| Following our alert from Sunday that the detailed outline plan in part of Har Homa E (TPS 285411) was approved for deposit by the Jerusalem District Committee we have received quite a few inquiries. Therefore we are sending these clarifications which you may find useful.
The clarifications focus on the approval process of the plan and the potential for future construction. For full details on the meaning of construction in Har Homa E please see Ir Amim's alert from last week.
Approval for Deposit is not a Full and Final Approval of the Plan
Approval for deposit is an important stage in the approval process. It means that the planning authorities think the plan is suitable and should be advanced towards final approval. But it is not a final approval of the plan.
Now the plan will need to be actually deposited. Depositing of the plan means that the plan documents are made public and a 60 days period begins during which the public can submit objections to the plan.
As written in our previous alert, the District Committee instructed that some modifications be made to the plan. We assume that it will take a few months to complete these modifications. Only after these are completed can the plan be deposited and the period for submitting of objections begin (this will not require another session at the District Committee).
After objections are submitted there remain two final stages in the approval process:
1) The Local Committee will discuss the objections and make its recommendation whether or not to approve the plan.
2) The District Committee will discuss the objections and make its decision whether or not to approve the plan.
Assuming that the objections do not convince the District Committee to reject the plan then the above decision will be the final approval of the plan.
Publishing of Tenders will not be Required for Construction to Take Place
The land in question is not state land but is owned by Israeli individuals who claim to have bought it. Therefore if the plan receives final approval publishing of tenders will not be needed in order for construction to begin. The land owners will be able to apply for building permits once the approval of the plan is formally published. A request for building permits is not much more than a technical issue and there is not much possibility for postponing it.
Expected Timeline
Except for the 60 days period for submitting of objections there are no fixed time periods for the different stages in the planning process. Therefore we can not know for certain the pace at which the plan will be advanced. But assuming the Prime Minister's Office continues to greenlight the plan's advancement it can reach final approval during 2021.
This Plan is for just a part of Har Homa E
As explained in previous alerts, in May the District Committee approved the masterplan for the whole of Har Homa E on an area of 440 dunams and a scope of 2,200 housing units. Masterplans do not enable the issuing of building permits. Therefore before construction in Har Homa E can begin there is a need for detailed outline plans to be approved.
The detailed outline plan approved for deposit last week (TPS 285411) is the first such plan in Har Homa E. It is for an area of 27 dunams and a scope of 570 housing units.
As of yet we are not aware that detailed outline plans for other parts of Har Homa E are being prepared. |
Print
PDF version