The Control of Peri‐Urban Areas and the Development of Small Towns
| Published date | 01 October 1958 |
| Date | 01 October 1958 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/j.1099-162X.1958.tb01179.x |
The
Control
of
Peri-
Urban
Areas
and
the
Development
of Small Towns
SECTION
VI
59·
One
of
the
most
important
and
intractable
urban
problems
is
that
of
Controlling settlements in
the
areas
surrounding
statutory
townships.
The
septic fringe is a
feature
common
to
many
urban
areas.
It
exists
partly
because
many
Africans
prefer
to live free
of
urban
controls
and
in dwellings
built
in
their
own
style, even if they
are
ramshackle
and
insanitary.
60. We consider in
paragraphs
66 to 73 below of this
report
the
administrative
problems raised by
the
existence
of
these areas.
Here
we
are
concerned
with
questions of
planning
and
general
problems
of
control.
6r.
In
paragraph
26 of
our
report
we
have
already
recommended
that
where
land
in
peri-urban
areas
is
held
by individuals
under
customary
or
other
tenures, it
should,
where
practicable,
be
adjudicated
and
recorded
and
the
record
kept
up
to
date.
In
this
way
it will
often
be possible to give
clear
and
secure titles to
the
holders
of
plots
and
so to
pave
the
way
either
for
the
payment
of
adequate
compensation,
if it is
decided
to
acquire
the
land
for
public
purposes
Or for consolidation
and
replanning.
This
procedure
should often be possible
\rherc
the
land
is
held
under
customary
tenure;
but
even
in those
circumstances
there
may
in some places be resistance to it
which
it is
not
possible to overcome,
and
which
it is considered politically
undesirable
to override.
In
such
circum-
stances
the
plot
holders themselves
may
be willing to
come
together
with
Government
guidance
in
order
to redevelop
the
area
on
planned
lines
themselves, in
which
case
they
should
be given
every
encouragement
and
all
POssible technical assistance;
but
it will still be necessary to devise some process
for
ascertaining
who
are
the
plot-holders.
62.
In
Northern
Rhodesia
peri-urban
areas
present
rather
special
problems
?Wing to
the
fact
that
the
land
surrounding
most
of
the
towns in
that
territory
IS
Crown
Land,
either
still
held
by
the
State
or
alienated
in freehold or
under
Very long lease to
private
persons.
VVe
are
informed
that
in
peri-urban
areas
Which
are
still
Crown
Land
it is
the
intention
of
the
Northern
Rhodesia
ｾｯｶ･ｲｮｭ･ｮｴ
to give
squatters
on
the
land
notice to
quit
and
to
provide
them
Instead
with
aserviced site
within
the
local
authority
area;
on this site
they
ｗｾｕ
be
permitted
initially to
erect
a
temporary
house
and
will be
required
Within two years to
erect
a
permanent
house,
which
may,
subject to
minimum
specifications, be
of
a low
constructional
standard.
Loan
assistance will
be
available for the
permanent
house.
In
the
case
of
freehold
land
it is
the
intention
of the
Northern
Rhodesia
Government
to give the
owner
an
opportunity
to
establish a
private
township
under
licence
with
a
minimum
standard
of
co.nstruction, layout,
and
services.
He
will be
required
to
maintain
these
minimum
standards
under
licence.
If
he is
unwilling
to establish a
private
tOwnship on these conditions, he will be
ordered
to abolish
peri-urban
settle-
ment
of
squatters
on his
land
altogether.
63·
Where
a
peri-urban
area
is
either
brought
within
a
town
or
brought
under
control
and
re-development,
it will
almost
certainly
be necessary for
some
of
the
land
to be
acquired
compulsorily for
public
purposes.
In
those
201
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