Landowners and developers in Kiambu County are facing major changes following a comprehensive revision of land policies that affect all types of development.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, June 5, the county government introduced strict new regulations under updated spatial planning guidelines, which will now apply to all land development applications.
The county has announced that no development will receive approval unless it strictly adheres to the zoning and spatial guidelines set out in the Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plans (ISUDPs) for 2020–2030.
Additionally, all development applications must comply with the requirements of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (PLUPA) of 2019, the National Building Code of 2024, as well as a series of newly introduced development control regulations.
Developers are now legally required to set aside portions of agricultural land when applying for subdivisions or changes in land use. For urban projects on plots sized between 20 and 50 acres, at least 20% of the land must be dedicated to urban agriculture, while projects larger than 50 acres must reserve 30%.
In peri-urban areas, a minimum of 40% of land must be preserved for farming, and rural developments must allocate a substantial 80% of their land to agricultural use. These regulations, integrated into the county’s zoning framework, aim to prevent uncontrolled urban sprawl and protect the local food supply.
