The government is considering new regulations relating to development so that the public and residents affected by site development would be informed. The law already stipulates that a site notice should be put up, and a notice carried in the media.

According to sources at the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry, under the regulations being worked out, all residents living immediately next to the site, those on the other side of the road, and residents whose yard touches the site to be developed, would be informed by registered mail. At least 10 registered mail letters will have to be sent.

In the case of large projects outside development zones, an A2 size billboard would have to be put up, to be visible from the near arterial or distributory road. The board would display information about what is being proposed.

In lists issued to newspapers, large projects would need to be listed separately, to facilitate the work of NGOs in identifying projects which could have environmental implications.

It was the NGOs who requested regulations to ensure that people who should know about a project would be informed. They did this after site notices were removed, possibly by the developers themselves, so that neighbours would not know of the planned development.