To encourage vertical growth in the provincial capital and simultaneously check vertical growth of the city, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has introduced LDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2019.
"The Authority has materialized the government's vision of promoting the vertical development to safeguard the prime agricultural land which is engulfed by haphazard horizontal urban sprawl in the form of housing scheme," said LDA Vice Chairman S M Imran while briefing the news men here on Monday. He was accompanied by senior LDA officials.
On the occasion, LDA officials, Architect Khalid Abdul Rehman, Engineer Akhbar Sheikh and Charted Town Planner Khuramk Fareed briefed the media about the regulations. One of its salient features, they said, was to activate construction industry.
"Regulations are aimed to trigger the construction industry for housing and economic activities with environment friendly practices. These regulations will allow developers to increase building heights and achieve lower cost per square-feet in their plots for providing cheap dwellings to the residents of Lahore," they added.
The LDA also showed intention of bring the concept of "pedestrianization and walkability" in the city by converting the setback spaces in commercial areas into green spaces and pedestrian paths.
"This will allow the general public to walk and shop and parking on these spaces will be discouraged," they added.
They further revealed that residents of apartments building will also enjoy the facility of daily needs items at their door step by allowing the corner shop at ground floor of the apartment building, which also will reduce cost of travelling and restrict vehicle use.
"In the process, opportunities for small business will also be created in apartment building," they added.
The regulations also intend to reduce traffic and parking loads in hospitals. They LDA officials that if the parking is not manageable within a hospital building, it can be provided within 200 meter radius with appropriate access which will reduce load on existing building.
They noted, "Considering the scarcity of water, environmental degradation and polluted air of Lahore, the provisions like rain water harvesting, roof top gardening and plantation of trees are made mandatory for the high rise buildings."
To improve the ease of doing business, the LDA has decided to adopt one window solution and thus counters of various departments will be open up in LDA and online submission and tracking system will also be introduced. Moreover, provisions of safety measures (fire safety and structural stability) in high rise buildings are made compulsory. It will also be mandatory for builders to provide water supply and sewerage drawings.
"The city has been divided in to various permissible height zones; the areas declared for low height zones category can be jumped to upper height zones category subject to fulfillments of infrastructure requirements," they added.
Under the new regulations, an apartment building can be constructed on a 10 marla plot whereas previously it was only permitted on a 4 kanal or above plot.
"The new regulation will allow small builders to construct buildings to benefit the low income group," he added.
"Moreover, an apartment building's height is increase from 80 feet to 120 feet, and the height for a building constructed on 8 kanal and above plot is increased to 160 feet. Commercial area heights can go up to 120 feet subject to size of plot and all other regulatory approvals. Height of industrial plots is allowed up to 90 feet to promote business like garments," he added.