About the Department
Background
The Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Housing & Urban Development guides how the county grows. It prepares statutory plans, controls development, manages public land and delivers housing and urban infrastructure.
With rapid urbanisation around towns and market centres, the department’s work determines whether growth is orderly and serviced or unplanned and costly to fix later.
Legal Mandate
The department derives its mandate from:
- The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 (Chapter 5 — Land and Environment)
- The Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019
- The Land Act, 2012 and the Land Registration Act, 2012
- The Urban Areas and Cities Act, 2011 (as amended)
- The County Governments Act, 2012
Constitutional Functions
- County planning and development control
- Preparation of spatial, urban and local physical development plans
- Survey, valuation and administration of county land
- Housing development and estate management
- Urban infrastructure, streetscapes and public spaces
- Building plan approval and occupancy certification
Core Responsibilities
- Preparing and reviewing the County Spatial Plan
- Approving subdivision, change of user and building plans
- Maintaining the county land register and inventory
- Delivering affordable housing and managing county estates
- Regularising informal settlements and upgrading services
- Managing urban boards and town committees
Well-planned, inclusive and liveable urban and rural settlements
Purpose
To guide sustainable land use, secure public land, deliver affordable housing and develop urban areas that work for residents and investors.
Core Values
Integrity
Honest, ethical conduct in every transaction and decision.
Accountability
Responsible use of public resources with clear reporting.
Professionalism
Technical excellence and respect in service delivery.
Innovation
Embracing new methods, data and technology.
Teamwork
Collaboration across directorates and with partners.
Inclusivity
Services accessible to all, including youth, women and PWDs.
Transparency
Open processes, published data and clear communication.
Sustainability
Protecting resources for future generations.
Departmental Leadership
Meet the executive and technical leadership steering the department’s mandate.
Hon. Augustine Neto Adhola
Professional Profile
Hon. Augustine Neto Adhola is an accomplished land administration and property management professional with over 20 years of executive leadership experience spanning land administration, geospatial science, physical planning, urban development, and property strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Lands, planning and housing policy oversight
- Representation in the County Executive Committee
- Accounting Officer for the departmental budget
- Chair of the County Physical Planning Liaison secretariat
Hon. Mboha Oloo Joseph
Professional Profile
Hon. Joseph Oloo Mboha is a dedicated and results-oriented professional with expertise in research, public policy, data analysis, governance, and development. He brings strong analytical and leadership capabilities, with experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams to support institutional objectives and achieve measurable results.
Key Responsibilities
- Development control and plan approvals
- Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) holder
- County land inventory management
- Supervision of planning and survey teams
Directorates & Units
Select a directorate to view its mandate, objectives, functions and team.
Physical Planning
Mandate
To guide and regulate the orderly, coordinated and sustainable use and development of land and physical infrastructure within the county in accordance with approved plans, planning standards and applicable laws.
Objectives
- To promote well-planned, safe, sustainable and functional urban and rural settlements through effective physical and spatial planning, development control and land-use management.
Functions
- Prepare, coordinate and implement county spatial, physical and urban development plans.
- Prepare local physical development plans, zoning plans and area development plans.
- Guide land-use planning and development in urban, peri-urban and rural areas.
- Undertake development control and ensure compliance with approved physical development plans.
- Process and assess development applications, building plans and change-of-user applications.
- Regulate subdivision, amalgamation, extension and other forms of land development.
- Conduct site inspections and monitor development activities.
- Enforce approved planning standards, zoning requirements and development conditions.
- Coordinate planning of infrastructure, transport corridors, public facilities and other strategic developments.
- Maintain physical planning records, maps, development plans and spatial data.
- Promote integration of GIS and digital spatial information in planning and development control.
- Coordinate stakeholder and public participation in preparation and review of spatial and physical development plans.
Team
Housing and Urban Development
Mandate
To promote adequate, affordable, safe and sustainable housing and support orderly urban development through effective urban management, infrastructure planning, settlement upgrading and development of functional urban centres.
Objectives
- To improve housing conditions, urban infrastructure, basic services and the quality of life of residents while promoting inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development.
Functions
- Develop and implement county housing and urban development policies, strategies and programmes.
- Plan, coordinate and oversee housing development and improvement programmes.
- Promote affordable and adequate housing for different income groups.
- Facilitate development and upgrading of informal and underserved settlements.
- Coordinate urban infrastructure and basic service improvement programmes.
- Support development and maintenance of public housing and county housing schemes.
- Manage and maintain county-owned housing units and related facilities.
- Coordinate allocation, tenancy and management of county residential properties.
- Promote public-private partnerships in housing and urban development.
- Mobilise resources and facilitate investment in housing and urban development projects.
- Support development of affordable housing financing and partnership mechanisms.
- Coordinate urban regeneration, renewal and redevelopment initiatives.
