City of Colombo Development Plan - 2008

Planning Regulations
&
Building Regulations
 Special Primary Residential Zone

Activities Maximum Minimum site

FA sq. extent sq. m.
m./
floors
*Dwellings/Apartments 5 floors 500
Hotels – 10 Bedrooms 1000
Restaurants /Banks 1000
Professional Offices 500 500
Educational
Pre-Schools 1000
Primary Schools 0.5
Customer Care Services 1000
Retail Shops 50
Religious 500
Socio Cultutal 500
Institutions
Petrol Filing Stations
Vehicle Parks
Outdoor Recreational
Places
High rise
Plot Size 2500 sq/m/

Plot Coverage 50%

Boundary Wall Height 1.0 m.

 Primary Residential Zone

Activities Maximum FA Minimum site

sq. m. extent sq. m.
Dwellings/Apartments Form C Form C
Banks /Professionfal 200 500
Offices
Retail Shops 100 -
Customer Care 200 500
Services
Religious Form C 500
Educational
Pre-Shools Form C 500
Primary Schools Form C 0.5ha.
Socio Cultutal Form C Form C
/Institutions
Vehicle Parks Form C Form C
Petrol Filing Stations
Boundary Walls 1m
 Special Mixed Residential Zone

Activities Maximum FA Minimum

sq. m. site extent
sq. m.
Dwellings/Apart Form C Form C
ments
Restaurants Form C 1000 Sq. m.

Other Institutions Form C 500 Sq.

m.
Boundary Walls 1.0m
 Sea Front Zone
Activities Maximum FA Minimum site
sq. m. extent sq. m.
*Dwellings/Apartments Form C Form C
Banks/Offices -do- -do-
Hotels/ Restaurants -do- -do-
Open Air Trading -do- -do-
Customer Care Services -do- -do-
Indoor Amusement and -do- -do-
Entertainment Establishments
Public Worship -do- 500
Socio Cultural -do- Form C
Public Outdoor Recreational -do- Form C
Educational
Pre-school - -500
Primary School 0.5 ha,
Vehicle Parks -do- -do-
Petrol Filling Station 1 1

• Plot Size - 500 sq. m.,

• Plot Coverage - 50%

• Boundary Wall heigh -1.0 m.

 Mixed Development Zone
Activities Maximum FA Minimum site
sq. m. extent sq. m.
*Dwellings/Apartments Form C Form C
Banks/Offices -do- -do-
Hotels/ Restaurants -do- -do-
Open Air Trading -do- -do-
Customer Care Services -do- -do-
Indoor Amusement and -do- -do-
Entertainment Establishments
Public Worship -do- 500
Socio Cultural -do- Form C
Public Outdoor Recreational -do- Form C
Educational
Pre-school - -500
Primary School 0.5 ha,
Secondary School 1.5he.
Vehicle Parks -do- -do-
Petrol Filling Station
Service Industries(Subject to CEA
clearance)
Boundary Wall height
(perpendicular to Galle Road)-
1.0 m.
Activities Maximum FA sq. .Minimum site extent
m. sq. m.

Socio Cultural Form C Form C

Public Outdoor Recreational -do- Form C

Educational

Pre-school - -500

Primary School 0.5 ha,

Vehicle Parks -do- -do-

Petrol Filling Station 1 1

 Port Related Activity Zone.

•Port Related Activities - Warehouses,

Container Yards,
Non polluting industries.
•Banks /Offices
•Departmental Store, Wholesale shops
•Superintendent ; Retail Shops
•Customer Care Services
•Service Industries subject to CEA clearance
•Hotels/Restaurants
•Dwellings /Apartments
•Health Institutions
•Indoor Amusement and Entertainment
•Religious activities (500 sq. m. )
•Socio –cultural Institution
•Public Outdoor Recreational Space
•Car Parks
•Petrol Filling Station
•Educational

Pre-School 1000 sq.m.

