British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 783

CHAPTER XVIII.

the proposed Ordinance now in bill form is brought into force, to introduce a certain amount of centralization by the formation of a body to deal with matters of major planning policy and the standardisation of building law throughout Palestine.

6. It is the High Commissioner who declares the various town planning areas within the jurisdiction of the District Commissions and who, on the recommendation of the District Commission, approves an outline town planning scheme for each of these declared areas. Thereafter the District Commissions are the final authority for the approval of all detailed and parcellation schemes within the framework of the approved outline scheme. They are also responsible for the promulgation of by-laws relating to building operations throughout their District; in respect of all building control their character is primarily legislative, directive and administrative, the executive authority resting with their various Local Commissions.

7. Special town planning areas have been declared in respect of all municipalities; the boundaries of these areas normally extend beyond the boundaries of the municipal area but in some cases the municipal and town planning boundaries coincide. Special town planning areas have also been declared to facilitate planning and the control of building within and surrounding the areas of jurisdiction of some of the local councils and it is probable that others will be declared in the near future in respect of areas iu which early development of a semi-urban nature is anticipated. All parts of the country not included in these special town planning areas are included in regional planning areas of which there is one for each District; in these regional areas the planning is less detailed and the degree of control more flexible than in the special town planning areas. It is important to remember that the term 'regional' is not used in the same sense as in England where 'regional' areas include not only large tracts of rural countryside but urban centres as well; in Palestine the regional areas are, in essence, rural areas.

8. In respect of each town planning area there is constituted a Local Commission charged with duties of advising the District Commission concerned in regard to detailed planning schemes and of executive control over building operations. These Local Commissions are of three types :-

(a) A Local Commission with jurisdiction over a special town planning area part or the whole of which lies within a municipal area. The Ordinance provides that in such circumstances the municipal council shall be the Local Commission. The executive work of building control is undertaken by the municipal staff.

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