Building by-laws raise height limit
Following the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) has also decided to relax building by-laws to encourage vertical development in the city, The Express Tribune learnt on Thursday.
An official disclosed that the corporation has proposed various amendments in building by-laws in its controlled areas to promote the construction of multi-storey residential apartments and commercial plazas.Following footsteps of the LDA, the corporation is planning to segregate high-rise buildings in six broad categories depending on building height. It is considering to allow construction of multi-storey buildings on plots as small as 10 marlas. Earlier, the minimum area required for tall buildings was four kanals.
The corporation has decided to propose the maximum building height of 48 feet on a 10-marla plot located on a 30-foot wide road. Earlier, maximum allowed building height was 38 feet on these roads. Similarly, proposed building height for one kanal plots has been proposed at 90 feet, two kanals plot 120 feet, four kanals 200 feet and eight kanals to 12 kanals up to 300 feet.
LDA notifies new building, zoning regulations
On plots larger than 12 kanals more than 300-foot high buildings could be constructed after seeking approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The corporation is proposing the amendments as per the aim of Prime Minister Imran Khan to encourage vertical development in the country. These proposals will be submitted to the provincial government for formal approval.
Earlier, the city developer introduced new building and zoning regulations (BZRs) to encourage vertical development in the city. The new BZRs are aimed to pull real estate, housing and construction sectors out of stress as construction activity has come to a grinding halt due to the change in taxation and the high cost of construction materials.
As per the new regulations, the authority has relaxed the plot size and the building height requirements for the construction of multi-storey residential apartment buildings. For a residential apartment building, the city developer has reduced the minimum plot requirement from four kanals to 10 marlas and allowed building heights in different zones that range between 48 feet and 120 feet.
The permission for an apartment building on non-converted residential site (which falls on declared commercial road only for residential purpose) ranges between 48-foot in low height zone, up to 90 feet in the medium rise-1 zone, 120-foot in the medium rise-2 zone, up to 200-foot in the high rise-1 zone and up to 300-foot in high rise-2 height zone.
LDA notifies new building laws for implementation
As per the new regulations, there is no height limit for commercial buildings having an area of 12 kanals and above.
These buildings will have a mandatory requirement of the rooftop garden, rainwater harvesting, parking and fire fighting systems.
In commercial buildings, building owners must install a solar power system equivalent to 20% of the energy requirement of the building.
Strict implementation of fire and safety regulations will be ensured in the construction of new buildings to avoid any untoward incident.
To streamline the building plan approval process, the authority has decided to establish counters of different government agencies in LDA offices to expedite the process. New rules and regulations, after consultation with the Pakistan Engineering Council and construction industry stakeholders, have also been notified for engineers and architects.
Under the new regulations, all government agencies and departments would be bound to decide on the issuance of no-objection certificates within 15 days.Experts highlight that horizontal growth of cities has exerted stress on the underground water table as concrete and pavements create a barrier in the natural process of underground water table recharge.