Town planning is both a discipline and a professional field encompassing the organization of cities and their territories. According to Article 3 of the law governing town planning in Cameroon, urban planning is the set of legislative, regulatory, administrative, technical, economic, social, and cultural measures aimed at the harmonious and coherent development of human settlements, by promoting the rational use of land, its development and the improvement of the living environment, as well as economic and social development.
Town planning practices and techniques stem from the implementation of urban policies. They intersect with urban planning and city management, aiming for a better harmony of uses and the well-being of users. Urban planning can be practiced by numerous professional categories depending on the field of study: urban planners, architects, developers, geographers, lawyers, economists, sociologists, landscape architects, engineers, environmentalists, archaeologists, and historians, most often working in multidisciplinary teams.
It is necessary to distinguish between two types of town planning:
Operational urban planning consists of a set of infrastructure or construction projects, whether public or private initiatives, carried out in accordance with an urban development plan.
Regulatory or planning urban planning involves creating urban planning documents that define the rules to be followed within a territory. It therefore encompasses all public law provisions aimed at determining the conditions for land use and development. This allows for better organization and control of private initiatives in the field of urban planning.
2 –Town Planning in Cameroon
Cameroon has had laws governing urban planning since 1966. These laws have evolved over time, often leading to significant misunderstandings in their implementation, resulting in the uncontrolled development of our cities for several years. To address this legal quagmire surrounding urban planning in Cameroon, a law governing urban planning was drafted in 2004, followed in 2008 by five implementing decrees.
The 2004 law and its five implementing decrees currently in force in Cameroon were created to improve the legal situation that had prevailed for several years regarding urban planning. Indeed, the laws governing urban planning prior to this date were not enforced, leading to confusion and the uncontrolled development of our cities.
Despite the improvements made to the legal framework for urban planning in Cameroon, these texts remain largely unknown to those responsible for implementing them on the ground.
3 – Decentralized Local Authorities at the Heart of the Process
. Decentralized local authorities are now primarily responsible for managing urban development within their territories. However, urban planning is subject to numerous regulations that elected officials must master in order to shape the physical future of their territories. Indeed, an urban planning decision has effects on a territory for at least 25 years; it is therefore crucial for elected officials to be fully versed in these regulations.
Their responsibilities can be summarized by emphasizing that each decentralized local authority has the initiative for land development. This is why it is responsible for developing urban planning documents; it is responsible for processing urban planning applications and private subdivision permits; and it is also responsible for monitoring violations and applying penalties.
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