To address the issues of urban development, the Lagos State Government has concluded plans to set up a committee on physical planning.
The committee will be made up of 10 to 12 professionals such as town planners, architects, engineers, builders, estate surveyors and valuers, quantity surveyors as well as legal practitioners and government officials, the Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, has said.
Among many other issues expected to be addressed, the committee will tackle challenges relating to planning permit, building approval process, non-compliance with building laws and road setback, drainage network as well as infractions by government officials and property developers.
He said the planned committee was in line with the state’s Urban and Regional Planning Development Law of 2010.
According to him, Section 79 made provision for urban, regional law and building control appeals committee.
“This committee will deal with issues relating to planning in the state vis-à-vis issues that will arise from it. The governor has approved it and this empowers us to constitute the committee which will do so many things,” he said.
Salako said the committee would take care of some of the infractions on approval process and building control in the state.
He said, “We have so many issues that border on planning permit, the slow process of approval, non-compliance with building laws, road setback and drainage networks. Based on the tenets of the law, everyone is expected to have access to the committee which will help sanitise planning in the state and achieve the planning objective of the state.
“It empowers government agencies to take any developer or its employee to the committee and empowers any developers who feel aggrieved to approach the appeals committee for redress. We hope that with time, it will sanitise planning because we have so many issues that need to be taken care of; we have several infractions.”
The commissioner stated that there had been cases where people built houses without planning permits which was expected to curb building collapse.
He said members of the committee would also include someone from the state Ministry of Justice who would serve as its legal adviser so that government could be protected.
According to the commissioner, when it sits, the committee should be able to deal with issues pertaining to the activities of government workers, and its decisions will be forwarded to the governor, adding that anyone who feels the decisions are not favourable to them can approach the high court.
He said the committee would also be empowered to revoke some approvals if found to have been obtained illegally.
Salako said, “This will bring order and make our state liveable. Lagosians should expect a physical planning process that is transparent. It will streamline approval processes and encourage developers and property owners to seek approval before commencing construction.
“In all, everyone wins; the developer is assured of favourable development process and government is able to deal with infractions. We have had cases where approvals are delayed for several months. In this case, the person involved can approach the committee. We plan to streamline the process.”
He said more time would be dedicated to monitoring and enforcement.
Source: Punchng
