Peshawar: According to news released on Saturday, land surveys will be done in all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to establish land use plans following the passing of the KP Land Use and Building Control Bill, 2021.

Read More: KP mulls 10-year tax holiday for promotion of tourism

The law was passed by the provincial government last week, and it is scheduled to be brought to the provincial assembly for ratification next week. The following are some of the details revealed:

•Provincial Land Use and Building Control Authority will be established at the provincial level

•District Land Use and Planning and Management and Local Planning and Enforcement Unit Committee will be established at district levels

•Provincial Land Use and Building Control Council will be set up, which will be headed by the chief minister. The council will approve policies and guidelines related to the authority’s functioning.

•The function of the District Land Use and Management Committee will include:

  • Monthly review of No-objection Certificates (NOCs) issued by the agencies concerned for land use and development permissions
  • Action to undo violation, which includes reconstruction of a building, demolition, or stopping a developer from constructing a development that violates planning permission
  • Formulation of district land use plans or master plans

•Under Section 15 (2), the bill provides determination of unplanned and existing planned areas in the survey.

•Under Section 15 (3), the area will be categorised in one or more of 131 and use classes, which includes a national park, agriculture, commercial, residential, industrial, mixed land use, water bodies, vacant land, mining, and other land use types, depending on the results of the survey.

Read More: KP gets its first regional stock exchange office

•The land use plans developed will include:

  • Description of district boundaries and tehsils along with topographical mapping of the area
  • Use geographical information systems
  • Coverage of water, waste disposal, and sewerage services
  • Description and measurement of green and open spaces and traffic flows
  • Identification of tourists’ and archaeological spots

•Section 21 of the proposed bill is related to land use permission. Under this section, after the notification of the district land use plan or master plan, no individual or government agency can use the land for permissible uses without proper land use permission.

•According to Section 22, no land development, building construction, or road remodelling will take place without temporary development permission by the planning control officer where the master plan or district land use has been notified.

Read More: New industrial zones established to increase commercial activities in KP

•Section 31 of the proposed bill empowers the authority to formulate an urban design improvement proposal, where the design of the area is termed poor or where the government directs the authority. The improvement can contain:

  • Redevelopment plan
  • Land use change plan
  • Changes required in ownership and development and measures taken for a smooth transition to planned development

o Building stock renewal plan

• Under Section 43, the land use inspectorate will be set up. The external body will check the level of enforcement of different provisions of the act.

•As per the proposed bill, fines up to PKR 10 million and imprisonment ranging from three years if the individual undertakes land development work without approved land use or building conversion plan.

Stay tuned with Tajarat Property for more updates or information about the top-notch real estate projects like Blue World City or Blue World City Islamabad.