TOWN PLANNING REGULATIONS AND HOUSING REALITIES: TOWARDS TRANSFORMATIVE HOUSING IN BAMENDA’S SPRAWLING SPACE

Authors: Clarius Kuyar, Lawrence F. Fombe & Maghah Josephine Akenji

ABSTRACT  

Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization, growing informality, and declining housing accessibility for low-income populations, Bamenda’s expanding urban space faces mounting pressure on its housing sector. Existing town planning regulations inadequately reflect contemporary urban realities, thereby widening the policy-practice chasm and exacerbating housing deficits. This study critically evaluates the planning policies shaping housing development in Bamenda, identifies regulatory voids that limit their responsiveness to current challenges, and proposes pathways for localized policy revision toward sustainable urban growth. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), in which planning and housing regulations were assessed against housing development indicators and scored on a scale of 10 to determine effectiveness and implementation. The analysis further interrogates the policy-practice gap, highlighting how regulatory frameworks diverge from housing realities. Data were collected through interviews with officials from the Regional and Divisional Delegations of MINHDU, the Bamenda City Council, Bamenda I, II and III sub-Councils, the Divisional Delegation of MINCAF, two urban real estate agencies, three town planners, and focus group discussions. Additionally, surveys of 347 household heads provided insights into prevailing housing conditions, juxtaposed with existing planning frameworks. Findings highlight the 2004 Urban Planning Code and its 2008 decrees of implementation as the most influential regulations, while the historically decisive 1974 Land Tenure Ordinance is undermined by its coexistence with customary system. Critical deficiencies were revealed, including the absence of housing zoning policies, weak rental and tenancy regulations, lack of digital urban planning systems, and unclear frameworks for accessible social housing. The study concludes that bridging the policy-practice divide through localized, inclusive, and technology-driven reforms is essential to repurpose existing regulations, address housing deficits, and foster sustainable housing development in Bamenda’s rapidly expanding urban space

Keywords: Urbanization, Town planning regulations, Transformative Housing, and Regulatory void

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