Livingstone - near Mosi-oa-Tunya | Zambia | City Gallery

LUSAKA - Zambia has given the green light to a scaled-down hotel development in a national park near the famous Victoria Falls world heritage site despite opposition from environmentalists, a government official said yesterday.

The country's Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) said it had allowed the project to go ahead on condition that it not include the 450 villas and golf course originally planned by the developers, Legacy Holdings Zambia Ltd.

"This is in view of the fact that the park is too small to accommodate these facilities without disturbing the ecological balance of the area," ECZ spokesman Justin Mukosa said in a statement.

Mukosa said the ECZ wanted Legacy Holdings, a subsidiary of Legacy International Group, to redesign its proposed US$260 million project on the fringes of one of Africa's longest rivers, the Zambezi, close to Victoria Falls.

Environmentalists, who argue the project would damage wildlife, have threatened to ask the courts to block the project, which, as presently envisioned by the government, would lead to construction of 480 rooms near the Musi-O-Tunya park.

The national park, which measures 66 square kilometres and is home to elephants, black rhinos and other animals, is popular with tourists due to its proximity to Victoria Falls, one of the biggest draws in southern Africa.

Officials say the project will create 2 000 new jobs, attract an additional 150 000 tourists to this country of 11,5 million and put an extra US$170 million per year in foreign exchange in Zambia's coffers.

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