The National Assembly finally adopted the amendments to the Municipality of Sofia Planning and Development Act

At a plenary session held on March 28, 2018, the 44th National Assembly finally adopted after the second vote the bill on amendment and supplement of the Municipality of Sofia Planning and Development Act (MSPDA).

The initiative for the amendment to MSPDA belongs to the Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova, the Chief Architect Zdravko Zdravkov and the experts of the Architecture and Urban Planning Division. The amendments were submitted to the National Assembly on 4.10.2017 by the MP Alexander Nenkov and the MPs from PP GERB, and were adopted at first reading on 11.01.2018.

The bill seeks to solve the problems that have arisen in the implementation of the MSPDA over the past 10 years and to reflect the public attitudes related to the appearance of Sofia. Changes include regulation of areas where no restriction on the height of buildings will be imposed and the National Assembly decided such areas to be additionally determined through a procedure for amendment to the General Urban Development Plan. The height of buildings in the centre of Sofia will not exceed 50 meters, and in the area around the southern arc of the capital - 15 meters. In the rest of the capital, the maximum building height is set to 75 meters, with transport analysis being required for buildings exceeding 50 meters.

The MPs also adopted changes concerning restraints on exceeding the building intensity in corner estates. Another important change to the MSPDA is the prohibition to change the detailed zoning plans of residential complexes within 5 years after their adoption. For exception may provide only amendments to the General Urban Development Plan that would alter the designation of individual zones.

The amendments to the Municipality of Sofia Planning and Development Act will enter into force three days after their promulgation in the State Gazette.

28.03.2018