Primary School 0.5 ha.
Secondary School 1.5 ha.

•Port Related Activities subject to :

Minimum extent 600 sq. m.

3.0 m. Buffer Zone to mitigate pollution.
Minimum Road width 12.0 m.
Shall not hinder traffic
 Commercial Zone
•*Dwellings/Apartments
• Banks/Offices
•Hotels/ Restaurants
•Open Air Trading
•Customer Care Services
•Indoor Amusement and Entertainment
Establishments

•Public Worship – 500 sq.m.

•Socio Cultural
•Public Outdoor Recreational
•Vehicle Parks
•Petrel Filling Stations

•Educational

•Pre-School 100 sq.m.

Primary School 0.5 ha.
Secondary School 1.5 ha.
 Concentrated Development Zone

•*Dwellings/Apartments
• Banks/Offices
•Hotels/ Restaurants
•Open Air Trading
•Customer Care Services
•Indoor Amusement and Entertainment
Establishments
•Public Worship -500
•Socio Cultural
•Public Outdoor Recreational
•Educational
Pre-School - 100 sq. m.
Primary School - 0.5 ha.
Secondary School - 1.5 ha.
•Vehicle Parks
•Petrol Filling Station
Minimum Land Extent (sqm) Minimum width Maximum permissible FAR
between building
lines (m)
1500 less than 2000 22 10.0

1500 less than 2000 24 11.0

2000 and above 24 Unlimited.

Open Space Zone

- Parks and Playgrounds

- Fair and Exhibition grounds
- Recreational Clubs, Gym , Swimming Pools
- F. A. 2% of total open space (Buildings)

Special Areas

The Authority where appropriate may define any area comprised in the
Development Plan as a Special Project Area, Re-development Area,
Under-served Settlement Are, Slum and Shanty Area, Cultural Area,
Scenic Area, Conservation Area or other areas for special treatment.

In such areas, the Authority may restrict or prohibit the use of the site or
construction of any particular type of building, relax these Building and
Planning Regulations impose new regulations or formulate separate
regulations in accordance with Urban Development Authority Law No. 41
of 1978 to attain the purpose for which the area has been defined.
 Planning & Building Regulations
Form ‘C 1’
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Row No. Minimum land Extent (sq.m.) Minimum width between Minimum width of Maximum
building lines of a Public private Street/ Road Permissible FAR
Street/ Road
1 150 less than 250 - 3.0 1:1.5
2 150 less than 250 - 4.5 1:1.75
3 150 less than 250 - 6.0 1:2.0
4 150 less than 250 - 9.0 1:2.5
5 150 less than 250 12.2 12.2 1:3.0
6 250 less than 400 12.2 6.0 1:3.5
7 400 less than 500 12.2 9.0 1:4.5
8 500 less than 700 12.2 9.0 1:5.0
9 500 less than 700 15.0 12.2 1:5.5
10 700 less than 900 15.0 12.2 1:6.0
11 900 less than 1000 15.0 12.2 1:7.0
12 900 less than 1000 22.0 12.2 1:7.5
13 1000 less than 1500 22.0 12.2 1:8.0
14 1500 less than 2000 22.0 12.2 1:9.0
15 1500 less than 2000 24.0 12.2 1:9.5
16 2000 less than 2500 24.0 12.2 1:10.0
17 2500 less than 3000 24.0 12.2 1:12.0
18 3000 and above 24.0 12.2 Unlimited
 Form ‘C 2’

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Building Maximum No. of Minimum site Maximum Plot Open Space Around the Building
Category floors including frontage (m) Coverage
(5.1) (5.2) (5.3)
Ground Floor (%)
Minimum Rear Minimum on Minimum
Space (m) one Side space on each
Space (m) side (m)

