This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
On Thursday, real estate firm Erdemann Property Limited broke ground for its Sh3.2 billion Great Wall Gardens Three project in Athi River, Machakos County. The project, which will have 688 housing units, is expected to be ready in July 2020.
According to Erdemann Property's Managing Director, Zeyun Yang, the company has built over 4,600 housing units since its inception and has successfully handed over more than 4,000 units to homebuyers. Majority of these developments have been done in Machakos County.
The project got a reprieve last month when Parliament directed the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to give 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.
Machakos County Governor Alfred Mutua, who spoke at the event, said the county will come up with a master plan that will guide development in the areas surrounding Mavoko sub-county. He also called upon investors in the area to help build infrastructure in the neighborhoods and avoid waiting for the county government to construct roads leading to their residences.
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.
