Tatu City secures key approvals, set to kick off soon
8 March 2012
Approvals, court ruling and personnel recruitment adds impetus to Kenya’s Tatu City The ultra-modern Tatu City, located on the outskirts of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, continues to make significant and important progress. Critical approvals recently obtained from the National Environmental Management Authority, as well as a favorable ruling by the High Court on April 16, have given the multi-million dollar project a boost. Construction of Phase 1AA of the project is set to begin after the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) gave a green light to the project saying it has met all key criteria for environment conservation and management. Further, a decision by a High Court Judge earlier this week that the multiple cases related to Tatu City be consolidated is certain to unlock the protracted litigation surrounding the project. Phase 1AA comprises 3,000 residential units, 86,000 square meters of commercial office space, 31,000 square meters of retail floor space, public service transport interchanges, health facilities and recreational parks. The first residential occupants and business tenants should start moving into their apartments and offices and shops in late 2013. The approval by NEMA is viewed as crucial considering the scope and complexity of the project. Tatu City is one of the largest projects ever cleared by the environmental agency. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was among the most comprehensive ever submitted to the regulator and the first by a private company. Tatu City is founded on principles of prudent environmental management and sustainability. Ruiru Municipal Council, the local authority under whose jurisdiction Tatu City falls, granted initial approvals for the project last year. Phase 2 of the project is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2013 with the construction of a techno-park. In late March, Tatu City embarked on recruiting the executive team to steer the project including a Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. It also recruited a Finance Manager, Tax manager, Marketing Manager, Delivery Manager, Senior Construction Planner, Scheduler and Corporate Secretary will also come on board. As it unfolds, Tatu City will radically change the face of the Nairobi Metropolis by shifting development away from the familiar congested model around a single urban node to a decentralized urban environment. The multi-million dollar development comprises mixed-use, mixed-income residential, commercial, tourism, social and recreation amenities. It will be home to an estimated 70,000 residents and create close on 220,000 short term construction jobs and over 115,000 permanent jobs. Tatu City is one of the key flagship projects on urbanization under Kenya's Vision 2030.
Sincerely,
Arnold Meyer
Interim CEO, Tatu City Ltd
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