His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, may God protect him, in his capacity as Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, issued Law No. (16) of 2023 regarding urban planning in the Emirate of Dubai, with the aim of establishing an integrated and effective urban planning system that encourages investment and development. It contributes to achieving prosperity and improving the quality of life and living conditions, as well as achieving the security and safety of the Emirate’s community, in addition to the governance of the urban planning sector, defining the terms of reference of the relevant authorities, and improving ways of cooperation, coordination and integration between them with regard to urban planning.
The law also aims to enhance the efficiency of preparing and implementing plans, strategies and policies related to urban planning, following them up and measuring their results, achieving the principles of justice, equality, transparency and accountability, organizing and following up urban planning work, ensuring their alignment with approved plans, strategies and policies, and preserving the environment, biodiversity and natural resources in Dubai. Contribute to the establishment of the Environmental Impact Assessment System and the Strategic Environmental Assessment in the Emirate.
Higher Committee for Urban Planning
The law stipulates the formation of the “Higher Committee for Urban Planning”, with the membership of representatives of the authorities concerned with urban planning in Dubai, who are appointed by a decision of the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai.
The law defines the tasks and powers of the Supreme Committee, most notably: drawing up the general policy for urban planning in Dubai, defining its urban development goals within the framework of approved visions, goals and strategies, approving the structural plan for the emirate, which is the basic document for the urban planning system, as a comprehensive long-term strategic plan, and supervising To implement and follow up on its implementation, ensure that the plans of government agencies in the Emirate are in line with this plan, ensure that they are in line with government priorities and directives, and issue the necessary directives regarding the obstacles and difficulties that may face its implementation.
Likewise, the tasks and powers of the Supreme Committee include: approving the necessary recommendations regarding plans, strategic studies, framework plans, and infrastructure projects related to the structural plan, approving the necessary recommendations regarding major urban projects prepared by various entities in the emirate, and issuing the necessary directives regarding the major amendments that are made to the structural plan. Approved, based on the developments and directives of the Government of Dubai in this regard, also proposing policies and legislation that ensure the achievement of the desired goals from the implementation of the structural plan, and enabling the bodies entrusted with the implementation of this plan to carry out their competencies, and ensuring coordination and complementarity of roles between the bodies concerned with urban planning in the emirate, and others of related specialties.
The Supreme Committee for Urban Planning, formed pursuant to Executive Council Resolution No. (18) of 2021, continues to exercise the competencies and powers assigned to it pursuant to this decision, in addition to the powers conferred upon it under Law No. (16) of 2023, and the decisions issued pursuant thereto, until the restoration of Formation of the Supreme Committee by a decision of the Chairman of the Executive Council in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Likewise, the law stipulates that a sub-committee affiliated to it shall be formed, by a decision of the Supreme Committee, to be called the “Urban Planning Grievance Committee”, and it shall be entrusted with the task of examining and adjudicating grievances submitted to it regarding decisions and procedures issued by Dubai Municipality or the concerned authorities under this law and the decisions issued. hereby.
Dubai Urban Plan 2040
According to the law, and as of the date of its enforcement, the “Dubai Urban Plan 2040” is considered the approved structural plan for the Emirate of Dubai, provided that the procedures and provisions of this plan shall be subject to the provisions stipulated in this law and the decisions issued pursuant thereto and the legislation in force in the emirate.
Law No. (16) of 2023 singled out “Dubai Municipality” exclusively with the responsibility of regulating the urban planning sector in the Emirate of Dubai, and giving it the authority to coordinate with the concerned authorities and the authorities supervising special development zones and free zones, if needed, in order to enable it to carry out the tasks and powers that it This law defines it, foremost of which is: preparing the structural plan, any amendments to it, preparing framework plans, and detailed policies related to its terms of reference, making any amendments to it, and submitting all the foregoing to the Supreme Committee for Urban Planning for approval, also entrusting it with the responsibility of ensuring the alignment of the framework plans it prepares The concerned authorities with the structural plan.
The powers of Dubai Municipality also include: Ensuring that urban development in Dubai proceeds according to the visions, policies, strategies and objectives set, following up on the implementation of the structural plan and framework plans, and related programmes, projects and indicators, and preparing an annual monitoring report, which includes reviewing the implementation of plans, identifying problems, challenges and procedures. necessary to address them, and submit them to the Supreme Committee for Urban Planning to take the necessary action in this regard, and prepare studies of urban design and detailed planning of areas, and plans for the rehabilitation, beautification and development of existing areas, in addition to issuing regulations, circulars and guides related to its areas of competence, in addition to many other related responsibilities and tasks.
The law also detailed the competencies of the concerned authorities in applying the provisions of the law, each in its field of competence, including coordination with Dubai Municipality in preparing the structural plan, providing it with information related to the competencies related to urban planning entrusted to it according to the legislation in force in the Emirate of Dubai, and preparing and updating evidence related to the application of the law and preparing plans. framework that falls within its competence, in addition to measuring the performance indicators of the implementation of the structural plan and framework plans related to its terms of reference, and providing the municipality with the results it reaches, in addition to the information and data that enable it to follow up on the implementation of the structural plan and prepare the necessary reports on it.
The law clarified some of the tasks entrusted to the authorities supervising the special development zones and free zones, most notably, submitting requests for issuing a permit for the general plan of the municipality to ensure its compatibility with the structural plan and the framework plan, as well as requests for issuing a planning permit that fundamentally affects the general plan, and issuing a permit for the general plan for lands that Supervise it in accordance with the procedures, standards, and guidelines in force with it, and provide the municipality with all data and information related to the master plan permit, planning permit, and construction licenses issued by it.
Obtaining permits
According to Law No. (16) of 2023, it is prohibited for any person to implement or allow the implementation of any development works in the Emirate of Dubai, except after obtaining a master plan permit, a planning permit, or a general planning permit, and this person must comply with the legislation in force in the emirate When carrying out development works and under the terms of the permit issued to him.
Any provision in any other legislation shall be repealed to the extent that it conflicts with the provisions of this law, and the decisions, bylaws, and regulations in force in the matter of urban planning prior to the enforcement of the provisions of this law shall continue to be enforced to the extent that they do not conflict with its provisions, until the issuance of the decisions, bylaws, and regulations that replace it.
This law shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall come into force after ninety (90) days from the date of its publication.
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