Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019 (31 Jan 2020)

What the amendments cover

The Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department amendments apply to development and building regulation under the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019. They are relevant to landowners, developers, planning applicants, building professionals, local bodies and buyers assessing whether a proposed or completed development follows the applicable standards.

Planning permission and professional services

Key procedural and professional changes include:

• Written permission for a building of less than 1,200 square feet must be issued within 30 days from receipt of the plan and other requirements.
• The competent authority may use a person as an architect if the person has a Bachelor of Architecture degree or equivalent, at least two years of professional experience after obtaining the degree, and a registration certificate from the Council of Architecture.
• Geo Technical Engineers, Town Planners, Architectural Assistants and Technical Assistants are included in the amended professional categories.
• An air conditioner ledge of up to 0.6 metre is added to the permitted features specified in the rules.

Development standards

The amendments revise standards for non high rise buildings containing up to 16 dwellings and certain small developments. Listed uses include commercial premises, nursery and primary schools, religious buildings, clinics, diagnostic centres, nursing homes, hostels, libraries, police stations and government or local body offices within the stated floor area limits.

Other provisions include:

• Affordable housing dwelling units may have carpet area up to 60 square metres within the Greater Chennai Corporation Area and up to 90 square metres in the rest of Tamil Nadu.
• Residential developments exceeding 100 dwelling units in a primary residential use zone may include commercial and institutional uses of up to 10 per cent of building floor area at habitable floor levels, for occupants within the premises.
• For large developments, the competent authority may require link-road space through the site. The applicant must transfer that space free of cost to the local body through a registered gift deed, and prescribed building setbacks must be maintained from the road.

Security deposits

Applicants other than government departments or agencies must provide a refundable, non-interest earning security deposit equal to 50 per cent of the infrastructure and amenity charges in force per square metre of floor area. A bank guarantee may be accepted. The deposit is refundable after certified completion according to the approved plan, but may be forfeited for non-compliance.

The deposit does not apply to residential buildings up to 12 metres high with no more than three dwelling units or 750 square metres, or to industrial buildings.