Interior Minister Moshe Arbel announced on Sunday that he has signed the regulations governing the preparation of an urban renewal plan based on the "Expedited Licensing Plan - Amendment 139 to the Planning and Construction Law, an alternative to TMA 38" ("Plan Plus Permit").
These new regulations will allow for the approval of an urban renewal plan and permit in just one hearing, a groundbreaking move expected to shorten the process by one to four years.
The Planning Administration has spearheaded these regulations, which enable simultaneous management of licensing and planning processes, a significant development in streamlining and expediting licensing and planning.
Representatives from the planning and construction industry, as well as from local governments, the Union of Local Committee Engineers, architects' organizations, and the contractors' association, have been involved in the process.
The regulations introduce two tracks for the rapid licensing program:
• Track 1: This process promotes a specific plan for demolition and reconstruction alongside the permit application. Approval of the plan will now constitute approval of the permit application, resulting in significant time saved.
• Track 2: This four-year timetable supports local committees in gradually implementing the process. According to the regulations, after the local committee approves the plan, the permit application can begin processing. The goal is to create an efficient and fast procedure by eliminating unnecessary stages in the licensing process and merging planning and licensing processes.
The regulations also define an information file for a plan for fast licensing, providing planning certainty at early stages and expediting the overall process. Local committees must publish their decision regarding the alternative route within 60 days of the regulations coming into effect.
Amendment 139 expands the powers of each local committee to approve plans for demolishing, reconstructing, and strengthening buildings. The amendment also encourages a broad urban planning vision and the inclusion of public uses as necessary.
Arbel said, "This outline is part of our plan to address the housing crisis by removing barriers, streamlining procedures, and creating new solutions to increase the housing supply and combat the crisis."