On Monday the Chief Planner of Lesotho asked if we would look at the issues caused by the sudden, and in some cases unplanned, building out of part of the Berea district call Ho Fuso. When the team started analysing the population data it seemed like Berea was very familiar. Here’s why:

• Berea has a current population of 273,832

• Berea is located on the Northern Fringe of the national capital in mainly agricultural land

• Residents of Berea district are affluent and economically mobile as they commute to Maseru to work

• Berea has seen a rapid population increase exceeding 20% in a five year period

Almost all of these things could be said of Fingal. However, here’s what’s different:

• Development in Fingal is directed into urban and suburban building, while Berea is almost completely peri-rural and involves one-off dwellings.

• Development in Fingal is infrastructure-led (drains, water, power, access roads are built first).

• Fingal has a mix of specific zones for agriculture, industry. commerce and residential. Berea (and specifically Ho Fuso) is mostly residential with few other activities to speak of.