A new urban planning law has been announced by Dubai.
The city’s organization will be approved by legislation in accordance with the 2040 Urban Master Plan.
Additionally, it grants the Dubai Municipality the authority to carry out activities in special development zones and free zones. The new regulation will specify the licenses and paperwork that are required of every person or business conducting development projects in Dubai.
Dubai Urban Planning Law
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, has published Law No. (16) of 2023, which governs urban planning in Dubai, in his capacity as the ruler of Dubai.
The law aims to create an effective urban planning system that is integrated and fosters investment, sustainable growth, prosperity, and an improvement in the standard of living for inhabitants.
It also intends to improve governance of the urban planning sector, clarify the roles of relevant agencies, and foster better collaboration, coordination, and integration amongst them. It also strives to protect the security and safety of the emirate’s community.
The law also aims to make it more effective to create and carry out urban planning plans, strategies, and policies, as well as to monitor and evaluate their outcomes and uphold the ideals of equity, justice, openness, and accountability.
Urban planning initiatives will be governed and monitored by the law, which will also ensure that they are carried out in accordance with adopted plans, strategies, and policies and that the environment, biodiversity, and other natural resources of the emirate are protected.
Additionally, it will help Dubai develop a framework for strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment.
Supreme Council for Urban Design
In accordance with the law, a “Supreme Committee for Urban Planning” will be established and be made up of members of the relevant authorities in Dubai who are in charge of urban planning. These representatives will be chosen by a resolution issued by the Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
According to the law, the Supreme Committee’s duties and obligations include establishing Dubai’s overall urban planning strategy and specifying the city’s growth goals in the context of its authorized goals and strategies.
Up until the Supreme Committee is re-formed by a decision issued by the Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai in accordance with the Executive Council decision No. (18) of 2021, it shall carry out its duties and obligations.
The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan
The “Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan” shall be deemed to be the emirate’s authorized structural plan beginning on the date this law becomes operative.
The Dubai Municipality has been given exclusive authority to oversee the city’s urban planning industry via Law No. (16) of 2023.
In order for the Municipality to carry out the duties and obligations laid out in this legislation, the law also gives it the ability to coordinate with pertinent organizations and authorities that manage special development zones and free zones, as needed.
Without the necessary permissions, it is against the law for anybody to carry out or permit any development operations in the emirate.
While carrying out development activity and adhering to the terms of permits provided to them, everyone must ensure compliance with applicable laws in the emirate.
Any clause that conflicts with this law’s provisions has to be removed from any other legislation.
Up until new regulations, rules, and systems are published to take their place, the urban planning regulations, rules, and systems that were in existence previous to the implementation of this law will continue to be in effect to the extent that they do not conflict with its provisions.
The date on which this law becomes operative will be (90) ninety days after it is published in the Official Gazette.
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