Presentation TPAM 1

Spatial Development Planning for Business facilitation and investment, the perspective of Mauritius

Presented by :

Arvind Dookhun

Vice-President

TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS

• Indian Ocean East of Madagascar

• Population of 1.2 Million

• Area of~ 2000 Km2

• 9 Local Area (5 Municipal, 4 District)

•Main Economic Activity: –Tourism

–Manufacturing

–Services( ICT, BPO)

–Agriculture

–Emerging Sectors

• Number of Professional Planners ~ 40 –18 Local Authorities

–15 Ministry of Housing & Lands

–7 Private Consultancy

•Planning Support –Development control officers

–Planning Inspectors


National Development Strategy


Town Planning Legislations and associated Regulations in Mauritius: • Town & Country Planning Act 1954;

– Local Outline Planning scheme & Detail Planning – Appeal Town & Country Planning Board

• New Planning and Development Act 2004 – National Development Strategy – Local Development Management Plans – Planning Policy Design Guidance – Action Area Plans – Subject Plans


• Environment Protection Act 2002: – EIA for significant Development only – Preliminary Environment Report supported by supplementary

compliance guidance for specific activities limiting processing time.

• Major agricultural Land Exchange Programs Sugar Efficiency Act:

– Illovo Deal government acquired (10 035 acres) • Sugar Investment Trust(7000 Acres) • Business Parks of Mauritius ltd/ State Land Development Company ( 3035

Acres).

– 800/1200 acres scheme from Sugar industry downsizing and restructuring • Voluntary Retirement Scheme (284 sqm residential plots subdivision ,

all infrastructures provided to factory every workers) total (800 acres) • Allowed Integrated Resort Schemes (1200 acres) exempted from Land

conversion other, tax for financing VRS (minimum plot size 1acres)


• Local Government Act 2006

– Combine Building and Development Permit-Building and Land-Use Permit(BLP)

– Permits and Business Monitoring Committee comprised of CEO ,Head of Departments Local Area council including Planning Technical Committee (no councillors at this stage)

– Encourage Self Adherence planning & more Ex-post planning control

– Outline Planning Permission

– Issue BLP guideline

• Business Facilitation Act 2006- Reduce Red Tapes' & Planning permission processing time

– Planning Permission processing max 2 weeks every activity & max3 days (SMEs) or else deem to be granted

– Clustering (development within same cluster are exempted) and Sui- generis development

– Simplified Planning Permissions for major Investments monitored by Board of Investment:

• Hospitality and Property /Integrated Resort Scheme/Hotel Development

• Business and Financial /cybercity, BPOs etc

• Health Care and sciences

• Emerging sectors etc

Planning policy as Urban Design Guidance :

• Residential

• Commercial

• Industrial

• Hotel Development

• Resort and Golf development

• Tall Buildings

• Eco-Tourism

Technical Sheets :

• Access for People with Disabilities

• Drainage

• Electricity

• Main Sewerage Provision

• On-Plot sewage Disposal

• Telecommunications

• Water Supply

• Indicative Utility Grouping






Local Development Management Plans



Ebene Cybercity: Financial Services ,ICT, BPOs, Offices





China Invest in Mauritius Jing Fei Economic Development Zone


• What are the enabling conditions for Africa to be able to attract investment and development ?

• Is a flexible Design led planning approach suitable in the African context ?

• Will the global economic crisis encourage traditional private sectors to be more receptive to participating in community development in exchange of downsizing and restructuring?

• Should we planners be more liberal in enabling mediation and negotiation for the interest of community ?


Presentation TPAM 1

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