In a bid to streamline urban development processes, the Egyptian Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, has greenlit the draft decision delineating the executive regulations for Law No. 187 of 2023. This pivotal legislation aims to simplify the labyrinthine process of reconciling building code infractions and legitimizing the status of non-compliant structures dotting the Egyptian landscape.
Under the purview of these executive regulations, applications previously lodged under the aegis of Law No. 17 of 2019 will seamlessly transition to the revamped reconciliation committees instituted pursuant to Law No. 187 of 2023. Importantly, applicants need not fret about additional financial burdens, as the fee structure remains tethered to the rates stipulated by Law No. 17 of 2019, inclusive of any existing discounts.
The regulatory framework also extends its reach to the appeals mechanism. Those aggrieved by rejections under Law No. 17 of 2019, with the window for appeal still ajar, can lodge their grievances with the freshly minted grievance committees within a 30-day window post the enactment of these regulations.
Furthermore, a lifeline is proffered to those whose applications faced the cold shoulder under Law No. 17 of 2019. They can resubmit their pleas for reconciliation under the auspices of the new law, albeit subject to fresh examination fees or a “serious reconciliation fee” as dictated by the regulatory framework.
A novel provision in these regulations empowers stakeholders to seek approval for augmenting constructions within the reconciled area and height. This applies particularly to violations entailing columns, walls, or a fusion of both, previously considered amenable for reconciliation under Law No. 17 of 2019. However, this comes with the caveat of ensuring the structural soundness of the building and its foundations to bear the additional load.
Approval hinges on furnishing a dossier comprising essential documents such as the applicant’s national ID card copy, evidence of completed reconciliation procedures, and architectural and engineering blueprints authenticated by a certified engineer. The competent administrative body will conduct a thorough scrutiny to ensure alignment with the reconciled parameters. Upon approval, a permit for construction completion shall be appended to the extant reconciliation decision, with requisite documentation promptly provided to the applicant gratis.
The draft decision also encapsulates the comprehensive 20-article executive regulations delineating the roles and responsibilities of the General Authority for Urban Planning and the competent administrative bodies vis-Ã -vis the dispensation of approved urban planning maps and processing reconciliation requests for alterations of use in areas bereft of detailed plans.
