Fatima Zahra El Mansouri Addresses Updates on Subdivision Law to Overcome Urbanization Imbalances
Fatima Zahra El Mansouri confirmed that Draft Law No. 34.21, concerning the amendment and completion of Law 25.90 on property subdivisions, aims to address urban imbalances that have accumulated over more than three decades, hindering the achievement of balanced urban development.
During her presentation of the text before the Interior Committee of the House of Representatives, El Mansouri explained that the main constraints are reflected in the limited current deadlines for completing equipment works, alongside varying interpretations of legal provisions among various stakeholders, which have contributed to the disruption of several projects and the emergence of incomplete urban landscapes, costing the state and municipalities additional burdens to address.
She added that the draft proposes a review of subdivision completion deadlines according to their size, extending them to range between three and fifteen years, while allowing for the suspension of these deadlines in cases of forced interruptions due to circumstances beyond the developer’s control, according to a precise procedure determined by a technical committee.
The project also stipulates the enhancement of public facility programming within subdivisions by setting clear criteria that ensure an adequate and integrated living environment, while preserving the dedicated character of properties intended for these facilities, with the possibility of changing their designation for the benefit of public interest projects under specific regulations.
Regarding governance, the minister emphasized that the text strengthens management mechanisms by assigning the call for meetings of interim and final acceptance committees to the head of the municipal council within specified deadlines, alongside establishing technical committees to review requests for deadline suspensions and grant exceptional permits for completing stalled projects.
The draft also refers to measures to protect public communal property by transferring roads, networks, and equipment to the municipality’s ownership immediately after the provisional acceptance of the works, enabling municipalities to recover repair costs in cases of developer negligence.
Additionally, it includes new provisions to regulate subdivisions implemented gradually, specifically those linked to resettlement programs for disaster victims or combating inadequate housing, requiring a minimum provision of facilities and a clear implementation and financing plan.
The text also addresses the issue of illegal subdivisions by specifying precise conditions for their restructuring according to regulated programs that encompass technical, real estate, and financial aspects.
El Mansouri concluded by affirming that the project aims to provide practical solutions to urbanization challenges, stimulate investment in the property subdivision sector, create job opportunities, and simplify procedures while reducing deadlines to align with administrative reforms and improve the business environment.
