A Kingsmead Road property in Harare’s upscale Borrowdale neighbourhood has become the subject of a heated legal and public controversy, with property developer Condev Property Developers listing it for US$1.9 million despite an unresolved High Court battle over the land.
The dispute pits Condev against Trauma Centre Hospital, which has launched an aggressive bid to block the planned construction of a sprawling 16-unit office park in the area.
The hospital, representing premier emergency medical services in Harare, accuses the developer of jeopardising patient care in the quiet, low-density suburb.
Hospital proprietor, Dr Vivek Solanki, backed by Vislink (Private) Limited and long-time resident Penelope Beattie, has hauled Condev, the City of Harare, its director of urban planning, and planning consultant Andrew Herbst to court.
Dr Solanki argues that the project’s approval process was deeply flawed, claiming that objections were ignored, approvals shrouded in secrecy, and the entire procedure violated Zimbabwe’s Administrative Justice Act.
The property, initially advertised by real estate giant Pam Golding but now under Benjamin’s Realty’s banner, is at the centre of this fiery clash.
Dr Solanki insists the proposed office complex, which would house over 330 employees, threatens to disrupt essential hospital operations.
“This is a residential neighbourhood with narrow roads, insufficient sewer infrastructure and unreliable municipal water supplies. This kind of development is irrational and grossly unreasonable,” Dr Solanki stated in his affidavit.
For Beattie, who has lived at 30 Kingsmead Road for 55 years with her husband, the project represents a stark departure from the peaceful character of the neighbourhood.
She and other residents, alarmed by traffic and density concerns, have joined the fight against what they call “illegal development.”
The timeline of events has only heightened tensions.
Condev allegedly posted a public notice for the project in October 2024, but key objectors were left in the dark about the city’s subsequent approval processes, according to Dr Solanki.
Even more troubling, a meeting organised by the Local Government ministry’s unearthed discrepancies between the plans signed off by local officials and the ones now being pursued by Condev.
Trauma Centre claims Condev has already begun advancing the project without addressing the growing list of grievances.
Though the hospital spent over US$120,000 installing a sewer line to secure its own change-of-use permit when it began operating in 2014, Dr Solanki fears the new project would violate the delicate infrastructure balance in the area.
The applicants have demanded a provisional court order to immediately halt any construction activity until their High Court challenge is concluded.
Highlighting the serious risks to residents, Dr Solanki called the project an “assault on the quality of life and peace” that Borrowdale’s low-density zoning was designed to protect.
As accusations of bad faith and procedural mishandling mount, the legal battle over this contentious corner of Borrowdale continues to cast a shadow on the actions of both Condev and city authorities.
Whether the courts grant an interdict or the project barrels ahead, Kingsmead Road hangs in the balance. – Herald
