Causes and Spatial Implications of violating Building Space Standards in Mwanza (Rock) City: Case of Mahina Settlement.

Urban centres emerge, develop and expand. In the course of development or expansion, housing development on hilly landscapes may be more challenging than on relatively flat or flat terrains, forcing developers not to comply with building standards. By focusing on one of the neighbourhoods developed on hills, this argument forms the platform to find out the factors that drive developers to violate and how these factors affect the spatial qualities.The study considers building setbacks, plot coverage, Floor Area Ratios (FARs) and the streetscape to analyze the spatial development of the neighbourhood. In this regard, interviews were employed to reveal the building construction practices at a plot level while aerial photos facilitated mapping the extent of spatial growth. Measurements and observations revealed the building standards adopted by house developers.The study finds that natural, economic, technical and social factors drive developers to violate the official building standards. However, natural factors – hilly and rocky topography and small plot sizes are the main driving forces of violation. Also, developers do not comply because of ignorance of the set out standards and household size increase. The property market, rental units in particular, has driven developers to maximize plot space use in order to increase revenues from rented spaces.   The results inform a review of plot sizes and building space standards on hilly areas, availing and provision of building space standards to the grassroots institutions, as well as instituting accountability measures for professional misconduct.