Bengaluru has new setback rules for buildings on small plots. Details: Report

Bengaluru's Urban Development Department proposed new building setback rules for smaller plots to simplify regulations.

In a fresh development, the Urban Development Department (UDD) in Bengaluru has proposed changes to building setback rules for smaller plots, aiming to simplify regulations and bring uniformity. A draft notification amending the Zoning Regulations under the Revised Master Plan 2015 was issued on November 11, and the public can submit objections or suggestions within 30 days.

Setback requirements in Bengaluru for plots up to 150 sqm will now have fixed distances, as per the new draft notification by the Urban Development Department. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times)

What is a building setback?

According to 99 Acres, a building setback is the minimum amount of open space surrounding a building that must be maintained.

What the new draft says

Under the new draft, setback requirements have been reduced and fixed for residential plots up to 150 square metres (about 1,600 sq ft), said a report by The Hindu. Earlier, builders had to calculate setbacks as a percentage of the plot’s depth and width, 12 per cent in the front, 8 per cent at the rear, and 8 per cent on either side.

Now, fixed distances have been introduced:

– Plots up to 60 sqm (20x30 ft): 0.7 metres in the front and 0.6 metres on all other sides.

– Plots between 60 to 150 sqm (30x40 ft and 30x50 ft): 0.9 metres in the front, and 0.7 metres at the rear and sides.

– Setback norms for plots larger than 150 sqm remain unchanged.

Officials said the new system removes confusion and ensures consistency across small plot developments. The maximum building height for plots up to 150 sqm will be 12 metres, excluding the stilt floor. Open staircases are allowed within setbacks for plots up to 750 sqm, but the setback space should remain unpaved to allow rainwater to seep into the ground, the report said.

The notification also allows mechanical or hydraulic parking systems, including lifts and computerized platforms, in basements or upper floors. However, basements are banned in flood-prone areas, it noted.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.