By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, April 28, Mana: As Government intends to commence implementation of the amended Physical Planning Act of 2022, it has hinted that there will be massive restructuring of urban areas by demolishing infrastructures that have been developed on restricted areas.

Principal Secretary for Lands Devie Chilonga issued the warning on Saturday in Salima at a meeting for registered Physical Planners on Stream-lining Physical Planning activities in accordance with the Physical Planning Act of 2016 as amended in 2022.

According to Chilonga human settlement has taken center stage in moving into undesignated areas especially arable land meant for food production, being turned into dwelling places.

"Cities have turned chaotic, everyone is developing without consulting physical planners, people are even settling in dangerous areas, some of these areas are prone to disasters, posing a threat to human lives," he said.

He said the role of Physical Planners in the country should be highly recognized and respected for proper infrastructural development.

Chilonga said it is imperative for everyone especially in cities to seek permission and inputs from a certified Physical Planner before embarking on big projects.

“There will come a time when we will still demolish any structure that is wrongly placed, it may take years after being issued with a warning notice, but when we are ready, the law will take its cause,” said Chilonga.

He said the Ministry of Lands has been piloting implementation of the new land laws under key land-based development projects, especially in the agriculture sector.

"It is our belief that this engagement between Ministry of Lands and the Physical Planning Fraternity from various institutions and Private Sector, is crucial as it will help in coming up with the best practice in operationalizing the new legal structures, such as the Physical Planning Act," he said.

The Physical Panning Act has made provision for the establishment of the Physical Planning Council which is an appeal body for the aggrieved parties on application for planning permission for development decisions.

President of the Malawi Institute of Physical Planners, Gilbert Chilinde, acknowledged the ineffective implementation of national structure plans, attributing it to lack of enforcement by local councils.

Chilinde said it is high time the country starts to develop according to set standards as stipulated in the national structure plans.

He therefore called upon Physical Planners to work hand in hand with the Ministry of Lands so that they should be up to date with emerging legal issues in the field.

The meeting also looked into modalities of revising the 1987 National Physical Development Plan to align it with the Malawi 2063 agenda.