Lagos grants 90 days moratorium to property owners without planning permits
ASWEEPING policy change in Lagos physical planning and urban development is in the offing if the words of the senior officials of the government are anything to go by.
Under the proposed changes, the state government has granted a 90- day moratorium to property owners or developers to obtain planning permits. ” From April 15, we will start the amnesty programme for those that have completed their property, and already using them without permits.
“They should use consultants to generate the necessary documents and come forward; the properties will be given permits. It will run for a period 90 days, and we’re not going to charge any penalty,” the Lagos State’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Olumide Oluyinka, said.
The authorities have also amended the regulations that make it compulsory for multi- storey building owners to submit lift designs and vendors’ details. “If you have a multi- storey building and the lift is not working, going forward, when people are going to submit building plans, for any building that has lift, we are going to ensure they submit along with their documents, the details of that lift and vendor- approved or awarded the contract for the installation,” he said.
Speaking at the Association of the Real Estate Agents in Nigeria ( AEAN) summit held in Lagos, with the theme, “Building Enduring Partnership for a future,” Oluyinka said the government plans to interface with the banks to ensure loan applicants submit title documents. He challenged the association to take up the responsibility to raise the red flags when residents deface communities or fail to abide by town planning regulations.
He called for a partnership between the government and the association to enhance the value of properties in the metropolis and eliminate illegal structures. “If you have a magnificent house and you can’t get access, it has no value,” he said.
According to the commissioner, it is only people with plan approvals in the LagosCalabar Coastal road project that would be compensated. He said, “We are clearing the coastal road, and some houses would be affected, if you do not have planning permit approval, you cannot be compensated.”
Also, the Special Adviser to Lagos State governor on Housing, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, said the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority ( LASRERA) law enacted in 2022, signifies a significant step towards promoting investment and development within the state's real estate sector.