The The Punjab Spatial Planning Authority Act 2025

^{^[1]}THE PUNJAB SPATIAL PLANNING AUTHORITY ACT 2025

(ACT XXII OF 2025)

[2^nd May 2025]

An Act to establish the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority.

It is necessary to establish the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority to ensure balanced growth and sustainable development of hierarchy wise settlements in the districts through master and spatial planning; implement master and spatial planning by executing authorities and harmonization of laws to regulate the land use and for the purposes connected therewith and ancillary thereto.

Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:

1. Short title, extent and commencement.- (1) This Act shall be cited as the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority Act 2025.

(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab, provided that the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt the application of the Act to any specific area.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions.- In the Act:

(a) “Act” means the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority Act 2025;

(b) “Authority” means the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority established under the Act;

(c) “Development Authority” means a Development Authority established under any law for the time being in force for the purpose of regulation of land use;

(d) “Director General” means the Director General of the Authority;

(e) “District Spatial Planning Agency” means the Spatial Planning Agency established at the district level under the Act;

(f) “executing authority” means a local government, a Development Authority or any other agency established under any law for the time being in force, performing the functions of regulation of land use, building control and private housing schemes;

(g) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;

(h) “land use plan” means a plan that shall be prepared for a district providing land use zones and road network along with infrastructure provisions;

(i) “land-use” means the use of land for any specific purpose;

(j) “local government” means a local government established under the law for the time being in force;

(k) “master plan” means a comprehensive long term development plan which includes a conceptual lay out to guide future growth and development and include analysis and evaluation of standards, proposals for population, economy, housing, transportation, community facilities and land use;

(l) “Member” means a Member of the Authority;

(m) “planning principles” means a set of principles approved by the Authority for guidance and steering the planning and designing of urban and rural;

(n) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules or regulations made or framed under the Act;

(o) “Provincial Spatial Strategy” means a strategic plan at provincial level prepared by the Authority to establish long-term spatial development goals, strategies, and policies, integrating aspects of economic development, environmental sustainability, social equity and climate resilience;

(p) “regional plans” means the plans approved by the Authority for a region specifying spatial development priorities, land-use patterns, infrastructure requirements, and environmental conservation measures to ensure their alignment with the Provincial Spatial Strategy while accommodating local variations;

(q) “regulations” means the regulations framed under the Act;

(r) “rules” means the rules made under the Act;

(s) “spatial planning manual” means a comprehensive guide approved by the Authority; and

(t) “Zoning and Structure Plans” means a plan approved by the Authority prepared at district level, delineating land-use zones, development regulations, and infrastructure provisions to guide sustainable local development and to balance economic growth with environmental protection, social inclusivity and preservation of cultural heritage.

3. Establishment of Authority.- (1) There shall be an Authority to be known as the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority which shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal, and subject to the provisions of the Act, shall have power to acquire, hold and transfer property, both movable and immovable, to enter into a contract, agreement, memorandum of understanding and do all other things necessary for the purposes of its constitution; and may by its name sue and be sued.

(2) The Authority shall consist of:

(a) Chief Minister, Punjab.	Chairperson
(b) Minister for Local Government and Community Development.	Vice Chairperson
(c) Secretary to the Government, Local Government and Community Development Department.	Member
(d) Secretary to the Government, Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department.	Member
(e) Secretary to the Government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department.	Member
(f) Secretary to the Government, Irrigation Department.	Member
(g) Secretary to the Government, Planning and Development Board.	Member
(h) Secretary to the Government, Transport and Masstransit Department.	Member
(i) Secretary to the Government, Environment Protection and Climate Change Department.	Member
(j) Secretary to the Government, Industries, Commerce and Investment Department.	Member
(k) Secretary to the Government, Agriculture Department.	Member
(l) five experts to be nominated by the Chief Minister.	Members
(m) Director General, Punjab Land Records Authority.	Member
(n) Director General of the Authority.	Member/Secretary

(3) The Authority shall meet quarterly, however, the Chairperson may convene a meeting of the Authority as and when deemed appropriate.

(4) The meeting of the Authority shall be presided over by the Chairperson and in the absence of Chairperson, by the Vice Chairperson.

(5) The quorum of the meeting of the Authority shall be two-third of its total membership.

(6) The Authority shall have the powers to co-opt a person having expertise in the relevant field for its assistance and advice on the matter under consideration but such co-opted person shall not have any right to vote.

