Minister of Internal Affairs Andrew Solomin Napat launches the Sola Zoning Control and Development Plan, witnessed by Torba Provincial Government and Ministry of Internal Affairs officials and community members.
The Sola Zoning and Development Control Plan was officially launched on 6 October 2026 as part of Public Service Day activities in Torba Province, providing a framework to guide land use and future development in Sola.
Sola is a provincial urban center on Vanua Lava in northern Vanuatu and the administrative headquarters of Torba Province, which comprises the Banks and Torres island groups. It is a base for provincial government and public services supporting communities across these islands. Planning for Sola helps guide development around this center as local needs change.
The Minister of Internal Affairs attended the launch alongside Ministry executives and other key representatives. The plan reflects the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning’s work to support orderly and sustainable growth in Vanuatu’s provincial centers.
The Sola plan provides guidance on where different types of development can take place. It aims to help protect land, the environment and important community areas, while supporting development that meets present and future community needs.
Zoning and Development Control Plans help communities manage growth by setting out land-use zones and development standards. They give landowners, developers and local authorities a clearer basis for assessing proposals and help ensure neighboring developments are compatible.
“Good planning helps communities guide growth before problems arise. The Sola plan will support better land-use decisions and help protect places that matter to the community. DUAP’s role is to support local councils with planning expertise, while councils lead development decisions within their jurisdictions,” said DUAP Director Jeffrey Kaitip.
ZCDPs are provided for under Vanuatu’s Physical Planning Act [CAP 193], amended in 2021. The legislation requires councils to prepare a ZCDP for a declared Physical Planning Area, with support from DUAP. Plans must address development standards, environmental impacts, climate and geological risks, and community consultation and custom.
DUAP provides national planning policy, technical advice and mapping support. Municipal and provincial councils exercise planning powers within their respective jurisdictions, including preparing plans, assessing development applications and administering development controls in declared planning areas.
The Sola launch forms part of wider planning efforts across Vanuatu. Port Vila’s ZCDP was officially declared completed and published in the Gazette in June 2025, while Luganville also has a ZCDP. DUAP has undertaken town-planning work for Lenakel and Lakatoro, and there is ZCDP preparation for Saratamata.
Public Service Day 2026 is being held from 6–9 October in Motalava under the theme “Strengthening Government Decentralised Services through Innovative Approaches”.
The launch supports this focus by strengthening planning at the provincial level and providing a clearer framework for Sola’s future growth.