ANALYSIS OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS’ COMPLIANCE IN KITENGELA TOWN, KAJIADO COUNTY, KENYA BY: WATHOME EMMANUEL MAKATO B63/68730/2013 A PLANNING RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN PLANNING UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI SEPTEMBER, 2016 DECLARATION This Planning Research Project is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. Name: Emmanuel Makato Wathome Signed …………………………………… Date……………………………… CANDIDATE This Planning Research Project has been submitted for examination with my approval as University supervisor. Name: Dr. Romanus Opiyo Signature …………………………………. Date…………………………………. SUPERVISOR ii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this report to my parents Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Wathome, my son Baxton Baraka and wife Winfred Sammy for their unconditional love, support and encouragement throughout the course of this work. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank all those who have supported me and facilitated the fieldwork and writing of this Research Project Report. Special gratitude goes to all academic staff members of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Nairobi. I single out Dr. Romanus Opiyo who was my supervisor for his guidance and series of corrections and comments. I would also like to acknowledge the staff of Kajiado County (Planning, Public Work/Engineering and Public Health Departments) for the timely provision of relevant information and members of my class of M.A (Planning) 2013/2014 for their inspiring, motivating as well as constructive critic which kept me going thought out the postgraduate course. iv ABSTRACT Urbanization is taking place in all parts of the world. In developing countries like Kenya, urban development has been taking place in a haphazard way especially in Nairobi’s satellite towns such as Kitengela. This has been attributed to violation of development control regulations. Several development control tools which provide the set development control regulations have been provided to guide and control development in these urban areas. However, the violation of these development control regulations has persisted resulting to unhealthy environment, lack of aesthetics, inadequacy of provisions of public utilities and open spaces. The study sought to identify and document previous and current development control tools used to guide and control physical development in Kitengela Town, investigate the level of compliance with development control regulations in Kitengela Town, assess the factors affecting compliance, establish the effects of the development control tools compliance level to the urban spatial structure and propose possible intervention measures for the effective development control regulations compliance. The study used semi-structured questionnaires to interview 40 households and 24 developers and a checklist to collect data on 40 developments. It also used interview schedules to interview 4 key informant. The collected data was analyzed using spatial analysis, descriptive analysis and basic computation using computer programs such as SPSS and Excel in analyzing the data. The study found out that; Currently, Kitengela Zoning Plan (2012) is the main development control tool for Kitengela Town, the average development control regulations’ compliance level is at 59.5% and the main factors contributing to development control regulations’ non-compliance are; high statutory and professional fees (at 25%), corruption (at 22.5%), aspiration of developers to maximise returns from their land (at 17.5%), ignorance (at 10%) and low levels of public awareness (at 7.5%). The study has established that there is moderate negative relationship between building line size and plot coverage and the main effects of development control regulations’ non-compliance include; environmental degradation, vulnerability to loss of lives and property, congestion, inadequacy of public purpose spaces, loss of desirable neighbourhood character and inadequacy of parking spaces. The study concludes that the main driver of development control regulations’ compliance is the effectiveness of the development proposal evaluation process, development supervision and inspection. The study therefore recommends introduction of a computerized development v application system and adoption of one stop shop concept such as e-construction permit management system which has been a success in Kigali-Rwanda, establishment of an e-consultation portal for development control, devolution of development control institutions to the sub-county level, enforcement of development control through criminal offence, establishment of an independent development control oversight institution, zone based statutory fee and gazettement and listing of registered and licensed development professionals. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................ iv ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... v ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................................xiii CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Research Objectives ......................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Research Hypothesis ........................................................................................................ 6 1.6 Geographical and Contextual Scope ................................................................................ 6 1.7 Justification ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.8 Assumptions ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.9 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER TWO : LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Development Control ..................................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Objectives of Development Control ....................................................................... 14 2.2.2 Development Control Tools/Instruments ................................................................ 15 2.2.3 Development Control Regulations .......................................................................... 15 2.2.4 Development Control Elements .............................................................................. 18 2.2.5 Development Control Process ................................................................................. 19 2.2.6 Approaches of Development Control ..................................................................... 21 2.3 Implications of Development Control on Urban Development ..................................... 23 2.4 Development Control and Satellite Towns Development .............................................. 23 2.5 Factors affecting Compliance with Development Control Regulations ........................ 24 2.5.1 Lack of Approved Physical Development Plans ..................................................... 25 2.5.2 Laxity in Processing Development Applications .................................................... 25 2.5.3 High Professional Fees ........................................................................................... 26 2.5.4 High Poverty Levels ............................................................................................... 26 2.5.5 Lack of awareness of the existence of Development Control Regulations ............. 26 2.5.6 Poor Enforcement Machinery ................................................................................. 27 2.5.7 Political Interference and lack of Political Will ...................................................... 27 vii 2.5.8 Restrictive Planning Regulations ............................................................................ 28 2.5.9 Effects of Market Forces ......................................................................................... 28 2.5.10 Concluding Remark .............................................................................................. 28 2.6 Effects of Non-Compliance to Development Control Regulations ................................ 29 2.6.1 Land Use Conflicts and Demolitions ...................................................................... 29 2.6.2 Fines and/or