Lagos plans seven new town development schemes

BETTER days are ahead if plans by the Lagos State Government to create new towns across the state, is anything to by. But, there are indications that the Babatunde Fashola administration is determined to lay a solid foundation for the projects, which may be completed by the next executive.

The need for the projects, are overwhelming, some state officials have said. One, it is meant to decongest the metropolis and to open up the semi-rural settings, thereby reducing the pressure on the urban centres and its infrastructure. Last week, The Guardian learnt that arrangements to deliver these projects are in top gear, as lands have already been earmarked in different parts of the state. Preparatory to the take off of the new towns development, major activities that included the site clearing, layouts, access roads and others have commenced in some of the locations.

The new towns are located in Ibeju and Iberekodo in Lekki axis; Erekiti, Magotho in Badagry; Ilu-Tuntun in Ikorodu and Erelu, along Epe expressway. The Ibeju scheme named “Coastal City Lekki” is located within Lekki Peninsula sub-region, accessible through Lagos-Epe Expressway, bounded to the West by New Lagos City and the Atlantic Ocean to the South. Coaster City sits on 669.309 hectares of land and designed to accommodate a population of 63,510 people.

The land is a firm terrain with a gentle slope, easily accessible with four (4) major entrances from the road and adjudged to be a serene environment. Infrastructure facilities designed for the project include road network and drainage, power supply and distribution, water supply, sewage, fire service and estate shuttle park, including landscaping and paved stones for walkways and soft landscaping elements. According to the project vision, the scheme would create a unique living and a friendly environment. Design concept, according to officials is that the design is a mixed-use development for a conducive live, work and play environment.

The Iberekodo Industrial Town is also situated in Lekki sub-region opposite Ibeju mixed at Ibeju Agbe village, Ibeju-Lekki Local government area. It has a land size of 919.844 hectares to accommodate a population of 60,588 people. It comes mainly with an industrial town, residential, commercial and central facilities. Project vision, according to officials, is to provide an industrial location with complimentary residential areas, while concept design is based on mixed use with supporting facilities: residential, commercial, institutional, private development, Lagos Homs. Infrastructure/facilities include corner shops, place of worship, petrol filling station, public open space, electricity, telecommunication, garden, community centre, police post, fire station, truck terminal, water yard, sewage treatment plant. Another scheme, Sunnyfield Residential Scheme Extension Erekiti, Badagry, is to occupy a land size of 122.12 hectares to accommodate population of 12,729 people. Main features include accessibility from the Erekiti Road in Badagry Axis. It is a firm terrain with a gentle slope gradient, serene and conducive environment.

Essentially, the scheme is to achieve sustainable development by encouraging local development in rural setting, said the Executive Secretary, Land State Land Bureau, Mr. Hakeem Muri Okunola, at the unveilings of the project recently. He explained the design concept as “Neighbourhood and land use patterned for easy connectivity of roads and activities”.

Expected infrastructure/facilities designed for the scheme include shopping mall, nursery school, bank complex, community centre, good roads and drainage network, service plot, health centre, light industry, neighbourhood Park, including paved stones for walkways and soft landscaping, among others. The Magotho Town is located in Badagry Division, off Lagos-Badagry Expressway, through Aradagun-Ajido. Magotho Town is to sit on 750 hectares of land. It is designed as a residential town planned to accommodate the high, medium and low density plots.

There are also 189 commercial plots and 306 mixed development plots. The expected population here is 74,694 people. It features include relative flat terrain, accessible from 5 minutes drive from, express road, firm land, stable for development and the vision amongst others is to achieve sustainable development by encouraging local development in rural setting. Infrastructure components are provision of water, electricity, fire station, police post, that would also benefit the surrounding towns and villages, include large recreational centres to be created in each neighbourhood. Ilu-Tuntun scheme in Ikorodu is situated on 105.486 hectares of land and it is expected to have a population of 10,152 people after completion.

Main features of this scheme are easy accessibility from the Gberigbe/Imota Road in Ikorodu. It is also a firm terrain with a gentle slope gradient, serene and conducive environment. Planned infrastructure/facilities are shopping mall, nursery school, bank, community centre, good roads and drainage network, service plot, health centre, light industry, neighbourhood Park. The Erelu project, planned to deliver a mixed development, within Lekki sub-region located along Lekki-Epe expressway, Eti-Osa is bounded by Olumegbon Family landed property and close to Sangotedo Village while North and North East by Oke Ira-Nla village excision/Cooperation Villa.

The scheme is on 131.200 hectares of land to accommodate 28,520 people. Its design concept is high standard of living, serviced plots for private development complimentary land uses. Infrastructure: Lagos Homs Components: 210 blocks of 840 units of 1,2 and 3 bedroom flats, residential serviced and commercial plots; schools, shopping centre, light industries, plant, power, water elements as grass. Speaking on issues bordering on security and traffic challenges recently, Governor Babatunde Fashola hinted that part of his administration’s agenda on New Towns Initiatives was to further manage the problem of congestion in the metropolis.

Besides, he said government decided to decongest the city and also redirect traffic away from central Lagos. “However, I must emphasize the administration’s determination to make the creation and habitation of these New Towns and New Schemes not just workable, but also desirable by adopting a policy that would ensure the provision of necessary infrastructure on newly established schemes before they are rolled out for allocation, we have identified six (6) of such new schemes for development and subsequent allocation”, said the Governor.

He said that between 2011 and 2014, the authority has embarked on a total of about 60.63 km of road projects with 101km of drainage and about 60.97 of external electrification infrastructure to complement the road networks within existing and new schemes. These roads are designed along with functional facilities such as walkways, street lights, reinforced concrete drains; interlocking/asphaltic pavements are at various stages of completion, “t least, above 65 per cent completion”, he said.