Housing Ministry announces new regulatory guidelines for expansion in residential areas

Manama, Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, affirmed that Decision (899) of 2024, issuing the regulatory requirements for housing project areas and its accompanying guide, was established following the Cabinet's approval of a draft decision to amend the construction regulations in housing project areas. This amendment aims to facilitate the expansion of building spaces for housing units and residential plots. The minister explained that the objective of these regulatory requirements is to maximise citizens' benefit from expansion opportunities around housing units, addressing recurring building violations and transforming them into legal amendments in accordance with the regulatory standards applied to all residential units, plots, and buildings under the Ministry of Housing's jurisdiction. She added that the decision regulates the requirements for residential building areas in addition to the housing areas that have not yet been delineated, as part of a comprehensive legal f ramework. This initiative is the result of coordinated efforts between the legislative and executive authorities, following an extensive review of cases submitted to the Ministry and citizen proposals received through the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul), as well as feedback from MPs and municipal councils. Minister Al Rumaihi further noted that the issuance of this regulatory decision aligns with Article (20) of Decree-Law (13) of 1977, which issued the Building Regulation Law and its amendments, serving as a complement to Decision (93) of 2023, which issued construction regulations for various areas in the Kingdom. The decision follows a review of building additions under Decision (76) of 2018, which issued the regulatory requirements applied to housing projects. The proposal was discussed within a technical government team that included the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, and the Urban Planning and Development Authority, and was reviewed in several stages with municipal councils and the Capital Secretariat. Source: Bahrain News Agency