
A prospective property owner who intends to construct a building or structure that is exempt from the land use scheme and regulations has to apply for a special waiver or exclusive rights known as a rezoning application. In other words, no developments shall be made in a specific zone if they are not in line with the designated purpose of the land as defined in the land use scheme governing that area. Zoning regulations control the type of developments that can be made within a specific area in the city, town or district. The following are types of town planning applications that home owners, property developers, builders, architects, investors or any citizen may make in South Africa:īuy a Newly-Built Home in your State - Price Range $250,000 to $50,000,000 Types of Town Planning Applications in South Africa : Basically, if you want to make changes, modify, remove restrictions and relax certain portions of existing town planning regulations and schemes applying to a specific zone or area, you have to submit an application for consideration and pay the applicable fees prior to submitting a construction plan application. These fall under town planning applications. There are many other types of applications that you have to make before you reach the building plan submission stage. If you intend to build a residential facility (house, flat, apartment, lodge etc.) on property meant for commercial, entertainment, educational or industrial use, you have to submit a rezoning application first. In this case if your rezoning application is rejected, you can’t proceed with building on the said property.

Thus, you will be required to pay fees for both rezoning and building approval separately. As an example, if you want to build a casino, night club or liquor store on erven meant for middle class residential development only, you do not just need to apply for building plan approval, but you also need to apply for property rezoning.


The type of application fees you pay depends on the type of applications required by your project. Before you commence building a new house, extension, addition or making alterations to your existing dwelling on your residential plot or erven, you have to apply for an approval from the municipality in your city or town.

Are you planning to build a residential, commercial, industrial or educational facility in South Africa? Just like in any construction project around the world, building costs will include town planning fees charged by the municipality.
