The Municipality of Walvis Bay has been declared an Authorised Planning Authority (APA) following approval by the minister of urban and rural development.
The announcement was made on 27 March.
Walvis Bay is now one of only a few municipalities in Namibia with the power to oversee and approve its own land use and development applications.
The new status allows the municipality to handle processes such as rezoning, subdivision, township establishment and land consolidation.
These functions were previously managed at national level through the urban and regional planning board.
The declaration follows the approval of a structure plan that will guide spatial development at Walvis Bay from 2026 to 2046.
According to the municipality, the APA status is expected to reduce delays in processing applications and improve service delivery by allowing decisions to be made at a local level.
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