BUILDING PERMIT: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LEGALFRAMEWORK IN LEBANON

Authors

ALI MOURAD Assistant Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Beirut Arab University, LebanonFollow

Keywords

Building Permit, Urban Planning, Construction Law, Urban development

Disciplines

Architecture | Business | Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

The Building Permit (BP) is a required administrative authorization issued by public authorities. It ensures that the planned construction is abiding by the legal framework governing the construction works in the targeted are or zone. In Lebanon, the Construction Law, No.646/2004 regulates the issuance of BPs. The technical and legal procedures involve require the engagement of various administrative authorities. In this context, three institutions are involved. At first, the Order of Engineers and Architects (OEA), the General Directorate of Urban Planning (GDUP) and the relevant local authorities on the Municipal level. However, as of 2014, the Ministry of the Interior issued four circulars, supposedly, aiming at facilitating the issuance of the BP. As result, it allowed for the circumvent of the notification and mandatory verification by OEA and GDUP. This concentration of power within the direct executive local authorities was portrayed as a way to trim down the massive displacements towards urban centers. Moreover, it aimed at lowering the rate of illegal building plots the disadvantaged peripheries. This article intends is to investigate the legality of these circulars vis-à-vis the Lebanese Construction Law. It will be closely assessing the impact of the 2017 circulars on the urban and rural environment. Moreover, it will inquire on the potential risks due to the sidelining of the main technical institutions. It is aimed that this article will contribute to the overall national debate regarding the healthiness and the legality of executive degrees and their impact on the everyday life of the residents

Recommended Citation

MOURAD, ALI Assistant Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science (2018) "BUILDING PERMIT: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LEGALFRAMEWORK IN LEBANON," BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing: Vol. 1: Iss. 3, Article 8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54729/2789-8288.1060