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Littoral Regional Concerted Development Zone

Background and justification

The Littoral Regional Council wishes to carry out a development project in the form of a Concerted Development Zone on a number of islands located in Douala VI Council, at the meeting point between River Dibamba and River Wouri, opposite the Douala International Airport.

This sector, identified as a floodable mangrove zone in the 2025 Douala City Master Plan (PDU2025), presents a significant potential due to its strategic positioning. This area, located at the entrance to the city, offers opportunities for river transport development, coupled with the existing air transport and planned railways.

In a context of demographic pressure where the availability of urban land is a constant problem, it would be desirable for the Regional Council to turn to these areas which have not yet been developed.

With more than 5 million inhabitants (source RGPH), Douala was the highest populated city in the country in 2022. The economic capital today hosts more than 10% of the population of Cameroon and about 20% of the urban population of the country. It is also the largest city in the CEMAC zone and the 21st largest city in Africa. 64% of the currently urbanised surface area is mainly occupied by housing of which 24% is made up of “non-planned” housing (often established haphazardly). From 1960 till date, 16,300 ha of the territory of Douala have been urbanised, at an average rate of 326 ha per year.

Already in 2011, the PDU report predicted that the need for new land for the period 2020/2025 would be around 6,000 ha in the low scenario, 9,000 ha in the trend growth scenario and 13,000 ha in the high scenario. In 2025, urbanised areas would be on average respectively 24,000, 27,000 and 31,000 ha. For the case of the low and trend scenarios, the capacity of the site within its administrative limits would be sufficient. On the other hand, for the high scenario, there shall be a shortage of 5000 ha and it would undoubtedly be necessary to cross the administrative limits of Douala, to accommodate the new urban residents.

With the formalisation of the institution of the additional level, that is the Region, as part of the acceleration of the decentralisation process desired by the Head of State, His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya, new needs in land reserves have cropped up, not only to house the headquarters of the said Region but also to accommodate the development projects to be implemented.

This is why the Littoral Regional Council intends, following the granting of this sector, to carry out a large-scale development operation, commensurate with the ambitions entrusted to it by the Head of State.

The area in question is likely to accommodate dwellings, public facilities, industrial and commercial zones making it possible to meet the needs of all categories of the population, with a view to social diversity and improvement of the economic infrastructure of the Region.

The Littoral Regional Concerted Development Zone (ZAC) project therefore represents an important development issue at the municipal and regional levels for the development of a new offer from the social and economic standpoints.

Other projects

  • The “MY DREAM SCHOOL” Project

    To improve school infrastructure through the construction and renovation of classrooms and the acquisition of desks and benches.

  • Projet ED-TECH FEICOM-UNICEF

    To reduce imbalances between urban and rural environments and also to improve the results of learning for children and adolescents.

  • FEICOM standard plans

    Design of standard plans and a set of support tools allowing for better supervision from the design to the completion of projects.

  • Garden cities

    Designed to ensure healthy living and working conditions for the population. It is an ecological city that meets the challenges of the 21st century and the satellite of a large city.

  • Regional Council Headquarters

    Enables FEICOM to participate in the production of better quality structures likely to give a specific identity to the projects financed by the organization.

Borders of the operation

As shown in the maps in the attached file, the site concerned by this operation is located to the south of the city of Douala in the mangrove zone.

It is bordered:

  • To the West by River Dibamba
  • To the West by River Dibamba
  • To the North by Douala International Airport

This area does not include the part of the land registered as reserved locations.

Objectives of the operation

The main objectives of the planned development operation are:

  • To boost the attractiveness of the territory by supplementing the offer of infrastructures that are vectors of social and economic development
  • To promote the mixing and diversity of housing by responding to the needs expressed by the population, namely: expansion of the rental and ownership offer, construction of social housing and student housing
  • To preserve and develop the mangrove ecosystem through the creation of a garden city, in line with the commitments made by the State of Cameroon concerning the preservation of the environment while integrating gentle urbanisation solutions.
  • Procéder à la préservation et à la valorisation de l’écosystème de mangrove à travers la création d’une ville-jardin, en phase avec les engagements pris par l’Etat du Cameroun concernant la préservation de l’environnement tout en intégrant des solutions d’urbanisation douces

Forecast programme of the Operation

The Littoral Regional Concerted Development Zone project concerns an area of ​​approximately 3,500 ha. In general, the occupation of the site will be based on the principle of functional diversity. Nevertheless, areas have been identified for information purposes. Thus, the following aspects have been envisaged:

Housing

About 200,000 housing units, 30% of which are conventional rental properties for workers, 20% rental properties and 50% free home ownership are planned for the site.