Ground Floor 6.0 65 2.3 - -

2 6.0 65 2.3 - -
3 6.0 65 3.0 - -
4 6.0 65 3.0 - -
Inter mediate 5 8.0 65 3.0 2.0 -
Rise
6 10.0 65 4.0 2.0 -
7 14.0 65 4.0 3.0 -
8 16.0 65 4.0 3.0 -
Middle Rise 9 22.0 65 5.0 - 2.0
10 26.0 65 5.0 - 3.0
11 30.0 65 5.0 - 3.0
12 30.0 65 5.0 - 3.0
High Rise 13 35.0 50 6.0 - 4.0
14 35.0 50 6.0 - 4.0
15-20 40.0 50 6.0 - 6.0
21 & Above 40.0 50 6.0 - 6.0
Street Lines

Sanctioned Street Lines

Provisional Street Lines
 Negative Impacts
Narrow roads
Approved building applicatons (1999-
2006) – Arethusa Lane

No.of No.of No.of

floors Buildings Housing
Units
4 2 11
5 - -
6 4 70
7 4 83
8 2 52
Total 12 216
Building Lines

5.0 ft. Building Line

12.2 m. 15.0m. 22.0 m. 24.0 m. Building Line
Contd…….

- No building shall extend beyond the Building Line

– Balconies, Sunshades or eaves – 1.0m. permitted
– Fence or boundary wall permitted in street line
– Full width of the street line – considered as physical
width.
– Owner to donate the area by deed.
– Provisional Street Line to be donated to Colombo
Municipal Council
 Specifications for Building Lines - Schedule V

Nos. Postal Road Name Existing Street Approved Building

Zone Line Width(m) Line Width (m.)
No.
1 11 A.G.Hinni Appuhami Mawatha No 12.20
2 3 Abdul Caffoor Mawatha No 22.00
3 12 Abdul Hameed Street No 22.00
4 5 Abhayarama Lane 9,14 12.20
5 3 Abhayasinharama Road No 15.00
6 3 Adamaly Place No 15.00
7 10/12 Adhikarana Mawatha No 24.00
8 2 Ahamath Lane No 12.20
9 5 Aintree Street No 12.20
10 7 Akshidana Mawatha No 15.00
11 7 Albert Crescent No 32.00
12 9 Albion Lane No 12.20
13 6 Alenmethiniyarama Road No 12.20
14 3 Alfred House Avenue No 15.00
15 3 Alfred House Garden No 15.00
Private Access Roads

Non Residential Activities - Minimum

width 9.0m

Residential Activities - Minimum

width 3.0m.
Private Access Road

Form A
Access to Residential Units – Private Roads

Minimum Maximum Maximum

Width Length Lots
(M) (M)
3.0 50.0 4
4.5 100.0 8
Form B

Access to Non-residential Buildings

Maximum Minimum Maximum

Extent Width Length
(M) (M)

500 (1-4 6.0 50

lots)
2500(1 lot) 6.0 150
Turning Circle, to Access Roads

-Less than 9.0 m. width

-Exceeds 30m. length
-Diameter of turning circle -9.0m.

Private Access Roads

Non Residential Activities – Minimum width 9.0m

Residential Activities - Minimum width 3.0m.
Splaying of Corners

-Site
-Building Lines(sketch)
 Space Around Buildings

Form C1 and C2

Rear Space

- Face – further from any street

- More than one street
Furthermost from the widest street
Authority may decide
 Space Inside Building

Residential

-Habitable Room Size - 8.0 sq.m.

Minimum width - 2.5 m.

-Kitchen - 5.0 sq. m.

Minimum width - 2.0 m.

-Store room Maximum Area - 2.5 sq. m.

Contd…..

Height of Rooms
Living - 2.8 m.
Kitchen - 2.8 m
Bathrooms - 2.2 m

Height of other activities

-Shops - 3.0m
-Schools - 3.5m
-Hospitals - 3.5m.
-Factories - 3.0m.
-Resort buildings - 3.0

Basement
- Public Activities -2.8m
- Storage -2.6m.
- Parking -2.4m.
Thank You