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

What the amendments cover

The Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019 were issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department through G.O. Ms.No.16, Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MA1) Department, dated 31 January 2020. They amend the existing Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019 and add references to the Hosur, Nagercoil and Avadi City Municipal Corporation Acts.

Who may be affected

The amendments may affect landowners, developers, building applicants, professionals engaged by competent authorities and local bodies processing planning permissions. Relevant changes apply to layouts, land reclassification, high rise and non high rise buildings, small developments, residential projects and certain public or institutional buildings.

Key planning and building changes

• The distance specified for layout and reclassification is 500 metres, while 250 metres applies to high rise buildings and 100 metres to non high rise buildings.
• Written permission for buildings below 1,200 square feet must be issued within 30 days from receipt of the plan and other requirements.
• Within the Chennai Metropolitan Area, sites abutting and gaining access from roads at least 12 metres wide are deemed to be in a commercial use zone. The stated threshold for the rest of the Chennai Metropolitan Area is 9 metres. Other sites are deemed residential.
• A competent authority may use a registered architect who has a Bachelor of Architecture degree or equivalent, at least two years of professional experience after obtaining the degree, and registration from the Council of Architecture.
• An air conditioner ledge of up to 0.6 metre is added to the permitted items under rule 28.

Small developments and setbacks

The revised standards cover non high rise buildings with up to 16 dwellings and listed small developments, including certain commercial premises, schools, clinics, nursing homes, hostels, libraries, police stations and government or local body offices not exceeding 300 square metres. The table provides a normally permissible Floor Space Index of 2.0 and sets road width, height, floor, dwelling and setback limits according to the area and site conditions.

Primary schools must have side and rear setbacks of 3 metres. Other entries in the relevant table specify 6 metres.

Security deposits and mixed uses

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 requirement excludes qualifying residential buildings up to 12 metres and all industrial buildings.

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 habitable floor area for occupants.