Havilah Villas Signals Gateway City Development
Housing
By Bennett Oghifo
The planned development of Gateway City, a self-sustaining new town visualized by the Ogun State Government, took a giant leap forward with a ground-breaking ceremony of Havilah Villas, a high-end purpose built housing estate.
Havilah Villas, which is planned on 285 hectares of prime land, is conceived as a fully serviced residential estate. It is the first estate to formally adorn the entity known as Gateway City; and its turning of the sod ceremony performed by Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, recently, signalled the beginning of the new city's development.
Gateway City is the 20,000 hectares stretch of land on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, between Isheri in the South and Sagamu interchange to the North. Its depth is about 2 kilometres east and west of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. It was acquired by the Ogun State Government between 1986 and 1990.
The first phase of Havilah Villas would be built on 30 hectares right behind OPIC's former out-post, presently occupied by Gateway Development Company, the official agent empowered to supervise the steady and orderly development of the new city. Havilah Villas is designed to have 336 units of four bedroom terrace houses, four of which will be in a block that is planned on 1350 square metres; 100 units of four bedroom semi-detached units, each unit built on 450 sqm; and 22 units of 5-bedroom detached houses, each on 900 square metres.
The estate will be richly laid out with state-of-the-art facilities, like a tennis court of international standard, a squash court, two swimming pools, a standard police station, a well equipped medical centre, 24-hour security services "and many other communal services similar to what we delivered at our flagship estate, Goshen Beach Estate, Lekki, Lagos," said Rev. (Dr.) Olajide Awosedo, President, Grant Properties, the developer of Havilah Villas.
The estate is a joint project of Grant Properties and the Ogun State Government. "This is another milestone in the life of Grant Properties Limited, courtesy of an administration that is determined to tranform the socio-economic well being of its people and the geographical landscape of the State to an appreciable degree of vibrancy," said Rev. Awosedo. The project is now a reality because Governor Daniel's administration is private sector friendly.
He said the development of Havilah Villas, which means 'The Land of Gold' in Hebrew, is intended to offer institutions and individuals a first rate alternative of residing close to their preferred corporate locations while enjoying the benefit of a location that is at once serene and secure with efficient infrastructureal facilities. Added to this, he said, was its location, which is about 10 minutes drive from Ikeja, Lagos State capital; and a maximum of 20 minutes drive from Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
Some special features that would distinguish the estate, he said, are electricity power from the National Power Authority, good road network, treated water supply, good drainage system, effective street lighting, standby electricity generating set for all services, DSTV for each house, well finished interiors including wardrobes, panel doors and high quality sanitary fittings, a telephone line per home, and a master package insurance policy scheme to cover the house and contents against fire and other natural desasters.
Arc. Kayode Adebayo, Managing Director, Gateway City Development Company Limited, said Havilah Villas is the first planned development in the city and that the city's land have been encroached upon by land speculators in many parts of the acquired land area because previous governments had not thought it fit to embark on its development.
Adebayo called on credible property developers, industrialists and other investors to invest in Gateway City, which will be a mixed development where people can work, live and recreate and not a satelite town to Lagos.
Besides playing host to Havilah Villas, Gateway City will be home to five other high-profile estates conceived by committed developers like Timberland Estate, North-South Oak, Giant Strides, Top Services, and UACN Properties.
"Gateway City, for now, is limited to administration and marketing to facilitate even develop-ment...access to land....Our mandate is clear and this is that we are responsible for the composite development of the new city....the company was established in February 2004," said Arc. Adebayo.
To achieve the mandate, he said a master plan is being drawn up by a consultant, Messrs CPMS, a consultium headed by Engr. Bayo Adeola who previously worked on the state's regional plan, which is now completed. He is expected to develop what the city would look like in 20-30 years time.
"It is conceived as a self-sustaining city and not as a satellite town to Lagos...so that we do not become a burden to Lagos....We expect people living in the city to work there too.," he said.
Present developments in the city would be incorporated into the master plan being drawn. "We are not going to give land to speculators....We have about 20 companies that applied for land but not all will get because they have to meet some conditions like provision of development plan schedule with dates, submit layout plan for vetting to conform with master plan....They will
have to give room for facilities that should exist in a normal living environment....They would submit these and other documnts for plan approval and for Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)," he said.
It is when this is done that their financiers would
give undertaking that money is available for the development.
Two forms of clientele is approved by the company and these are outright purchase of land and partnership with the company. "In the case of partnership with us, we will value the land and use it as our equity contribution in the joint project as we are presently doing with Grant Properties Limited in its Havillah Estate....UACN is considering industrial development," said Adebayo.
Gateway City, he said, would provide site and services scheme at a later stage of the city's development and intends to go to the capital market. There would also be low-cost developments. A non governmental organisation, US-Nigeria Development Institute, will partner Gateway City and the Ogun State Government in housing development. Adebayo said the NGO has been allocated land and that as soon as the C of O was ready, construction would commence. "They intend to construct about 100 housing units monthly with special building technology, which makes the houses cheap because technology is fast and thus save time and money on construction", he said. Governor Daniel demanded that further encroachment on the City's land should stop so as not to distort the master-plan, which is being drawn. "Our vision is to grow Gateway City into a model urban centre that sets the pace in estate development and convinces Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike that quality housing is not alien to our culture", he said.
He also advised host communities and other key stakeholders along the city's axis to cooperate with Gateway City Development Company given the positive impact that development projects in the area would have on their lives. "We should all refrain from disturbing or discouraging developers with unnecsessary demands, mindful of the fact that Government has already ensured that our people's interests are well taken care of," said Governor Daniel.
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