The proposed residential development would bring 464 apartments to Ring Road in Westlands.
NEMA invites public comments on a proposed 25-storey development with 464 apartments along Ring Road in Nairobi.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has invited public comments on a proposed Westlands apartment project. The 25-storey development along Ring Road in Nairobi would contain 464 homes and shared amenities.
NEMA has received the project’s environmental impact assessment report. A Gazette notice published on November 6 gives the public 30 days from publication to submit comments.
Members of the public can send oral or written comments to NEMA’s Director General. The authority says the feedback will help it make a decision on the proposal.
Inside the Westlands apartment project
A private limited company proposes to build two basement levels, a ground floor and 25 additional floors. If approved, the development would include 243 one-bedroom apartments and 154 two-bedroom units.
The housing mix also includes 66 three-bedroom apartments and one penthouse. In addition, the plans provide for 284 parking spaces, swimming pools, landscaped gardens, children’s play areas and communal sitting spaces.
However, NEMA has identified potential construction risks, including soil erosion, dust emissions, noise pollution and fire hazards. The authority also flagged increased traffic along the busy road.
To address these concerns, the developer proposes water sprinkling for dust control, sound barriers and proper waste disposal. Traffic marshals and fire detection equipment also form part of the planned safeguards.
Other provisions include rainwater harvesting, water storage, CCTV surveillance and security lighting. Landscaping forms another part of the measures addressing environmental and public safety concerns.
Nairobi high-rises face closer scrutiny
Meanwhile, the proposal comes amid heightened scrutiny of high-rise construction in Nairobi. An 18-storey building collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh on October 23, leaving eight people dead.
Rescuers saved four people, while three others remained officially missing when the search and rescue operation ended. The following day, the Ministry of Health directed public health officers to inspect buildings under construction and promptly report occupational hazards.
Investigations into the collapse also raised questions about construction approvals. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the project secured a change-of-use approval in October 2024, but its building plans lacked approval.
The National Construction Authority said it registered the Eastleigh project in July 2025. However, the building did not have a NEMA environmental licence.
