ii. Physical Planning

The physical planning component of the housing value chain including all the relevant planning approvals that occur before construction commences.

Once title is secured, relevant planning approvals need to be secured before construction can begin. According to the Physical and Land Use Planning Act 2019, the property owner must acquire development permission from the relevant County Executive Committee Member in a particular county government where the land is situated. As part of the application, architectural and structural drawings, a copy of the title deed, and other details must be submitted.

Development approvals used to take very long to achieve; however, the Physical and Land Use Planning Act 2019 has put a statutory timeline that development permission should take a period of 60 days to be issued. The county, however, can provide questions to the application on Day 59, at which point the time frame is renewed. Besides the development permission, other planning approvals are required for situations. These include change of user and extension of user; subdivision approval; renewal of lease; Environmental Impact Assessment licence from National Environment Management Authority where the project has significant environmental impacts; consent of the National Land Commission if it is a leasehold of public land; consent of the Land Control Board if it is agricultural land; public health permit; among others. Professionals such as engineers and architects are critical at this stage as they draw the required plans and submit the applications for approval on the owner’s behalf.