Development Control Regulations Modification Clarification Circular

Scope and effect

The Director of Town and Country Planning issued Roc. No. 19690/10 Special Cell dated 2 February 2010 following recommendations made by the Empowered Committee at meetings held on 19 August 2010 and 14 January 2011. The circular addresses implementation difficulties under the common Development Control Regulations issued by the Housing and Urban Development (UD4-1) Department in G.O.Ms.No.130 dated 14 June 2010 for nine corporation areas other than Chennai, and for Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.

The circular directs planning officials to follow the committee recommendations for the listed subjects. For matters not covered, the existing Development Control Regulations continue to apply.

Areas and developments affected

The circular clarifies and changes requirements relevant to landowners, developers and applicants seeking planning or layout approval.

• The whole of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts may be considered for implementation of the Development Control Regulations.
• Sites outside Local Planning Authority areas that are undergoing urbanisation must follow the procedure for declaration as a multi-storied building area.
• A plot extent of 1,200 square metres may be considered for a multi-storied building area.
• A layout with two public access roads, each at least 7 metres wide and coming from approved layouts, may receive approval if the roads are properly laid on the ground.
• The minimum dimensions of a residential site are 9 metres by 15 metres.

Housing and building standards

The Empowered Committee recommendations set the following key standards:

• An Economically Weaker Section plot must be at least 4 metres wide and 8 metres deep, and must not exceed 60 square metres.
• Residential or predominantly residential developments exceeding 10,000 square metres must reserve at least 10 per cent of the qualifying site area or 10 per cent of total floor space index area for lower income group housing.
• Each lower income group dwelling must not exceed 45 square metres and must be in a separate block. Conversion or amalgamation is not permitted.
• Ordinary buildings in Economically Weaker Section, lower income group, poor class or locally declared slum areas may have a maximum floor space index of 1.50 and maximum plot coverage of 75 per cent.
• Continuous built-up areas may have residential and shop buildings up to ground plus one floor, or stilt plus two floors, subject to a maximum height of 9 metres.
• Corridor width is increased from 1 metre to 1.5 metres.

Large and special developments

For developments of 10 hectares or more, the developer must provide 18 metre wide link roads connecting adjoining lands or areas. These roads must be transferred free of cost by registered gift deed to the designated authority or local body.

The circular also adopts a broader definition of special building and sets a minimum plot extent of 892 square metres and frontage of 25 metres for specified institutional, educational, public, semi-public and industrial uses. The proposal for an additional 20 per cent floor space index for basements was left for further analysis rather than approved.