National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe says the over 1,5 million housing backlog is being addressed as improving the livelihoods of the ordinary citizenry is a top government priority.

Speaking during the launch of Mashview Gardens Cluster House project by Mashonaland Holdings in Bluff Hill recently, Minister Garwe said the project is ample proof that the private sector is heeding government’s clarion call to partner the State and councils in reducing the national housing backlog which currently stands at about 1,5 million housing units with effective demand of 1,3 million units.

“In addressing the housing backlog, government will collaborate with various stakeholders, including companies and other pension and provident funds, insurance companies and other members of the corporate world in order to make a difference,” Minister Garwe said.

“It goes without saying that sustainable, modern and affordable housing is vital and our children and their descendants are more likely to have better outcomes in life if they are brought up in safe and conducive homes with schools and other ancillary social amenities available.

“Government has also approved the policy of densification which encourages optimum utilisation of land taking cognisance of the need to preserve productive agricultural land.

“In order to optimally utilise land, the policy instructs local authorities and land developers to set aside 40 percent of planned developable land for high rise construction to forestall urban sprawl.”

Mashview Gardens is sitting on 2.3 hectares of land. When completed it will have 25 modern cluster houses with each unit sitting on stand sizes ranging between 600-900square metres with a generous floor area of 190m².

The concept design of the cluster houses offers two types of single-storey houses in a gated and walled complex offering 24-hour security, borehole water, beautiful gardens with an asphalt driveway and covered carport suitable for parking two family vehicles.

Each cluster house will have three bedrooms with type one house sitting on 190m² and with two of the three bedrooms with en-suites.

Type two houses have one en-suite bedroom and sit on 173m² floor area.

All the 25 units will have an entrance through shaded portico into generous hallway looking through to the established gardens, spacious double living and dining area with vaulted ceilings and exposed trusses. The kitchen will be fully fitted with granite tops.