Statutory and Regulatory Compliance
Land, planning and building control
Compliance questions test the statutory chain from land title to occupation. Land is vested in the state governor under the Land Use Act 1978; the Certificate of Occupancy is the primary title, and transfers require the governor's consent. Planning permission, or development permit, from the state physical planning authority authorises the use and the building envelope; building-plan approval then checks structural, services and fire drawings against the National Building Code. Development control enforces setbacks, coverage, plot ratio, height, airspace, parking and drainage.
Environment, safety and occupation
The EIA Act 1992, administered by NESREA under its 2007 Act, requires environmental impact assessment for projects on the mandatory list, such as large housing, industry and infrastructure. Other consents include the fire safety certificate and approvals for water, sewage and signage. Occupation requires a certificate of completion or fitness for habitation, not merely a stamped drawing.
Worked example
A 900 m² plot is zoned at 45% maximum coverage and a plot ratio of 1.0. Maximum footprint = 0.45 x 900 = 405 m². Maximum gross floor area = 1.0 x 900 = 900 m². A two-storey building of 405 m² per floor gives 810 m² of GFA and complies; a third identical floor at 1,215 m² breaches the plot ratio even though the footprint is unchanged.
Traps
Treating a Certificate of Occupancy as building approval; starting on site with only planning permission; ignoring the EIA threshold on a large scheme; assuming setbacks can be traded for extra parking.