New amendments to building rules apply only to free zone: Municipality

 KUWAIT: Director General of Kuwait Municipality Manal Al-Asfour affirmed that the new amendments to the special conditions and specifications issued recently are limited to the buildings of the free zone. Al-Asfour explained in a press statement that what was published in some newspapers about the ministerial decision regarding the conditions and specifications for service sector buildings (16) (formerly the free zone) does not include the Shuwaikh and Al-Rai areas.

She explained that the most prominent thing included in the conditions is allowing the establishment of hotels at a rate of 150 percent of the area of the service plot, which is the same percentages previously decided, and the possibility of it containing more than one basement.

Manal Al-Asfour

Mohammed Al-Mutairi

Director of the Capital Municipality branch and Head of the Committee for Studying and Reviewing Building Regulations Muhammad Al-Mutairi said that the former free zone was transferred to the Public Authority for Industry and its name was changed to the service sector (16).  Al-Mutairi added that the area has become multi-service and has been attached to the Shuwaikh and Al-Rai service, craft, and commercial area regulations, indicating that the new ministerial decision included amendments to the building regulations that pertain to sector (16) only and do not include the rest of the sectors in Shuwaikh and Al-Rai.

He pointed out that the new amendments included a building percentage not exceeding 130 percent, which is the same building percentage previously decided, provided that it is distributed at most over three floors (ground, mezzanine, and first), and that the areas of shops and showrooms are not less than 100 square meters on the ground, mezzanine, and basement.

He pointed out that the office space is not less than 150 square meters on the ground floor and mezzanine, and the percentage of restaurants (cafes) was increased from 5 to 10 percent, and the use of warehouses in the basement was added, and all plots are required to provide parking spaces within the property boundaries.

Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari recently issued a decision regarding the requirements and specifications for private service sector buildings (16) in the Shuwaikh and Al-Rai service, craft, and commercial area. The decision specified the activities permitted for the establishment of commercial units in the sector and permitted for their exploitation, which are (administrative offices, shops, exhibitions, banking services, branches of commercial banks, a health club, a hotel, and complementary activities to support the area, warehouses. – KUNA