An amendment to planning regulations may force homeowners to vacate their homes while major renovations are being carried out.
Under a section of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2020 passed in the Senate last week, the homeowner must now obtain an Occupancy Certificate from Government’s Planning Department before they can occupy their home after renovation work has been completed.
The legislation says: “No person shall occupy a new or renovated building;… a new extension to a building; or permit any such new, renovated or extended building, to be occupied until an occupancy certificate has been issued with respect to the building.
“The board shall within [seven] days issue an occupancy certificate upon the completion of any building works in substantial compliance with the terms of a building permit, and upon payment of the prescribed fee. . . “ (GC)
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