A development application must be lodged every time you wish to undertake development as stipulated by the Physical & Landuse Planning Act No. 13 of 2019 Laws of Kenya. "Development" and refers to a wide range of activities associated with alterations of or new building works, extensions of land use, changes in land use, outdoor advertising displays, land subdivision and amalgamation applications. The assessment of development applications can occur in a number of stages, prior to a full Development Approval being issued. To know if you need planning consent, write to or lias with planners at a local authority near you. A planning application details the following:

where new housing, industry, offices and shops will be located;

what utilities or services like roads, watermains, sewers, parks and schools will be needed;

when, and in what order, or parts of your neighbourhood will grow;

community participation & neighbourhood improvement initiatives.

A zoning by-law controls the use of land in your city, town or community. It states exactly:

how land may be used;;

where buildings and other structures can be located;

developable lot sizes and dimensions;;

parking requirements for residential and commercial spaces;

building heights and setbacks from the street.

A Zoning By-law divides a city, town or municipality into different land use zones, with detailed maps. The by-law specifies the permitted uses (e.g. industrial, commercial or residential) and the required standards (e.g. building size and location) in each zone. Construction or new development that doesn't comply with zoning guidelines is not allowed, and a local authority will refuse to issue a building permit unless the Applicant submits and gets an approval to develope.

When you divide a piece of land into two or more parcels and offer one or more for sale, you are subdividing property, and the provisions of the Planning Act come into play. If your proposal involves creating only a lot or two, you may seek approval for a "Consent or Land Severance". The other means of subdividing land is to obtain approval of a plan of subdivision from the approval authority Subdivision applications are made to the approval authority. Subdivision approval ensures that:

the land is suitable for its proposed new use;

the proposal conforms to the official plan and zoning in your community, as well as to provincial legislation and policies;

you, your neighbours and your community are protected from developments which are inappropriate or may put an undue strain on community facilities, services or finances.

Planners work with Applicants to help provide all the information and details needed to process the application. The application process is designed to gather and present information about the proposal. The application is presented to the public, other departments and external agencies for feedback. This feedback is used to determine the requirements that the application must meet as well as gauge support towards the proposal. The Planner acts as the liaison and facilitator between the Applicant, the public, review agencies, internal departments and approving authority. We identify the requirements for the application. Planners also identify and contact the agencies who need to be involved in the review and preparation of the application. Based on an analysis of, Zoning By-law, State Policies, technical studies and comments from review agencies and the public on the application, the Planner prepares a planning brief on the application. The brief provides recommendations to the technical Committee to consider when making their decision on the application (approve, refuse, defer or modify the application).