Spatial development planning in Mauritius aims to facilitate business and investment. Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar with a population of 1.2 million. Key economic activities include tourism, manufacturing, services, agriculture, and emerging sectors. There are around 40 professional planners working for local authorities, the Ministry of Housing and Lands, and private consultancy firms. Planning laws and regulations include the Town and Country Planning Act, New Planning and Development Act, and Environment Protection Act. The presentation discusses land exchange programs, planning permission processes, development guidelines, and example development zones like Ebene Cybercity and the China-invested Jing Fei Economic Development Zone.

1. Spatial Development Planning
for Business facilitation and
investment, the perspective of
Mauritius
Presented by :
Arvind Dookhun
Vice-President
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS

2. • 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
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS
National Development Strategy

3. TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS
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

4. TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS
• 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)

5. TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS
• 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

6. 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
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS

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10. TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS
Local Development Management Plans

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12. TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS
Ebene Cybercity: Financial Services ,ICT, BPOs, Offices

13. Ebene Cybercity: Financial Services ,ICT, BPOs, Offices
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS

14. Ebene Cybercity: Financial Services ,ICT, BPOs, Offices
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS

15. China Invest in Mauritius Jing Fei Economic Development Zone
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS

16. • 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 ?
TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MAURITIUS