Firm breaks ground for the Sh3.2 billion phase three project

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua (right) and Erdemann Property Chief Executive Zeyun Yang, during the commissioning of phase 3 of the low cost houses in Athi River Machakos County. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Real estate firm Erdemann Property Limited last Thursday broke ground for its Sh3.2 billion Great Wall Gardens Three project in Athi River, Machakos.

“Since inception, Erdemann Property Limited has built over 4,600 housing units and successfully handed over more than 4,000 units to home-buy owners. Majority of these developments have been done in Machakos County,” said Zeyun Yang, Managing Director of Erdemann Property Limited.

The development got a reprieve last month when Parliament directed the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to give the Erdemann Property the license to develop it.

The environment regulator was accused of frustrating the developer over its dispute with brewer, London Distillers Kenya.

The developer and residents of Great Wall gardens have been at odds with the manufacturer, accusing London Distillers of emptying toxic waste into Athi River.

Erdemann had complained that they were suffering losses running into millions of shillings per day as a result of the delay.

The project that will have 688 units should be ready in July 2020.

It has Horicon Engineering Solutions as contractor and Eng F Mwangi as the civil engineer.

“We look forward to further develop the proposed GWG (Great Wall Gardens) 4, 5, 6 and 7 of affordable housing projects to meet the ever increasing demand as evidenced by the influx of residents and workers in Athi River...,” said Yang, who appealed to the National Government to provide more incentives towards participants of The Big 4 agenda on affordable housing.

Speaking at the event, Machakos County Governor Alfred Mutua said the county will come up with a master plan that will guide development in the areas surrounding Mavoko sub-county.

“I hereby also call upon investors in this area to help us by building infrastructures in the neighbourhoods and avoid waiting upon the County Government to even construct roads leading to their residences,” he said.

The remarks came after the developer said lack or shortage of services necessary for the housing sector like access roads, shortage of water and lack of essential infrastructure like sewer lines, were affecting development of real estate sector in the county.

The project comes after the successful completion of 2,173-unit Great Wall Gardens 1, the near completion of Great Wall Gardens 2 (with 592 units) and the ongoing River Estate Ngara.

The River Estate, with planned eight 34-floor apartment blocks is touted to become Nairobi’s tallest estate once complete.

Earlier this year, another of the developer’s projects - Seefar Apartments in Langata, Nairobi -  was in the eye of a storm after Nema and the Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) ordered their demolition, saying they were on the Nairobi dam riparian reserve.

Homeowners got a reprieve in March this year after Parliament ordered the withdrawal of the demolition notice.

Last year, members of the National Assembly Environment committee had Nema and Warma to consider destroying Nairobi Dam instead.

This after it emerged that the developer had acquired all the necessary approvals for the project.

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