City of Gweru to expand CBD
Gweru is planning to extend the central business district (CBD) and set up an industrial park to lure more investors.

Council strategy and business development director Mr Owen Masimba said the local authority is looking for investors who can partner it in the expansion drive from Tenth Street at the open space behind the Gweru Government Complex up to Fairmile Motel along Bulawayo Road.

"We have got an ambitious project, which we call the CBD extension project where we want to extend our city centre from right behind the Government Complex going up to Fairmile Motel.

"That is going to be our CBD extension, so there are opportunities to develop shopping malls around that area and we are looking for partners to come on board," he said.

The local authority, Mr Masimba said, intends to set up an industrial park at the open area near the Cold Storage Company (CSC) where there are vast tracts of land, which have not been utilised.

"We have opportunities to establish an industrial park around the Zambezi Industrial Park near the CSC abattoir and if there are investors interested in developing the area, they can approach the city," he said.

He said there are also opportunities for investors in the tourism sector especially the construction of a 240-bed hotel near Gweru River.

"We also have opportunities in tourism. As you know, Gweru is centrally-located, so we want to take advantage of this to ensure that meetings and conferences should be held in Gweru because of its location.

"So, we have got a 240-bed hotel site near Gweru River, which is available for investors and two other hotel sites.

"Therefore, people interested in investing in tourism should come forward," said Mr Masimba.

The proposed developments follow a strategic plan adopted by the local authority whose implementation started in January this year and run until 2022.

The document outlines the investment activities the city intends to undertake during this period.