Well off Occupants Reject Moderate Houses in Tigoni paradise

Residents of Tigoni, Kiambu County have rejected the construction of single units in the lavish and expansive neighbourhood arguing that it would destroy the area’s scenery.

Redhill Kentmere Residents Association’s appeal was upheld by the Appellate Court which halted the construction of 71 single-family units in Redhill, Tigoni.

The association told the court that building the new houses would disrupt the flow of water, affect the wetlands and also increase soil erosion in the evergreen neighbourhood.

Another reason for their objection was fear of increased pollution from sewage and wastewater which would affect the tea estates in the region.

The area mainly targets wealthy residents who live in expansive tea farms that allows them maximum privacy and all the perks of secluded living.

“For these reasons, we find that the applicants have satisfied the twin conditions for granting orders of an injunction under Rule 5(2)(b) of the Court of Appeal Rules, as it is appropriate to preserve the substratum of the applicants’ intended appeal by issuing the orders sought,” a 3-judge bench at the Court of Appeal ruled.

The trio overturned a ruling made by the High Court which had ruled in favour of the developers.

In the High Court ruling, the judge argued that the association failed to prove that the housing project would cause environmental deterioration.

Tigoni has witnessed an influx of residents migrating from other neighbourhoods in Nairobi, namely; Kileleshwa, Runda and Kitisuru. These wealthy individuals were reported to be searching for more privacy, outdoor space and areas they can purchase at lower prices.

A wealth report by Knight Frank released in February 2021 detailed that an acre of land in Tigoni costs approximately Ksh30 million and Ksh80 million.

“Almost 20 percent of Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals in Kenya want to buy a second home in Kenya. Despite the pandemic, new opportunities are emerging as the way we live, work, exercise and interact is changing.

“Travel restrictions may be clipping the wings of prime buyers but with fewer people tethered to an office, this is likely to change with knock-on effects for second-home markets and investors globally,” the survey said.

The area is famous for personal runways and hangouts for planes, artificial dams and lavish resorts.