Public facilities

Facilities of general interest

Facilities of general interest will be located both in the residential zone and in the administrative zone.

Among other things, the following are envisaged:

  • The headquarters of the Regional Council
  • A reference technology centre
  • School and university equipment
  • A regional incubation centre (12,000 m²) networked with training centres located in the Councils
  • Health infrastructures including a large-scale regional university teaching hospital (10,000m²), local health centres, etc
  • Sports facilities
  • A fire brigade and rescue service centre: 2000 m²
  • A waste sorting and treatment centre (15,000 m²) and community waste recycling centres in the neighbourhoods (300 m²)

The Littoral Region: capital of culture

The Littoral Regional Concerted Development Zone will house the largest network of arts centres, as well as facilities for the promotion of Cameroonian culture and heritage. This additional network will complement the existing network located in Douala I Council (Doual’art, Gallerie MAM).

Economic infrastructures

Promotion of the urban economic centre

  • A Central Business District compliant with international standards;
  • An industrial free zone;
  • A commercial activity zone in continuation of the Douala Grand Mall located nearby;
  • Seaside resorts provided with leisure areas, 4-star hotels and restaurants;

A wealth-generating territory

Agricultural production areas will be developed in the heart of the city. The new town, with its large cultivable areas and shared gardens, will ultimately become one of the region’s bread baskets.

Road network

Access

Access by river and highway will be provided. The road network will be connected at different points to existing roads, notably the No. 3 national road serving the airport and the city centre.

Internal roads and parking spaces

Traffic lanes will link the layouts from the internal road connected to the existing road network. Road itineraries for circulation will be created along some of these routes.

Parking areas and buildings (air parking) will be created on the sites.

Networks

The city sanitation network will be extended to cover the site. Connections will be made to the drinking water and public lighting networks of Douala. The area will also be provided with waste water evacuation, telecommunication, electricity facilities, etc.

Landscaping

Improvement of the environment

The primary aim is to integrate into the existing landscape a development project that ensures the link with the existing natural spaces on the site, particularly on the outskirts of the islands, and guarantees natural protection against rising water levels.

Indeed, a forested buffer zone will be maintained on the edge of all the islands. Walk ways will be developed for educational purposes, in order to familiarise the population with the preservation of its natural ecosystem.

Parks will also be created in the heart of the new city. Tree plantations will be created using local forestry species in order to limit the waterproofing of the site.

Rainwater management will be integrated into landscaping. Some roofs will notably be green.

 

Conclusion

The Littoral Regional Concerted Development Zone represents an opportunity to activate the development potential of a Region that is already experiencing an economic boom. The prerequisites for its implementation, following the granting of the sites and the declaration of public utility, are:

  • The conduct of preliminary studies (topographic studies, geotechnical surveys, environmental studies; economic feasibility studies, etc.).
  • Finalization of the project concept note;
  • The creation of a Public Development
  • Establishment or a land initiative group in accordance with the regulations in force;
  • The establishment of the consultation process;
  • The creation of the Concerted Development Zone file;
  • Obtaining the creation decision;
  • Carrying out development studies (launch of Architecture and town planning competitions).

The creation of an operation of this magnitude will undoubtedly contribute to improving the competitiveness of Douala city and the Littoral Region. It will also position the State of Cameroon as a pioneer in the development of an operation with an economic and ecological aim and will finally make it possible to promote the Cameroonian know-how both in the consultation and design processes, but also its ability to collaborate with foreign partners.

The Regional Concerted Development Zone is the future of Cameroon’s urban development