Circular, Simplification and transparency in grant of planning permission
The Office of the Commissioner of Town and Country Planning issued this circular on 13 March 2019 to simplify procedures and improve transparency in granting planning permission. Following Government Order Ms. No. 18 of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MA.1) Department, dated 4 February 2019, it sets processing timelines, limits repeated queries, prescribes water body setbacks and gives administrative instructions to planning officials.
What the circular governs
The Office of the Commissioner of Town and Country Planning issued the circular after the notification of the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019 through Government Order Ms. No. 18 of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MA.1) Department, dated 4 February 2019. It also follows delegation of powers to field officers under an office circular dated 7 March 2019.
The instructions apply to the handling of layout and building proposals by field officers, Composite Local Planning Authorities, New Town Development Authorities and regional planning offices. They are relevant to applicants seeking planning permission because they set timelines and procedural limits for scrutiny.
Application processing
The circular gives planning officials the following instructions:
- A query letter must be issued within 15 days after receiving an application and completing the site inspection.
- Queries should normally be raised only once. Additional queries may be raised only if there is a flaw in the applicant's reply.
- A local body may be consulted only when there is a discrepancy concerning the qualifying road width for a layout or building proposal.
- Field officers must clear proposals falling within their delegated powers within 30 days of receipt.
- Proposals requiring head office clearance must be forwarded within 15 days of receipt, together with site inspection remarks and a specific recommendation.
Setbacks from water bodies
Planning proposals must follow these minimum setbacks:
- A field channel less than 1 metre wide requires a 1 metre setback.
- A major canal more than 1 metre wide requires a 3 metre setback.
- A river requires a 15 metre setback.
- A lake requires a 3 metre setback.
Fees, deposits and publication
The circular also directs planning authorities to:
- Open a separate bank account for each category, namely scrutiny fee, security deposit, display board deposit and fee for registration of professionals.
- Await further orders on whether these funds will be merged into the planning authority's fund account or handled otherwise.
- Accept a bank guarantee instead of a security deposit.
- Upload all layouts approved under the main stream to the website immediately.
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 soon should I receive a query on my planning permission application?
The query letter should be issued within 15 days of receipt of the application, after the site inspection is completed.
Can planning officials raise repeated queries on my application?
Queries should be raised only once. An additional query may be raised only if there is a flaw in your reply.
What setback is required from a river or lake?
The required setback is 15 metres from a river and 3 metres from a lake.
Can I provide a bank guarantee instead of paying a security deposit?
Yes. The circular permits a bank guarantee to be accepted in place of a security deposit.
