A Review of the Contribution of the Real Estate Sector Towards the Attainment of the New Urban Agenda in Zimbabwe

The real estate sector makes a significant contribution in an economy driving the shaping, configuration and transformation of the built environment to address the dynamic current and future needs of a society. This chapter reviews the contribution of real estate in Zimbabwe towards the attainment of the New Urban Agenda adopted in 2016 to expedite the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 11. The New Urban Agenda provides a comprehensive framework to guide and track urbanisation globally underpinned on four core dimensions including social, economic, environmental and spatial sustainability. The real estate sector has played a significant role in the Zimbabwean economy from the colonial period through infrastructure projects, commercial, industrial and special purpose developments. However, from the year 2000 when government adopted the Fast Track Land Reform Programme, the real estate sector has experienced a myriad of challenges. The chapter reviews how the real estate sector has contributed towards the attainment of the NUA within a spatial planning framework that regulates its activities in the context of public interest to achieve sustainable development. The chapter is informed by the qualitative research approach. Data were collected through key informant interviews with officials from central government, local planning authorities and institutional property investors. The data were analysed through content review and thematic analysis. The study revealed that the outdated national land policy, spatial planning legislation and by-laws, poor land governance and administrative framework and the prevailing harsh economic environment have negatively affected the availability and servicing of land for urban development, significantly weakening the real estate sector. Therefore, the study recommends expediting conclusion of reviewing the national land policy, spatial planning legislation and the Model Building By-laws, setting up of a clear land governance and administrative framework and adoption of consistent favourable macro-economic policies to enable the real estate sector to meaningfully contribute towards attainment of the New Urban Agenda in Zimbabwe.