On Monday, the government announced modifications to the long-disputed building regulations concerning small residential plots, alleviating some of the stringent rules that have encumbered property owners for many years.
The Urban Development Department (UDD) has revised the Master Plan (RMP) 2015 to ease setback regulations for residential structures built on plots of up to 4,000 square meters. According to the updated framework, the UDD has modified setback standards by implementing varied measurements based on the size of the plot.
For plots measuring 60 square meters (20×30 feet), the front setback has been reduced to 0.7 meters, with 0.6 meters allowed on each side. Importantly, the rear setback requirement has been entirely removed for this category.
For plots up to 150 square meters — typically 30×40 feet — the front setback is established at 0.9 meters, with a rear setback of 0.7 meters required, along with a setback of 0.7 meters on one of the side boundaries. Furthermore, the notification limits the maximum allowable building height for plots up to 250 square meters to 12 meters, excluding the stilt floor. It also requires that setback areas remain unpaved or uncovered with hard surfaces to facilitate rainwater absorption, thereby promoting groundwater recharge practices.
Urban planners and civil engineers have expressed their approval of this decision, highlighting that the previously uniform and inflexible setback regulations now correspond with plot size and building height. This adjustment creates valuable buildable space without compromising safety.
The amendments have also simplified regulations regarding basements and parking, including the adoption of mechanical parking systems, and have made adherence to the National Building Code (NBC) 2016 compulsory to ensure fire and life safety.
