NCDC: Redevelopment proper

 By HELEN TARAWA

RESIDENTS of Gerehu have been assured by the National Capital District Commission that the developers of Badu Park followed proper procedures in obtaining the land title.

The land, which was used by residents as a recreational area, was recently developed to build properties.

Deputy city manager regulatory services Kenneth Atasoa said the NCD Physical Planning Board had approved the construction of bedroom units as the land was zoned residential in accordance with the NCD Zoning Plan. 

Atasoa said the applicant owned the title to the piece of land known as Section 50 Lot 268 Hohola (Gerehu), also known as Badu Park. 

“Although it has been assumed all this time that the area was designated as a playing field, our records shows that it has always remained as residential zone,” he said. 

“Records of the NCD Physical Planning Board minutes up to 2001 showed that there was no application for change of zone over this allotment. Therefore it remains a residential zone hence the development was in order for approval.”

NCDC Regulatory Services records show that the lease was forfeited in 2004 and readvertised in the National Gazette in 2006 and granted to a Mobile City Rentals Ltd who sold it to the current developer in 2012. 

Atasoa said the only recourse left for anyone aggrieved by the NCD board approval was to seek a judicial review of the decision in court.

On recent reports of land grabbing in Port Moresby, Atasoa said this was a different case to Tokarara, which was a zoned open space.

The NCDC has a special purpose lease for playing fields.