By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
CITY COUNCIL REVOKES PLANNING PERMISSION FOR A GAS STATION AT PLAYHOUSE
LUSAKA- Saturday,15th May 2022
THE Lusaka City Council has revoked the planning permission granted to Haas Petroleum Zambia Limited to develop a filling station at Stand No.2637 at the Corner of; Church and Nasser Road.
Haas Petroleum had signed and obtained a 25-year lease with the Lusaka Cooperatives Society that runs the Playhouse.
Haas leased 30 of the 61 parking slots to allow a mixed-use development including a gas station, quick shop, amenities and Automated Teller Machines.
Haas Petroleum was expected to compensate and develop 112 parking slots on Nasser Road.
The company was also expected to refurbish and rehabilitate the decaying Playhouse.
But Lusaka City Council Town Clerk says the planning permission has been revoked due to public interest surrounding the premises and matter.
He said the application may be considered when the concerns and observation regarding the matter have been attended to by the Committee.
Earlier in the week, Lusaka Cooperatives Society Interim Chairperson Henry Phiri said the Committee had heightened engagement with artists and stakeholders and hoped that the misunderstanding and public outrage rose because of false information that the premises was sold.
The permit should never have been granted. This is a typical case of a misapplied prescription to cure financial ills. The state should take responsibility to rehabilitate arts and cultural sites just like it does with sports stadia. Neglecting these infrastructures epitomises our poor appreciation and understanding of the importance of the arts and our cultural heritage. In addition the councils should ensure decluttering our cities by avoiding filling up every available open space with brick and mortar. We need parks and animal habitats in our cities. Seattle in the US, has 26 parks alone, while here we’ve been busy building shopping malls, houses in Forest 27, or a national house of prayer on a valuable natural habitat. This uncivility is deeply sickening and worrisome.
Typical stone age Zambian mentality. How can the country develop with mediocre minds of opposing everything and everyone with progressive and self sustaining ideas?