(7) Subject to the quorum, the decisions of the Authority shall be taken by majority of the Members present and voting and in the event of equality of votes, the person presiding over the meeting, shall have a casting vote.

(8) The Members at clause (l) shall be from the private sector or academia having minimum qualification of sixteen years with fifteen years’ experience in the fields of urban and regional planning, transportation, agriculture, architecture, environment, urban economics or any other relevant field.

(9) The Members at clause (l) shall be appointed for a period of three years, which may be extendable for another term, however, they shall serve during the pleasure of the Chief Minister unless they resign earlier.

4. Powers of the Authority.- The Authority shall have powers to:

(a) approve, update, amend and review any plan including spatial plan and policy, regional plan, district zoning and structure plan, land-use plan and master plan;

(b) approve spatial planning manual and guidelines;

(d) approve annual reports;

(e) approve annual development program for its own functions;

(f) initiate and maintain a continuous process of spatial planning and policy, regional planning, zoning and structure planning, land use and master planning at various levels;

(g) approve spatial policy, planning principles and standards, land-use policy and technical guidelines;

(h) superimpose the revenue maps with notified land-use plans;

(i) supervise the offices of District Spatial Planning Agency during plan preparation and implementation;

(j) spearhead implementation and monitoring of the master plans, land-use plans or any other plans through technological systems;

(k) ensure that concerned executing authorities exercising land use controls, building control and approval of schemes such as residential, commercial, industrial or similar other schemes, in accordance with plans, rules, regulations notified under the Act;

(l) develop and execute a land-use audit system to ensure the compliance of approved lay out plans of both public and private housing schemes;

(m) conduct, promote and coordinate research, in relation to different aspects of land-use, zoning, housing, and related matters;

(n) prepare spatial planning manual, publish documents, reports, statistics, monographs, and other publications relating to its functions;

(o) prepare and approve its annual budget;

(p) engage or hire such advisors, experts, consultants, as it considers necessary for the performance of its functions;

(q) appoint such officers and employees on such terms and conditions as it may prescribe;

(r) procure machinery, equipment and any other material required for performance of its functions; and

(s) perform any other function as may be assigned to it by the Government.

5. Committees.- The Authority may constitute such financial, technical and advisory committees, as it may deem necessary for carrying out the purposes of the Act and such committees shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be delegated or assigned to them by the Authority.

6. Director General.- (1) There shall be a Director General of the Authority to be appointed by the Chief Minister on such terms and conditions and in such manner as may be prescribed through regulations and until so prescribed as may be determined by the Chief Minister.

(2) The Director General shall be the Chief Executive and the Principal Accounting Officer of the Authority and be responsible for:

(a) management and administration of the Authority; and

(b) discharge of the mandate and responsibilities of the Authority.

7. District Spatial Planning Agency.- (1) There shall be a District Spatial Planning Agency in each district, headed by the Deputy Commissioner and consisting of such members as may be notified by the Authority.

(2) Heads of all local governments, except Union Councils shall be members of the Agency.

(3) All executing authorities in a district shall perform functions under the Act through office of District Spatial Planning Agency.

8. Functions of District Spatial Planning Agency.- The District Spatial Planning Agency shall:

(a) assist the Authority in plan preparation and implementation;

(b) ensure implementation of centralized zoning report generation system of the Authority;

(d) recommend land-use plan to the Authority for approval;

(e) ensure adherence of notified land-use plans;

(f) ensure implementation of policies, rules and regulations made and framed under the Act; and

(g) perform any other function as may be assigned to it by the Authority.

9. Plan preparation.- (1) The Authority shall prepare plans at various levels which may include provincial spatial strategy, regional plan, zoning and structure plan, land-use plan and master plan or any other such like plan, in such manner as may be prescribed.

(2) The Authority shall prepare the plans in light of the following principles:

(a) sustainable development that meets the present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs involving promotion of renewable energy, efficient land use, and conservation of natural resources;

(b) equity, fairness and social justice in planning decisions, ensuring that all people have access to essential services, infrastructure, and opportunities regardless of their socio-economic status, race, or other characteristics;

(c) encourage mixed and diverse land-use within neighborhoods and regions to reduce travel distances, promote walkability, bicycle lanes and support vibrant communities;

(d) compact development and densification and mixed-use development to discourage urban sprawl, preserve open spaces, and reduce infrastructure costs through determining the limits of a city expansion by separating urban land and agricultural land on the basis of compact built-up area established over the years;

(e) development around transportation hubs, promote transit use, reduce car dependency and enhance accessibility through development strategies;

(f) preservation of drinking water, rich crop lands, ponds, orchards, water recharge zones, environmentally sensitive sites, historically significant areas, forests, conservation and integration into new development projects;

(g) climate change and enhance resilience against disaster; and

(h) stakeholders engagements, as may be prescribed.

