The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu City Council has received the final draft of its new Physical Development Plan for scrutiny. The draft plan was developed by the Global Green Growth Initiative-GGGI through Mott MacDonald, an international firm with funding from the European Union under Greening Uganda’s Urbanization and Industrialization Project.
The draft plan which covers 255 square kilometers of land in Gulu city shall replace the current Physical Development Plan, which covers only 54.4 square kilometers. Evelyn Mukonyezi, the Gulu City Senior Physical Planner revealed that the new Physical Development Plan is more detailed than the current plan and has catered for the different land uses like Industrial parks, airports, cemeteries, forest reserves, high and medium density residential, urban agriculture, bus parks, and terminals, among others.
According to Mukonyezi, the maps of the Physical Development Plan are being displayed at all public places within the city for the general public to give their input before the final plan is produced and tabled before Gulu City Council and the National Physical Planning Board for approval. She says that they need Shillings 201.8 million to popularise the new Physical Development Plan.
Ronald McGill, the Project Lead and Program Manager of Greening Uganda’s Urbanization and Industrialization Green Growth Planning and Implementation revealed that the plan shall be displayed in the public places for public viewing and comments for 90 days, which began on May 24th, before the final changes are made.
According to McGill, the new Physical Development Plan will focus on alternative forms of energy as well as mitigating environmental degradation.
Christine Olok, the Gulu City Deputy Mayor revealed that the city authorities are committed to implementing the physical development plan once it becomes a working document. Sam Ocula, a resident of Gulu city raised concerns about the unapproved building plans being used in most construction projects within the city.
He says the new Physical Development Plan should be strict on the issues of approving building plans.
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