Any person or organization which intends to commence with the construction of a building whether for residential or for other purposes in the Jaman South Municpal Assembly area of jurisdiction must obtain a building permit. This is to ensure, among other things, that the proposed project conforms to the building regulations and development control guidelines.
This page provides a vivid guide on the procedure for obtaining a building permit as well as the basic requirements needed.
Basic Requirement for All Building Developments, Every applicant / developer is required to have the following;
1. Building Permit Application Form to be optained from the Assembly
2. Town & Country Planning Development Planning Application Form 1
3. Six (6) copies of site plans
4. Four (4) sets of building fence and block plans (scale not less than 1: 20 or 1:40 or metric equivalent 1:100 and 1:2000)
5. Four (4) sets of working drawings
Certificate / official letter or search on status of land (Lands Commission or Land Title Registration)
These include Schools, Hotels / Restaurants, Places of Worship, Factories, Hospitals, Residential Buildings, Car Parks, Amusements Parks and others.
1. Buildings – 3 storey and above (including basement) must have Structural Analysis Report and Geotechnical Report and this applies also to single storey warehouses, industrial buildings, building with wide spans.
2. If your development is a multi-storey structure or complex you may have to provide additional reports such as, Environmental Impact Assessment Report, Structural Analysis Report, Fire Service Report, Hydro Report, Geotechnical Report, Traffic Management Report etc.
3. You are to contact the Municipal Works Department, SMA or the Town and Country Planning Unit of the Physical Planning Department or consultants for advice and assistance.
Complete in full the Building Permit Application Form and the Town & Country Planning Development Planning Application Form 1
1. Submit completed Development application & the Building Permit Application forms with all necessary attachments to the Desk Officer at the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD).
2. On submission you shall be informed of corrections to be made or additions if any, date for site inspection, and the processing fee.
3. Pay the processing fee and obtain an official receipt.
1. Thereafter the Statutory Planning Committee undertakes site inspection with the applicant(s) / prospective developer (s) on the agreed date.
2. The Technical Sub Committee undertake preliminary assessment and vetting of applications and submit report to the Statutory Planning Committee.
1. The Statutory Planning Committee meets for final approval of application within stipulated time.
2. Applicants notified of decision by the Municipal Statutory Planning Committee within ten (10) working days of the meeting
Application notified when to pay building permit fees:
List of names will be posted on the notice boards of the SMA office.
Applicant / developer pays building permit fees at the Municipal Head office. Please note that payment receipt is not a building permit certificate.
Note: refusal to make payment within twenty eight (28) working days indicates loss of interest. The process is re-activated when the applicant settles the appropriate bill. Applicants will bear the cost for re – inspection.
Applicant collects building permit certificate from the Municipal T&CP office duly signed by the Municipal Engineer within ten (10) working days of receipt of approval list from the Secretary of the Statutory Planning Committee provided the applicant has paid the full building permit fee and no anomaly is discovered.
1. Please note that the validity of a Building Permit issued in accordance with the above process is five years.
2. Developers are therefore required to seek renewal of Building Permit if development is not complete within five (5) years Act 462 provides that any unauthorized structure or structures attached to premises shall be demolished or removed on notice by JSMA
3. Any such development shall be considered unauthorized and liable to demolition by JSMA.
4. Any applicant who makes a false declaration does so at his/her own peril.
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