Unified authority to streamline development

GETTING important approvals and permits before a land can be developed into a commercial or residential purposes can be as straightforward as 1-2-3 but it can also be daunting at times and sometimes time consuming.

This is being looked into by the Town & Country Planning under the Ministry of Development, the Bulletin was told.

For example, imagine there are various agencies that one has to deal with, depending on the type of the building, before a building can be built, and again when the building is completed and ready for occupation.
There are 11 approving agencies at the moment, which among others include the public works, health, Fire and Rescue, electrical, land, port and others.

Thus, to streamline the processes and cut the time short, so to speak, the relevant departments under the Ministry of Development have proposed a unified development control authority.

One of the considerations on the table is an effort to minimise fewer application form submissions. While there is still a long way to achieve this, the Ministry of Development has set the ball rolling to streamline the application process.

For the time being, the ministry has reviewed development applications procedure, and effective
February 16, all development applications will come under the Development Control Competent Authority (DCCA).

This helps the authority to deliver best and efficient services to the general public and help reduce delays in doing business in the country.

“This is one of our efforts to make things a bit easy or improve the ‘ease to do business’ in Brunei and as our commitment to improve our public service too,” said Haji Mohammad Rozan bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yunus, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Development, during a media briefing yesterday.

Areas that now come under the DCCA, according to Haji Mohammad Rozan during a media briefing yesterday, will be those that are outside the municipal jurisdictions.

But there are also works underway to consolidate DCCA and outside DCCA areas.

There are three municipal authorities: the BSB Municipal Board, Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Board and Tutong Municipal Board. These areas will not come under the DCCA.

In terms of size, DCCA covers a much larger area, approximately 5,640 sq kilometres. Brunei’s total land size is 5,725 sq kilometres, Haji Mohammad Rozan said. It includes controlled areas such as forest reserves and others.

Haji Mohammad Rozan said areas under the DCCA have been endorsed by the development minister and will be gazetted.

Prior to this, briefings and road shows on this issue were conducted in October 2009 for the general public such as the Penghulus, Ketua Kampongs and members of the Village Consultative Councils and all relevant stakeholders.

“This was to inform them of the changes in the submission procedure and approving authority,” said Hock Kok Seng, Commissioner of Town & Country Planning (TCP), who joined the Permanent Secretary, Haji Mohammad Rozan during the media briefing yesterday.

Section 6 of the Town and Country Planning 1972 Act (revised 1984) (Development Control) requires that approval must be obtained from the Chairman of the DCCA for all building and earthwork developments within the DCCA areas before construction and earthworks can begin.
During the World Town Planning Day last year on November 16, the Minister of Development had said the main objective of consolidating DCCA and outside DCCA areas, and of having a unified development control authority is to avoid duplications of responsibilities, to reduce bureaucracy and to streamline and coordinate the functions of the various relevant government agencies under the Ministry of Development.
Beginning February 16, all development applications (building and earthworks) within the new DCCA areas are to be submitted to the DCCA using application forms
that can be obtained from the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) office branches in the four districts and submitted to TCPD and relevant DCCA member departments.
According to the existing procedure, all applications for building construction and earthworks must only be submitted by “Qualified Persons” (architects and engineers) who are registered with the Ministry of Development depending on the type of building and earthwork proposals.
Mr Hock Kok Seng said submissions must follow the guidelines and requirements of the DCCA. He said this is to avoid applications being rejected, thus causing unnecessary delays.
It is therefore important that all qualified persons submitting for applicants and landowners (clients) be responsible and professional in their conduct, and knowledgeable about the existing guidelines and requirements of the DCCA, the site submitted and the surrounding areas.
Pertaining to this, the general public and landowners are reminded to get advice and approval from the DCCA before doing earthworks, construction or extensions.
For any queries related to development control process, the public may contact the Town and Country Planning Department through its branhes in the four districts or e-mail tcpcomp@brunet.bn
The move towards a unified development control authority and reviewing of development applications procedure will enable the DCCA to deliver best and efficient services to the general public and help reduce delays in the ease of doing business in the country.

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