ABSTRACT
In every phase of housing production, there are certain “gatekeepers” that constrain access to housing resources. This article argues that the activities of physical planning institutions constrain access to residential building permits in Lagos, Nigeria. From May 2013 to May 2014, 7,281 residential structures were served with contravention notices while only 1,380 applications for residential building plans were approved in 2013. This figure is negligible in relation to the population of Lagos and its housing needs. There is therefore a need to review the criteria for granting residential building permits to encourage participation from the informal private sector.
Introduction
Residential housing production is the process by which building materials, labour, and land are combined to become housing (UNCHS 1996). Ball (1986) defines housing provision as the physical process of creating and transferring a dwelling to its occupiers, its subsequent use and physical reproduction, and at the same time a social process dominated by the economic interests involved. Housing production can, therefore, be said to encompass more than the production of new houses. In addition to the construction of new housing, housing production also entails upgrading (i.e. renovation and rehabilitation) of the existing dwellings, as well as the distribution of new and upgraded houses.
Conclusion and recommendations
Obtaining a residential building permit is a long and expensive task and involves several stakeholders. The rate at which planners and planning institutions are granting approval to applications for residential building permits will not lead to significant growth in housing delivery in Lagos State. There is therefore a need to review the procedure for granting access to residential building permits. Planners and planning institutions need to take into consideration the fact that over 70% of Nigerians are low-income earners, while about the same proportion are believed to be below the poverty line. This is vital to enable self-help housing to be sustained. Planning institutions should recognise the socio-economic condition of the majority of Lagos residents. Therefore, the informal private sector, which is the main source of housing production in the state, should be encouraged using enabling laws to participate effectively in the housing production process.
