Amman sits at a crossroads. The city's growth presents new opportunities for development that can be both efficient and sustainable. However, rapid urbanization also strains public infrastructure and services, and could result in unsustainable urban patterns that can only be fixed later only with great effort. The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) needs the right tools and systems to properly guide new development and recoup sufficient revenues to re-invest in meeting the needs of residents and businesses. Unfortunately, the current legal framework governing land development in Amman is outdated and does not meet the city's current needs. Recent legislation has provided GAM with the opportunity to put in place much needed legal structures at the local level, while the national government works on implementing broader reforms. But this work has to be focused and efficient if it is to be effective. Unless GAM makes critical legal changes the city will continue to face significant challenges in guiding urban growth or raising revenues to pay for services and infrastructure. GAM is currently working on these reforms, which are critical to setting Amman on the right path towards more sustainable development. This report reviews the Greater Amman Municipality's (GAM) urban planning, land use and governance legal framework to identify any gaps and propose ways in which the laws could be improved, so that GAM can better meet the development demands of Amman.
Authors
- Disclosure Date
- 2024/06/12
- Disclosure Status
- Disclosed
- Doc Name
- Unblocking Transformative Development in Amman : A Way Forward for Planning Law Reform - Final Technical Assessment Report
- Product Line
- Advisory Services & Analytics
- Published in
- United States of America
- Rel Proj ID
- JO-Jordan Sustainable Cities -- P177803
- Sector
- Sub-National Government
- TF No/Name
- TF0C1855-CPL - C1/C2 Jordan - Amman Smart City Platform,TF0C2789-C2 - MNA - Vibrant Cities,TF0B9855-T1 - Jordan, Amman - Smart and Green Amman,TF0C0321-C1 & C2 - Jordan - Amman: Pathways for transforming service delivery in
- Theme
- Urban Infrastructure and Service Delivery,Mitigation,Municipal Institution Building,Job Creation,Economic Policy,Economic Growth and Planning,Environment and Natural Resource Management,Private Sector Development,Public Sector Management,Urban Planning,Climate change,Urban and Rural Development,Jobs,Adaptation,Spatial Growth,Public Administration,Urban Development
- Unit Owning
- Urban MNA (SMNUR)
- Version Type
- Revised
- Volume No
- 1
Table of Contents
- Key Definitions & Acronymns 6
- Acknowledgement 7
- Executive Summary 8
- 1 Introduction 12
- 1.1 Report purpose 12
- 1.2 Context 12
- 1.3 Methodology and report structure 12
- 2 Overview: Legal Framework 16
- 2.1 1966 Zoning Law 16
- 2.2 1968 Subdivision Law 16
- 2.3 2019 Property Law 16
- 2.4 2021 GAM Law 16
- 2.5 Draft Regulations 16
- 3 Land Value Capture 18
- 3.1 Criteria 18
- 3.2 MENA Benchmark: Egypt 19
- 3.3 Review 21
- 3.3.1 Revenue raising mechanisms 21
- 3.3.2 Compensation for regulatory takings 29
- 3.3.3 Expropriation, compensation and land exchanges 30
- 3.3.4 Property appraisal 31
- 3.3.5 Land reallocation 31
- 4 Planning 33
- 4.1 Criteria 33
- 4.2 Benchmark: Cape Town, South Africa 34
- 4.3 Review 35
- 4.3.1 Legislative objectives and principles 35
- 4.3.2 Mechanisms and Processes 36
- 4.3.3 Standard of Drafting 42
- 4.3.4 Content Addressed 43
- 5 Public Participation and Safeguards 45
- 5.1 Criteria 45
- 5.2 MENA Benchmark: Tunisia 46
- 5.3 Review 47
- 5.3.1 Public Participation 47
- 5.3.2 Environmental and cultural safeguards 48
- 6 Institutions, Governance, Capacity 50
- 6.1 Criteria 50
- 6.2 Benchmark: Rwanda 51
- 6.3 Review 52
- 6.3.1 Inter-governmental relationships and mandates 52
- 6.3.2 Decentralisation 56
- 6.3.3 Capacity 56
- 7 Proposed Reforms 59
- 7.1 Options for improved implementation and practice 59
- 7.2 Options for amendments to existing and proposed legislation 63
- 7.3 Options for new legislation 67
- 8 Recommendations 71
- 8.1 Land Value Capture recommendations 71
- 8.2 Planning 73
- 8.3 Public Participation and Safeguards 74
- 8.4 Institutions, Governance, Capacity 74
- 9 References 76
