Modupe Williams: Freetown developing '15-minute cities' concept to ease congestion

The authorities of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, intend to move to a more effective system of development control, Modupe Williams, a municipal expert with the Freetown City Council, said during a panel discussion at WUF13, Olayıar informs.

"We need to move from the current land use model to a system in which effective development control will lead to higher-quality development," he noted.

Williams emphasized that Freetown is extremely overcrowded as an urban space.

"Probably 80-90% of the land is already covered by development. Most of the buildings are single-story, and in many cases, these are informal settlements," he said.

According to him, the problems are complex. The city is developing not only a master plan but also a concept for polycentres, each of which is intended to function as a "15-minute city." This will require separate plans for each city center, resources for their implementation, and governance mechanisms.

The expert also emphasized the need to engage all stakeholders-government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and other institutions.

"All these processes look promising, as we already have both a plan and a legislative framework. However, the next step for the city will be the political will and ability to consistently implement these changes," Williams concluded.