The town and country planning department has proposed lifting of height and coverage restrictions under Kovalam-Vizhinjam area development scheme.
The proposed set of changes was presented in the special committee of the city corporation the previous week. It is expected to be presented in the corporation council soon. Kovalam-Vizhinjam area development scheme had earlier been varied in 2010. It covers a total area of 1907.50 ha. The scheme map was originally sanctioned in 1978 as part of controlling the developments in and around Kovalam and Vizhinjam areas and to preserve the natural environment and to regulate development in an orderly manner.
The coverage, height restrictions, plot size have been modified as per the new set of variations. The town planning department has also proposed taking away all the architectural controls prevalent in 2010 regulations.
While the coverage for buildings under public and semi-public use was limited to 40% and height below 9 metres as per the old plan, the height and coverage will be determined as per the building rules in force, the proposal says. Multiplex complexes have been added to the zoning regulations under `uses restricted by chief town planner’.
As for buildings under tourism development, the coverage was limited to 30% and the height of the building was below 9 metres. This provision has been taken off and proposed variation says that coverage and height restrictions in the 2010 regulations have been modified and it will be governed by Kerala municipality building rules. Hotels, resorts, cottages, homestays, hostels, boarding houses, convention centres, and commercial buildings are included under uses permitted.
New relaxations have also been proposed for residential buildings. Residential buildings up to 300 sq.m and commercial buildings upto 150 sq.m are permitted in both the zones as per compliance with the paddy and wetland act of the state, the proposal says.
Architectural controls such as control of building height, need to use local, indigenous construction materials, conditions regarding exterior colour and colour continuity have also been taken off in the proposed set of variations.
The state government had issued a draft notification in 2018 to introduce variation in the general town planning scheme for Trivandrum city as part of making zoning regulations compatible with present development requirements.
As per the notification, single family residential buildings with floor area upto 300 sq.m were included under permitted uses in green strips or areas reserved for agriculture. The condition was that the areas shall be substantially built up with lawful residential buildings and satisfying certain conditions.
With no objections being received within the stipulated time period, the government issued the final notification in 2019. The corporation council had in 2020 approved the decision regarding relaxation of zoning regulations in green strips for single family residential buildings of floor area upto 300 sq.m.
