Dubai hotels can build rooftop restaurants if they meet criteria

Hotels need to meet specified requirements for structural modifications

Hotels in Dubai have been allowed to build restaurants on their rooftops, Dubai Municipality announced yesterday.

Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, issued an administrative decision to this effect in accordance with Decision No 66 of 2007 regarding the controls on some planning and structural modifications.

As per the requirements, the percentage of construction should not exceed 50 per cent of the floor area of the roof and the maximum building area should not exceed 1,000 square metres. The lateral slope of the building on the rooftop should not be less than 1.5 metres on all sides of the building.

In addition, parking spaces are to be provided in the building as the new construction is required to comply with the requirement that the deficit in the number of parking spaces should not exceed the percentage authorised by administrative decision No. 66 of 2007.

In existing buildings, parking space can be increased by an additional 5 per cent in situations where there are no alternative technical or engineering solutions.

The resolution also stipulates to take care of the other conditions and requirements stipulated in Administrative Decree No. 66 of 2007 regarding the controls on some planning and structural modifications, as well as the administrative decision No. 125 of 2001 on the approval of the building conditions and specifications.

The hotels are charged a fee for utilising the rooftop area for the purpose of changing the use of that floor from the planned original use, and they should also submit a drawing of the space utilised as a result of building the restaurant.