Colombo Port City DCR enforced
Sri Lanka’s most comprehensive development regulation, the Development Control Regulations (DCR) – introduced by Port City Colombo, were gazetted recently and is now being enforced. An awareness program on the DCR conducted by the Colombo Port City Economic Commission was held at Port City Colombo, yesterday.
The DCR was introduced by the project company, CHEC Port City Colombo, in 2018. It was prepared by Singapore-based Subrana Jurong, one of Asia’s largest urban, industrial, and infrastructure consulting firms with technical assistance of the UK-based prominent engineering consultancy firm Atkins. The DCR was incorporated to the Port City master plan which was designed by a Sweden-based planning consultant, SWECO. The DCR was further evaluated by the Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka and related government agencies before it was gazetted.
The Acting Director General of Colombo Port City Economic Commission Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama chaired the program and explained the importance of introducing the DCR which can be a benchmark to other city developments in Sri Lanka. Dr. Wickrama explained the role and responsibility of other government stakeholder agencies in implementing the DCR within Port City Colombo.
The Director-General of the Coastal Conservation Resources Management Department, Eng. Ranawake, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority Capt. Themiya Samantha, Chief Fire Officer of the Fire Department, PDKA Wilson, Director General of the Road Development Authority L.V.S Weerakoon, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority, Lalith Wijeratne, Director General of the National Building Research Organization Dr Asiri Karunawardane, Senior Scientist of the National Building Research Organization, Chinthaka Rathnasiri, Deputy Director General – Environmental Protection of the Central Environment Authority, Dr. Sanjaya Rathnayake, Deputy Director General of the Environmental Management and Assessment Division of the Central Environment Authority, N.S Gamage, Director – Legal of the Central Environment Authority, Manjula Wimalasena, Manager – Urban Planning at CHEC Porty City, Aruna Bandara, and Consultant at CHEC Port City, WADD Wijesooriya also attended the awareness program.
Development Control Regulations for Port City Colombo are formed to benefit developers, residents, investors, and every other stakeholder including the surrounding community. The DCR will regulate the development intensity, set up, and height of buildings on any of Port City Colombo’s plots. It serves as an effective planning tool to regulate development in a logical and orderly fashion. The DCR provides landowners and developers with a clear picture of what can be developed on any particular plot within the city.