Casablanca — Morocco has taken a significant step towards addressing the persistent challenges in its real estate subdivision sector with the introduction of a new bill in the House of Representatives. This draft law, presented on Monday, April 1, by Housing and Urban Policy Minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, aims to revamp the country’s real estate subdivision framework after more than three decades of legal hurdles and procedural delays.
The current legislation, which has been in effect for over 30 years, has been fraught with structural flaws that have hindered urban development and strained public finances. The bill seeks to regulate land subdivisions, residential groups, and property partitioning, addressing the unrealistic three-year deadline for completing infrastructure works that has often left subdivisions unfinished and led to inconsistent legal interpretations among stakeholders.
Many local authorities and municipalities have had to intervene to correct defects in incomplete urban areas, placing additional financial strain on public budgets. The new text also tackles a legal gap related to phased projects and introduces measures to expedite approvals and stimulate investment in the sector. The government anticipates that the reform will facilitate job creation and generate additional tax revenues for both the state and local councils.
One of the bill’s key changes is the introduction of new permit validity periods based on land size. Projects under 20 hectares would retain a three-year window, while larger developments would enjoy extended deadlines, ranging from five years to as much as 15 years for sites exceeding 400 hectares. The proposal also establishes a formal legal process for suspending works when interruptions are beyond the developer’s control, allowing technical committees to review requests and grant additional time for completion.
The bill further strengthens governance by assigning municipal council presidents clear deadlines to convene provisional and final acceptance committees. It also grants provincial governors substitute powers if local officials fail to act. Public facilities within subdivisions would automatically transfer into municipal public property after provisional acceptance of works.
Additionally, the bill tightens the framework for restructuring illegal subdivisions, defining a program that covers land, technical, and financial data. It also expands property transfer rules by formally including donations alongside sales. Morocco World News is also on X — check out our latest posts now! Get MWN on iOS and Android for instant access to breaking news.
Source: moroccoworldnews
