GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality’s building control section deals with building activities.
This includes new buildings, additions and alterations to existing buildings, as well as temporary structures and associated activities.
All municipalities administer the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, 1977 (Act 103 of 1977), the regulations embodied in the act and the South African Standard Code of Practice (SANS 10400 for the application of the regulations).
The purpose is to ensure that buildings are designed and built in such a manner that people can live, learn, work and play in a healthy and safe built environment.
Municipalities’ by-laws must manage the way in which land and structures within their area of jurisdiction are used as well as how construction activities are executed.
Performance statistics
| Financial Year | |
Item | 2023 – 2024 | 2024 – 2025 (Q1 and Q2) |
Total building plan applications processed | 4 093 | 1 818 |
Total area of applications processed | 735 420m² | 208 720m² |
Total value of applications processed | R5 586 737 196.00 | R1 576 925 268.00 |
Total applications approved | 1 864 | 1 498 |
Total area approved | 273 521m² | 160 50m² |
Total value approved | R2 111 168 189.00 | R1 213 829 570.00 |
Total inspections conducted | 2 762 | 1 549 |
Total certificates of occupation processed | 742 | 702 |
Total area of buildings | 173 021m² | 127 161m² |
Total value of buildings | R 1 381 749 332.00 | R1 039 721 071.00 |
On average, the municipality processed over 4 000 building plans for the financial year 2023/2024. More than 1 800 building plans were processed in the first and second quarter of 2024/2025.
There seems to be a slight decrease in processed plans for the current financial year, based on statistic thus far, yet the ratio of approved vs processed plans has improved.
Financial year 2023/2024 – plans processed
- The average time to process plans smaller than 500m² = 12 days
- The average time to process plans larger than 500m² = 9 days
Quarters 1 and 2 of financial year 2024/2025 – plans processed
- The average time to process plans smaller than 500m² = 16 days
- 90% of plans were processed within the legislated time frame.
- The average time to process plans larger than 500m² = 13 days
- 98% of plans were processed within the legislated time frame.
- A total of 702 certificates of occupancy have been processed in the first and second quarter of the current financial year - significantly higher than the 742 that were processed for the entire financial year of 2023/2024.
Building applications approved 2023/2024
Breakdown of 2024-2025 Quarters 1 and 2 performance
Item | Total | Floor Area | Value |
Total building plan applications processed | 1 818 | 208 702m² | R1 576 925 268.00 |
Residential | 1 593 (87.62%) | 156 344m² | R1 212 015 850.00 |
Non-residential | 225 (12.38 %) | 52 358m² | R364 909 418.00 |
Total applications approved | 1 498 | 160 507m² | R1 213 829 570.00 |
Residential | 1 340 (89,45%) | 144 042m² | R1 001 151 350.00 |
Non-residential | 158 (10.55%) | 16 465m² | R212 678 220.00 |
Total Inspections Conducted | 1 549 | ||
Foundation/Commencement | 173 (11.17%) | ||
Drainage | 213 (13.75%) | ||
Ad hoc | 17 (1.1%) | ||
Completions | 1 071 (69.14%) | ||
Compliance | 75 (4.84%) | ||
Total certificates of occupation processed | 702 | 127 161m² | R1 039 721 071.00 |
Residential | 674 (96.01%) | 105 820m² | R895 950 072.00 |
Non-residential | 28 (3.99%) | 21 341m² | R143 770 999.00 |
The charts illustrate that the percentage of residential submissions and approvals is significantly higher than that of non-residential submissions and approvals.
- 87.62% of residential submissions were processed in the current financial year compared with 12.38 % of non-residential submissions processed.
- 89,45% of building plans for residential building applications were approved.
- 10.55% of building plans are for non-residential building applications.
- Developments such has Kraaibosch Estate, Welgelegen, Glenwood Ridge, Eden Residential Estate, 1 on York, Mooikloof and Arbour Estate, to name a few, have contributed to an influx of building plan submissions specifically for residential properties.
- A total of 702 certificates of occupancy were processed of which 96.1% were for residential properties and 3.99% for non-residential properties.
- The assistant building control officers have conducted a total of 1 549 inspections for the current financial year. This includes foundation, drainage, completion, ad-hoc and compliance inspections.
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