Development approvals for properties in Parklands issued from October 15, 2026, have been declared null and void after a court ruling this week.
According to court documents seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the Nairobi City County Government failed to meet court-ordered deadlines to establish a planning forum and gazette development plans for the area.
Following the ruling, the Parklands Residents Association said the county had not met court-ordered requirements to establish planning structures and prepare development plans for the area.
The association’s notice covered a range of property-related permissions, including building works, demolitions, changes in land use, increased development density, lease renewals, subdivisions and the merging of plots.
Sections of demolished houses in Nairobi's Parklands area, August 13, 2026.
Photo
NRC
Other affected approvals include easements, wayleaves and certificates confirming compliance or authorising occupation of buildings.
“Consequent to the Respondent’s deliberate refusal and failure to comply with the Court decree, any and all approvals for development including change of use, extension of use, densification of use, extension of lease, renewal of lease, subdivision, amalgamation, demolition, building, easements, wayleaves, certificate of compliance and certificate of occupation applied for and/or granted over properties in the Parklands Area effective 15th October 2026, are null and void,” the notice stated.
The association circulated the notice to county officials, relevant assembly committees, professional organisations and members of the public, though no response had been given by the time of publication.
The orders were issued in a judgment on October 14, 2025, by the Environment and Land Court in Nairobi in a case brought by residents over developments in the area.
A three-judge bench found that Nairobi had not established the County Physical and Land Use Planning Consultative Forum as required by law.
Additionally, the court found that the county government and other respondents had violated residents’ constitutional rights to human dignity and a clean and healthy environment through their handling of developments in Parklands since August 2019.
Nairobi City was directed to establish the consultative forum within six months and submit a report to the court showing that it had complied.
It was also ordered to prepare and publish the countywide and local development plans covering Parklands within 12 months of the judgment.
According to the association, the deadline for setting up the forum passed on April 14, while the period allowed for completing the plans ended on October 14, without the requirements being met.
The judgment provided that development approvals issued after the 12-month deadline would become invalid if the county failed to comply with the orders.
“An order be and is hereby issued that the failure by the Respondents to comply with the above orders will render any approvals after the lapse of 12 months null and void,” read court documents reviewed by this publication.
Parklands residents have long raised concerns about construction they considered unlawful, including reported worker deaths, traffic congestion, noise, dust, poor waste disposal and flooding, with the ruling now leaving property owners and developers in limbo.
Youths Protesting in Parklands, May 31, 2025.
Photo
Joseph Webo