Doha: The Ministry of Municipality (MoM), represented by the Building Permit Complex Department, on Tuesday organized a workshop on updating requirements for planning and designing villas and mansions. The move is part of the Ministry's efforts to strengthen engagement with its partners and awareness of planning and architectural developments, as well as unify measures when it comes to reviewing permit applications.
According to Qatar News Agency, Assistant Director of the Urban Planning Department at MoM, Juma Al Sabah, in his opening remarks, highlighted that the novel updates were laid out to meet the needs of Qatari families, based on technical studies and thoroughgoing reviews of previous practices and applications as well as the challenges noticed. He indicated that these updates also came based on comments and suggestions received from consulting offices and relevant entities.
The updates put out in Ministerial Decision No. (108) of 2026, amending certain provisions of Ministerial Decision No. (7) of 1989, concern architectural conditions and technical specifications for buildings. They are intended to keep up with evolving social and urban dynamics and to meet the aspirations of the Qatari family, as highlighted by Juma Al Sabah. He emphasized that the evolving requirements aim to accomplish substantial objectives, such as strengthening flexibility in designing residences, optimizing the use of residential spaces, and offering wider design options while preserving privacy, the Qatari urban environment quality, and architectural identity.
The workshop was aimed at weighing in on the key approved updates and responding to inquiries and relevant comments, thereby helping to unify understanding and procedures among various municipalities and relevant entities. This was intended to strengthen cooperation and coordination in the area of urban development, Al Sabah outlined.
Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Society of Engineers (QSE), Eng. Amna Mohammed Al Naama, remarked that these updates are a significant step toward advancing the urban and residential environment in the State of Qatar. She pointed out that these urban requirements are not confined to technical and regulatory aspects but are linked to the quality of life of families and the future of residential neighborhoods. Eng. Al Naama emphasized that these updates should stem from the society's needs and aspirations, noting significant changes in lifestyles and family needs in recent years.
She elaborated that the novel updates have offered greater flexibility in utilizing residential spaces through a range of design alternatives, in terms of designing mezzanines, upgrading or expanding accessory buildings and family Majlis spaces, and the possibility of creating a self-contained internal suite for a family member. This is alongside modifications related to building heights and setbacks, thereby enabling citizens to make greater use of their land plots and residential properties while maintaining the quality of the urban environment and built environment standards.
Eng. Al Naama further clarified that these updates consider residences as an upgradable space adaptable to the needs of future families, an urban pathway pursued by numerous nations. She added that this presents a greater opportunity for architectural engineers and consulting offices to innovate and lay out more efficient and enduring design solutions, thereby contributing positively to the quality of housing projects and delivering added value to citizens. Additionally, Eng. Al Naama emphasized that QSE views these amendments as an opportunity to promote professional dialogue between regulatory entities, engineers, and consulting offices, culminating in best applied practices that achieve the aims of these updates and ensure their success on the ground.