Zimbabwe: Harare Tightens Service Station Rules, Sets 1.5km Minimum Spacing Distance

What the report says

Harare City Council has introduced tighter rules for approving new service stations, according to New Zimbabwe, which reported the changes through AllAfrica. The measures were outlined during a tour by Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development, amid concern about the growing number of fuel stations, especially in or near residential areas.

The city’s planning officials said new service stations must now be spaced at least 1.5 kilometres apart and built on stands of at least 2,000 square metres. The council also said applicants will need to place a public notice board at the proposed site, showing the project details and informing nearby residents that they can object or make submissions before a decision is reached.

In addition, developers must secure an Environmental Impact Assessment approved by the Environmental Management Agency before construction starts, and approvals from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority are also required. For sites near homes, the council said it will enforce separation distances between fuel-related structures and residences, and may require boundary walls where stations share a border with residential property.

Acting director of Urban Planning Samuel Nyabezi said the policy is intended to improve order, safety and public participation, and that each application will be judged on its own merits. The committee’s visit also raised scrutiny over some existing stations located close to homes, highlighting broader tensions over urban land use and traffic planning in Harare.