Planning Permission Includes:

• Preliminary Planning Clearance for Proposed Development
• Approval for land sub-division plans
• Approval for land sub-addition plans
• Approval for new building plans
• Approval for extentions of building plans
• Approval for amendments to the building plans
• Obtaining permits for change of use
• Obtaining certificate of conformity

Permissions may be the subject of planning conditions, where, rather than refusing a planning application, a local planning authority might grant permission but might, for example, restrict the use of the site or require additional approvals for specific aspects of the development.

Local Authorities are providing planning permissions

The Local Authorities are responsible for providing services in Sri Lanka which the law specifically allows them to do. It is required to provide services for the comfort, convenience and well being of the community in respective areas.

The local council will take into account a number of factors before responding to your proposal, and this generally includes how it could potentially disrupt your neighbours, the traffic, parking, disability access and the conservation of natural areas.

The Local Government System consisted of:

• Municipal Councils

Visit our page List of Municipal Councils and find out more about planning permission.

• Urban Councils

Visit our page List of Urban Councils and find out more about planning permission.

• Pradeshiya Sabhas

Visit our page List of Pradeshiya Sabhas and find out more about planning permission.

If a local authority has been declared as an urban development area under the Urban Development Authority Act No. 41 of 1978, all construction activities should be in compliance with the rules and regulations set out therein.

Planning permission before any works are carried out

Depending on the type of home improvement you are looking for, and the type of property you live in, you may need to apply for planning permission before any works are carried out.

Decisions on whether to grant planning permission are made in line with building guidance (Building regulations or Building Code) and the local planning policies set out by the local authority (or Urban Development Authority).

Pre-application advice

It is often a good idea to consult a planning architect at Kedalla for an informal discussion before you submit an application. So it’s a good idea to check first. It is also a question you have to answer and can assist the local authority in dealing with your application.

Pre-application advice is encouraged as it can:

• Verify the list of local requirements each planning authority can require,
• Reduce the likelihood of submitting invalid applications
• Help you understand how planning policies and other requirements affect your proposals/(Architectural Designs).

Meet a planning architect at Kedalla

If you are meeting a planning architect at Kedalla you should be fully prepared to describe your proposals and show plans. You can:

• Ask for an assessment of whether there seems a reasonable chance of getting permission
• Discuss site problems such as roads, footpaths, power cables, watercourses, sewers and telephone lines
• Ask about potential problems such as noise and traffic and whether the council might impose conditions to overcome these problems rather than refuse planning permission.

The level of preparation required depends on what you propose to do. In simple cases it should be sufficient to look at the main issues governing the grant of permission and decide which of these are relevant to your application.

Who can apply

If you wish, you can appoint an agent to apply for planning permission on your behalf. For example, you may prefer your architect, solicitor or builder to take care of it.

Applying for Planning Permission

When beginning a project you must consider whether the development will need to have planning permission or building regulations approval. To apply for planning permission you need to submit a planning application. All planning applications are required to be submitted on a standard form. The planning process can be complex and difficult to understand, particularly for those who may be unfamiliar with the system.

In order to provide an efficient service to the public, UDA has introduced an Online Application System, through which the public can directly submit some specific types of applications for approval of their intended development activities. You will need to create a account for the application services and there is a service charge for submitting online planning applications. As soon as payment for the application has been confirmed, it will be passed to the relevant local planning committee for the application process to begin. Alternatively, application forms can be printed, filled in by hand and sent to your local planning authority directly. Further, you can obtain relevant approvals from the nearest Provincial or District Office of UDA.

We Design Your Plan and Help You to Obtain Building Plan Approvals from UDA

We help you to obtain land subdivision approvals from UDA

We help you to obtain certificate of conformity from UDA

We help you to obtain preliminary planning clearance from UDA

Mandatory Supporting Documentation

The local planning authority will not be able to process your application unless the mandatory supporting documentation has been provided. You can also attach any other relevant documentation which you think will help the local authority determine the application.

Your local authority may have their own acceptable method for you to provide supporting information. Please check with your local authority what these are before submitting.your local planning authority may produce a list which details any specific documentation that is required to accompany the application. The requirements may vary according to the type of application

If a local authority has been declared as an urban development area under the Urban Development Authority Act No. 41 of 1978, all building applications and building plans submitted for approval should be prepared in accordance with the Planning and Building Regulations of the Urban Development Authority (UDA)

The application and all the plans should be signed by the Owner/s of the premises and the qualified person/s. (refer Regulation) & his/ her registered seal.

Your application must be made up of:

• The necessary plans of the site - Plans, drawings, Site/Layout maps & Site location maps
• A plan of the building to be approved together with three copies / Blue Prints of the original plans
• The required supporting documentation
• An ownership certificate / A copy of the relevant deed
• The completed form/Application/Standard application form

An application form could be obtain from the relevant Pradeshiya sabha office, Municipal Council, Urban Council or Urban Development Authority

• Application fee / Receipt of payment

Other Documents to Be Submitted (As required)

• Approved Sub-division /Amalgamation plan and permit or approved building plan and development permit or original Survey plan for site existence from surveyed and prepared before 1999.07.29
• A copy of owner’s National Identity Card
• If the application is submitted by a representative of owner a copy of his/her I.D.
• Certified Copies of Deeds with relevant Survey plans & other documents
• A certified copy of Pedigree
• Certificate of Incorporation ( Form 41) (If a company)
• A company resolution appointing two authorized persons
• Letter of undertaking regarding the submission of Insurance Policy one week prior to commencement of construction work
• A separate parking diagram
• TIA report ( Traffic Impact Assessment )
• In the case of installation of air-conditioning, mechanical ventilation or fire protection system in a building, a certificate from a qualified person has to be submitted
• An affidavit to be submitted certifying that all the documents submitted by the owner / developer along with the application are true and accurate
• In addition, following particulars should be provided separately for industrial developments: capacities of the machinery, noise levels of all the machines, number of persons, to be employed

Zoning

The Urban Areas are divided into various zones, such as Primary Residential, Mixed Residential, Commercial, etc. . and the types of development that can be permitted in each zone are classified in the Development Plans. It is the duty of designers to find out whether the proposed development is compatible with the zoning of the area. However the existing non-conforming uses in a zone may remain but no expansion of such activities is allowed in that respective zone.

What it costs/Planning application fees

For most planning and related applications, you will need to pay a fee which should be checked with the local planning authority.

Street Lines & Other Reservation

It is the duty of the designer to check whether the block of land is affected by any street line, building line, or any other reservation. It is also important to check whether the site is affected by any private/public sewer line, public/private rain water drains and drainage paths.

Unauthorised Developments

Unauthorised development is where development is carried out without having received the appropriate permission or development not being carried out in compliance with the permission issued.

What are the implications for failing to obtain planning permission?

Failing to obtain planning permission and can result in the council enforcing an order to undo the building work. Evidently, this costs time and money and can easily be avoided by obtaining the planning permission prior to commencement of the building work.

If you do not have planning permission, you may encounter problems when selling your property as the purchaser will need to see that the necessary permissions are obtained. If you are unsure of whether you require planning permission to extend or change your property, seek advice from your Local Authority.