Urban and Rural Planning and Development The Physical Planning Sub-section achieved satisfactory results against its set targets. The benefits of the said results to the public are immeasurable as described below: County Spatial Plan – The County spatial plan was passed by the executive and the assembly at the inception of the reporting period. The County Spatial Plan implementation would…

Urban and Rural Planning and Development The Physical Planning Sub-section achieved satisfactory results against its set targets. The benefits of the said results to the public are immeasurable as described below: County Spatial Plan – The County spatial plan was passed by the executive and the assembly at the inception of the reporting period. The County Spatial Plan implementation would contribute to the industrial development of Kwale County. Sensitization and awareness creation on physical planning – The physical planning division conducted 8 public engagements to promote compliance with existing physical planning legislation. This has resulted in increased compliance and adherence to controlled developments. Preparation of Urban Development Plan for Kwale and Diani Municipalities – The Urban development plans have been prepared and completed. Implementation of the Urban plan would assist the development control of the two municipalities and open the two municipalities to new investment opportunities. Planning for towns, Urban areas, and Trading centers – The National Government of Kenya through the State Department of Urban Planning is in the process of developing Kiteje into a Special Economic Zone. The Kiteje Buffer Plan was prepared with the intention to anticipate and propose mitigation or complement the above changes or opportunities respectively. The Mabokoni area has also attracted developments due to the presence of the Technical University of Mombasa. The Mabokoni Plan was prepared in anticipation of future developments in the area. Shimoni town has been identified and selected to be the hub for fishing activities. The town has been funded with over two (2) billion Kenya Shillings through the State Department of Blue Economy for the development of a fish port; development of a fish processing industry; development of fish storage facilities; development of local capacity for modern fishing activities; development of fish market etc. The Shimoni plan preparation is ongoing and it aims to provide the best solutions to handle or take advantage of the anticipated challenges or opportunities respectively. Establishment of a County GIS Centre – The division has established the GIS center and equipped it with the requisite equipment and software. The GIS Centre will be a game changer by enabling geo-referencing of data and storage. The GIS Centre will host a server that will enable the integration of county data, access, retrieval, and storage. This will be a one-stop shop for county data. Tsunza Resort City development plan - The Tsunza area possesses massive potential for development as one of the world’s best resort destinations. This is attributed to the following: The area lies in a unique peninsula that extends between Mwache Creek on the north and Mteza Creek on the south; the area has a stretch of approximately 6 Km of beachfront; the existence of Kaya Chonyi; intense mangrove forest with winding canals that provide a distinctive environment for water sports, conservation, and ecotourism. The area also lies close to Moi International Airport in Mombasa and the SGR through the Dongo-Kundu bypass. The Tsunza plan preparation has been completed and finalized and it’s implementation will enhance investment opportunities and socio-economic development of the Tsunza peninsular.  Natural Resources Management and Climate Change The Natural Resources division achieved satisfactory results against the Zero development budget in the reporting period as described herein:  Sustainable Forest Development Programme – The division managed to undertake tree planting in over 10 schools and public institutions. More than 200,000 tree seedlings were planted in the reporting period through partnerships and collaboration. Environmental Management Programme – The division managed to conduct Six community sensitization meetings on environmental conservation. The engagement leveraged other institutions' activities due to a lack of budgets to implement the sensitization engagements. The division has gazetted the County Environment Committee that will mainstream environmental management in the County. Climate Change Programme – The division managed to enact the Kwale County Climate Change Act, 2022, and undertake participatory climate risk assessment and Kwale County Climate Change Action Plan 2022-2027. These instruments will enable the mainstreaming of climate change interventions in county planning and programs. The division also onboarded the Financing Locally Led Climate Action Program and secured funding from the World Bank to implement the Kwale County Climate Change Action Plan 2022-2027. Solid Waste Management Programme – The Division wasn’t able to implement the program due to non-funding of the program. The solid waste function was transferred to the Municipalities.