Planning permission proposals for professional consulting offices, Proposals should be mentioned with specific terms, Instructions issued

What the instructions govern

The Commissioner of Town and Country Planning issued these instructions to all subordinate offices on 2 September 2013. They concern planning permission proposals described as professional consulting offices in primary residential, mixed residential and commercial use zones, and refer to G.O.Ms.No.1730 of the Rural Development and Local Administration Department dated 24 July 1974.

The instructions respond to proposals that use the general description “professional consulting office” without explaining the actual consultancy. The source identifies examples such as a lawyer’s consultation office, an architect’s or engineer’s consultancy office, an auditor’s office, or another similar consultancy office.

Requirements for proposals

Every professional consulting office proposal must clearly state the particular consulting activity, regardless of whether it can be handled under the field office’s delegated powers or must be forwarded to the head office for approval.

Key requirements and consequences are:

• The proposal and plan must specifically identify the consulting activity.
• A general description such as “professional consulting office” is not enough.
• If the specific activity is omitted, the proposal will be treated as a commercial activity and scrutinised on that basis.
• All subordinate offices were instructed to follow the requirement strictly and acknowledge receipt of the circular.

Use zone and floor area position

The CMDA Development Regulations described in the instructions provide different treatment by use zone:

• In a primary residential use zone, a professional consulting office and its incidental uses are permissible only when the occupied floor area does not exceed 40 square metres.
• In a mixed residential use zone, a professional consulting office without a floor area restriction is permissible only with special sanction from the CMDA.
• Otherwise, a professional consulting office without a floor area restriction is normally permissible only in a commercial use zone.

Who may be affected

Applicants, owners, consultants and planning professionals seeking permission for a professional consulting office should ensure that the drawings and proposal name the actual consultancy. The instructions note concern that some buildings approved under a general consultancy description were later used for commercial purposes, clinics, dispensaries, health centres or hospitals, particularly in primary residential and mixed residential areas.