For how long is a permission for development or the carrying on of a designated use valid?
The Executive Council of Abu Dhabi published a resolution on 30 August 2012 (Ref: 1-42/841) enacting specified time limits for the validity of planning approvals issued by the Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities (DUPM) with retrospective effect.
As a result, all DUPM approvals issued after 30 August 2012 are subject to specified time limits during which construction works must be commenced. The time limit depends on the type of project in question:
DUPM approvals issued before the new law came into effect are also deemed retrospectively to be subject to these time limits. The clock starts running from 30 August 2012, meaning that approvals issued before this date will automatically expire on 30 August 2014 (in the case of Individual Projects) or 30 August 2015 (in the case of Master Plans).
If construction works are not commenced within the prescribed period, the DUPM approval will automatically expire. Although developers will be entitled to re-apply, there is no guarantee that a new approval will be forthcoming from the DUPM. Even if it is, such new approval may be granted on substantially different terms to the original approval, especially if the development plan for the area in question has changed in the interim. In any event, any new application will necessarily involve additional time and money cost.