10. Review of plans.- (1) The Authority, for the purposes of amendment in a plan, may prepare a reclassification plan or an action area plan for the area or any part thereof to be known as project area.

(2) The Authority shall select the project area proposed for amendment in accordance with the following criteria:

(a) trend of changes which are compatible with planning principles in existing land uses;

(b) market demand for the change of land use in the area;

(d) social, environmental or urban development problems due to the existing plan; and

(e) special initiatives taken by the Government.

11. Implementation and evaluation of plans.- (1) The Authority shall ensure implementation of plans through executing authorities.

(2) The Authority may monitor the implementation of plans, through satellite surveillance, by its unit comprising of such officers and employees as it may determine.

(3) The Authority shall establish a technology-based portal to facilitate the executing authorities by generating automated zoning reports.

12. Fund.- (1) There shall be a Fund to be known as the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority Fund, which shall vest in and utilized by the Authority to meet its expenses and charges in connection with the discharge of its functions and powers under the Act, including payment of salaries and remunerations to its officers, employees, advisors and consultants.

(2) All monies credited in the Fund shall be deposited in an account with National Bank of Pakistan or the Bank of Punjab.

(3) The Fund shall consist of:

(a) grants from the Government or Federal Government or any other body or organization; and

(b) such other sums as may be received by the Authority.

13. Delegation of powers.- The Authority may, subject to such conditions and limitations as it may determine, delegate any of its powers or functions to its Chairperson, Secretary, Member or officers or a committee constituted by it, except the powers to:

(a) approve, update, amend and review any plan including spatial plan and policy, regional plan, district zoning and structure plan, land-use plan and master plan;

(b) frame, amend or repeal regulations;

(d) determine the terms and conditions of service of the employees of the Authority;

(e) constitute committees;

(f) approve the annual budget, audited accounts and annual reports of the Authority; and

(g) consider audit reports of the Authority.

14. Budget.- (1) The Director General of the Authority shall prepare, in such manner and at such time as may be prescribed, a budget in respect of the financial year next ensuing, showing the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Authority and shall submit the same to the Authority for approval.

(2) Expenditure which has not been approved in the budget shall not be incurred without prior approval of the Authority.

(3) The Authority may empower its Director General to re-appropriate funds from one head to another as may be prescribed.

15. Accounts.- The Authority shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare annual statement of accounts relating to its financial affairs including its income and expenditure as per requirements of international financial reporting standards in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

16. Audit.- (1) The Auditor General of Pakistan shall audit the accounts of the Authority.

(2) The Director General shall, within six months of the close of the financial year, submit the annual statement of accounts along with the report of the auditor to the Authority.

17. Appeal.- A person aggrieved from any order passed under the Act may file an appeal before such forum, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed through rules:

Provided that a person or entity aggrieved from any decision of authority may, within 30 days file a review petition before the Authority.

18. Act to override other laws.- The provisions of the Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force.

19. Public servant.- All persons acting or purporting to act under the Act, shall be deemed to be the public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860).

20. Power to make rules.- The Government may make rules for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

21. Power to frame regulations.- The Authority may, subject to the provisions of the Act and rules made thereunder, frame regulations for the purposes of the Act.

22. Transition.- (1) An executing authority shall continue to perform its functions of regulation of land-use, building control and private housing schemes under its respective law, rules and regulations till such time the rules or regulations are notified, on the subject, under the Act.

(2) Upon notification of such rules or regulations under the Act, the executing authority shall perform its functions of regulation of land-use, building control and private housing schemes under the rules or regulations notified under the Act.

23. Indemnity.- No suit, prosecution or any other legal proceedings shall lie against the Authority, the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Members, Director General, officer, employee, expert, advisor or consultant of the Authority, in respect of anything done or intended to be done, in good faith, under the Act.

24. Removal of difficulties.- The Government may, by an order not inconsistent with the object of the Act, provide for the removal of any difficulty which may arise in giving effect to the provisions of the Act.

[1]This Act was passed by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 21 April 2025; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 02 May 2025; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 02 May 2025, pages 4243-48.