The City of Harare has announced a raft of tougher regulations for the construction of new fuel service stations, a move intended to restore order and safety in the rapidly expanding sector. The new measures, which include a minimum 1.5km distance between stations, compulsory public notices, and mandatory environmental assessments, were revealed during a tour of service stations by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development.
Acting Director of Urban Planning Samuel Nyabezi told the committee that all new service station applications must now comply with stricter spatial and consultative requirements. Under the new policy, any proposed fuel station must be built on a stand of at least 2,000 square metres to allow sufficient space for ancillary facilities. Crucially, there must be a minimum distance of 1.5 kilometres between one service station and the next.
Nyabezi explained that applicants will be required to erect a billboard at the proposed site displaying the development plans and informing the public and neighbouring property owners of their right to object or make representations to the local planning authority. These representations will be considered before any decision is made.
Furthermore, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approved by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and an approval from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) are now prerequisites before construction can commence. For stations located near residential areas, the council will enforce minimum separation distances between fuel infrastructure and homes. Where a station shares a boundary with residential properties, developers must construct specified boundary walls.
The tightening of rules comes amid growing concern over the rapid spread of fuel stations, especially in residential neighbourhoods. Committee members questioned why some existing stations had been allowed to operate in close proximity to homes. Nyabezi assured that all new applications would be assessed on their individual merits under the revised guidelines. The City of Harare’s move is expected to bring greater public participation and environmental oversight to fuel station development across the capital.