- Promote provision of adequate water, sanitation, drainage, waste management and other urban services in collaboration with relevant departments.
- Develop and maintain urban development plans in collaboration with the Physical Planning function.
- Support development and management of public spaces, markets, parks and other urban facilities.
Team
Lands and Survey
Mandate
To support effective management, administration and planning of land within the county through land information management, surveying, cadastral services and technical support for secure and orderly land development.
Objectives
- To promote accurate, transparent and efficient land administration and surveying services that support secure land management, physical planning, infrastructure development and sustainable county development.
Functions
- Provide technical support on county land administration and management.
- Undertake cadastral, engineering, topographical and other authorised land surveys.
- Establish, maintain and update survey control points and cadastral records.
- Conduct boundary surveys, beaconing and re-establishment of property boundaries.
- Prepare and maintain survey plans, maps and related technical records.
- Support identification, surveying and documentation of county public land.
- Maintain an inventory and spatial database of county-owned land and properties.
- Provide survey information to support physical planning and development control.
- Support subdivision, amalgamation and other approved land development processes.
- Verify survey information and technical plans submitted for county planning purposes.
- Undertake mapping and spatial data collection using GIS, GPS and other modern surveying technologies.
- Develop and maintain digital land and survey information systems.
- Provide technical advice on land-related matters affecting county projects and programmes.
- Support acquisition, reservation and planning of land required for public infrastructure and county projects.
Team
Find a Service
Search or filter services by category. Download the relevant application form where available.
| Service | Description | Target Users | Application Method | Timeline | Fees | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Plan Approval Certification |
Approval of architectural and structural plans for development. | Developers, homeowners | County planning office / portal | 30 working days | Per plinth area schedule | |
| Change of User Application Permits |
Approval to change the permitted use of land. | Landowners, developers | Planning office application | 60 working days | From KES 20,000 | |
| Subdivision Approval Permits |
Approval of land subdivision schemes. | Landowners | Planning office application | 45 working days | Per parcel schedule | |
| Occupation Certificate Certification |
Certification that a completed building is fit for occupation. | Developers | Inspection request | 14 working days | Per building schedule | |
| Land Search & Records Access Advisory |
Access to county land records and planning information. | Public, professionals | Lands registry desk | 5 working days | KES 1,000 | |
| County Land Survey Services Advisory |
Survey, beaconing and boundary verification on county land. | Institutions, county units | Survey office request | 21 working days | Per survey schedule | |
| County House Allocation & Rent Registration |
Allocation and management of county rental housing. | County staff, tenants | Housing office | 14 working days | Per rent schedule | |
| Advertising Signage Approval Permits |
Approval for billboards and outdoor advertising structures. | Businesses, agencies | Urban office application | 14 working days | Per signage tariff |
Departmental Projects
County Spatial Plan Implementation
Preparation of local physical development plans for nine urban areas.
Affordable Housing Programme — Phase I
Construction of 480 affordable units with services and access roads.
Digital Development Control System
Online submission, tracking and approval of development applications.
County Land Inventory — Phase I
Identification, survey and documentation of 620 public land parcels.
Town Centre Beautification
Walkways, lighting and green spaces in three town centres.
Informal Settlement Upgrading
Services, tenure regularisation and access roads in two settlements.
County GIS & Land Information System
Integrated spatial database for planning, rating and valuation.
Flagship Programmes
Capacity Building
Continuous training for officers and community champions.
Youth Empowerment
Internships, grants and mentorship for young people.
Women Empowerment
Targeted access to opportunity, credit and markets.
Public Participation
Ward forums, budget hearings and citizen feedback.
Climate Action
Climate-resilient planning and greening initiatives.
Digital Transformation
e-Services, open data and automated workflows.
How Our Work Aligns
Every departmental initiative is anchored in county, national and global development frameworks.
CIDP Alignment
Directly implements the sector priorities of the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023–2027.
- Sector programme delivery
- Ward-equitable investment
- Orderly urban growth
Annual Development Plan
Translates CIDP priorities into costed annual work plans and budget proposals reviewed each fiscal year.
- FY 2026/27 costed workplan
- Ward-level project prioritization
Sustainable Development Goals
Aligns departmental targets with the global goals adopted by Kenya.
- Measured SDG indicators
- Gender-responsive programming
Governor’s Manifesto
Delivers on the commitments made to residents in the county leadership manifesto.
- Flagship commitments tracked quarterly
- Published delivery scorecard
Performance Contract
Annual targets are cascaded from the CECM through directors to individual staff appraisal.
- Service delivery KPIs
- Quarterly public reporting
Intergovernmental Coordination
Aligned with national sector policy and coordinated through the Council of Governors’ sector committee.
- Joint national–county programmes
- Donor & partner coordination
Documents & Resources
Browse official department documents organised by category.