Office Order No. 3/2017, Planning Permission Validity Period Increased from 3 Years to 5 Years
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Administration Division, issued Office Order No. 3/2017 on 18 April 2017, recording the Government amendment to Section 50 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971. The amendment increased the validity period of planning permission from three years to five years and directed all concerned Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority divisions to record and comply with the change.
Purpose and legal change
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Administration Division, issued Office Order No. 3/2017 on 18 April 2017. It records that the Government amended Section 50 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, changing the validity period of planning permission from three years to five years.
The office order refers to a notification published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary on 30 March 2017. It states that the amended Act comes into force at once.
Who is affected
Office Order No. 3/2017 is an internal compliance direction for the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in connection with planning permission work in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It was circulated to planning and administrative personnel, including:
- Deputy Planners in the Area Planning Unit, Enforcement Cell and regularisation unit.
- Assistant Planners in those units.
- Planning Assistants in Grades I and II.
- Senior planning, finance, legal, audit and administrative officers listed in the circulation.
- The official responsible for hosting the material on the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority website.
The recorded change is relevant to people and professionals dealing with planning permissions because the statutory validity period is five years instead of three years.
Key provisions
Office Order No. 3/2017 provides the following points:
- Section 50 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, has been amended by the Government.
- The validity period of planning permission has been revised from three years to five years.
- The amended Act comes into force at once.
- All concerned Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority divisions must take the amendment on record and comply with it.
- A copy of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary published on 30 March 2017 is listed as an enclosure.
What the document does not explain
Office Order No. 3/2017 does not describe how the five year period is calculated, whether it applies to planning permissions granted before the amendment, or what happens after permission expires. It also does not set out any application procedure, renewal process, fee or documentary requirement. Those matters cannot be determined from this office order alone.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
How long is a planning permission valid under this change?
The Government amendment recorded by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority increased the validity period from three years to five years.
Does the five year period apply to planning permission already granted before the amendment?
Office Order No. 3/2017 does not state whether the revised period applies to planning permissions granted before the amendment.
When did the amendment take effect?
The office order states that the amended Act comes into force at once. It refers to a Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary notification dated 30 March 2017 but does not provide a separate calendar effective date.
Does this document explain how to renew an expired planning permission?
No. Office Order No. 3/2017 records the increase in validity from three years to five years but does not provide a renewal procedure, fee or required documents.
