Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey

SPC (Secretariat of the Pacific Community) is an international organisation that works to help Pacific people achieve their development goals by delivering technical, scientific, research, policy and training services. SPC is owned and governed by the 26 members of the Pacific Community, which include 22 Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). SPC’s work programme is driven by PICT’s national development priorities as outlined in the joint country strategies developed with each member. Services delivered by SPC include building and supplementing capacity, and on occasion providing complete services in areas where a PICT has no capacity of its own.

Following a request by the Ministry of Lands, Housing & Survey in 2013, the Government of Australia agreed to fund a programme of technical assistance to the Ministry, which is managed by SPC. The programme is focused on improved urban planning, upgrading of informal settlements, legislative reforms, and capacity building across the Ministry. To date, the programme has assisted the Ministry towards the following achievements (a link to a copy of all the documents below can also be found on this website here):

Preparation, exhibition and approval of the Honiara Local Planning Scheme 2015 Approval and induction of Provincial Town and Country Planning Boards Studies of Auki and Gizo Local Planning Areas
Induction and technical advice to the Land Board Preparation of the first Land Board Annual Report Public tenders and allocation of land at Mount Austin and April Ridge
Solomon Islands: Auki Urban Profile
Review of legislation used by the Ministry, culminating in Parliament’s approval of the Land and Titles (Amendment) Act 2016 and Valuers (Amendment) Act 2016. Amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act and Land Surveys Act currently being prepared. Preparation of and Cabinet endorsement of a White Paper for the introduction of Strata Title to Solomon Islands, with legislative drafting set to commence shortly.
A report investigating and identifying land on the edges of Honiara that may be utilized for future urban expansion (click here) Subdivision designs for Honiara’s informal settlements Offers of Fixed Term Estates in Honiara’s informal settlements A report investigating options to fund public infrastructure in new subdivisions (click here)