The booming real estate sector and the growing demand for home ownership have compelled stakeholders to formulate regulation policies.
In the process, developers are prohibited from building bedsitters, and single rooms, with the development of one-bedroom houses, also barred in extreme cases.
Estates such as Runda, Kitisuru, Syokimau, Kilimani, Karen, Kileleshwa and Upper Hill, among others, rely on residential associations to enforce land restriction rules.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Zipporah Kirungu - Sales Manager at Fanaka Real Estate, stated that land restriction rules are adopted in some specific areas to increase land value.
To implement the policies, land buyers and developers are required to sign purchase agreements with clear designs of the structures they are expected to set up.
"The developers also majorly seek to limit the buyers to certain income categories.
"Therefore, land buyers are advised to research such issues before purchasing the assets," Kirungu told Kenyans.co.ke while insisting that Fanaka Real Estate targets low and middle-income earners and thus operates in non-restrictions.
Some estates also enforce land restrictions rules to tame the mushrooming of slums and other low-income developments that are mostly associated with increased crime rates.
With most urban settlements struggling with water shortages, faulty electrical connections and improper sewerage disposal, estate management implement such policies to maintain the ambience of the estates.
Christine Wakanyi, Head of Customer Experience at Optiven Limited, told Kenyans.co.ke that the company offers advice to land buyers regarding different policies to avoid confusion and clash with residents.
"If we focus on building a gated community, then we want people to construct homes where kids are raised well. How do you feel when someone raises a flat near your mansion? she posed.
"Then we have commercial plots or land that can be developed without regulations. You ought to understand why you are buying such land. Is it for commercial, agricultural or for mixed-use?" Wakanyi added
Renowned architect, Alfred Omenya, however, insisted on reforming suburbs and other Nairobi estates.
"The rapid transformation of Kilimani, Hurlingham, Lavington, and Kileleshwa, is highly welcome. All we need is to upgrade infrastructure and services,” Omenya advised in a past interview.
Wilson Mugambi, the President of the Architectural Association of Kenya, also called for a revision of policies, arguing that the rise of multistorey developments would aid in the economy's growth.
“There is nothing to worry about since it shows a distinct growth in the middle class, which should translate to a better circulation of capital and economic growth,” Mugambi stated.
Despite the pressure, such estates have upheld the land restriction policies. For instance, through elected representatives, Runda Residents Association and Karen Residents Association have always engaged developers in legal battles to protect the estate's prestige.
Other estates even bar matatus from accessing the estates. Entertainment joints such as bars, clubs and even eateries are also banned in other areas.
