within the next six months.
According to him, council has done a lot of work to make this a reality, as Farm 37 has been in the pipeline since 2016.
It was identified in 2016 by the former council and the late Erongo governor Cleophas Mutjavikua as the solution to the housing shortage the town is facing.
It is situated about 7km east of Walvis Bay. Plans were to move some of the 50 000 residents that are either renting or living in backyard shacks to Farm 37.
The area has the potential to yield at least 30 000 erven, and it was also approved by government during Covid-19 for the relocation of about 800 residents as part of its decongestion programme.
According to Forbes, council also wants to service at least 600 plots in Narraville and Meersig; however, it would go into public-private partnerships (PPP) to make this a reality.
“We decided to enter in PPP agreements to service four extensions in Narraville and extension eight in Meersig, as council simply do not have the funds to service these blocks,” Forbes said.
Meanwhile, councillor Ryan Gordon last week also tabled a motion to lobby for erven for low-income earners at the town.
Gordon in an interview also told New Era their residents do not want houses but plots within their means.
“Our people don’t want houses; they want a piece of land they can transform into their own homes with their own time, according to what they can afford,” Gordon said.
Caption (Plots):
Plots… The Walvis Bay municipal council will make 677 plots available at approximately N$60 000 each.
Photo: Eveline de Klerk