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Tanzania
Town and Country Planning Act
Chapter 355
- Published in Tanzania Government Gazette
- Commenced on 28 December 1956
- [This is the version of this document at 31 July 2002.]
- [Note: This legislation was revised and consolidated as at 31 July 2002 and 30 November 2019 by the Attorney General's Office, in compliance with the Laws Revision Act No. 7 of 1994, the Revised Laws and Annual Revision Act (Chapter 356 (R.L.)), and the Interpretation of Laws and General Clauses Act No. 30 of 1972. All subsequent amendments have been researched and applied by Laws.Africa for TANZLII.]
Part I – Preliminary provisions (ss. 1-12)
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Town and Country Planning Act.2. Interpretation
3. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]4. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]5. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]6. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]7. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]8. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]9. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]10. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]11. Power of Minister to give directions
The Minister may, after consultation with the local government authority, Area Planning Committee or Preparatory Authority concerned, give general or special directions in writing to such local government authority, Area Planning Committee or Preparatory Authority as to the performance of its functions under this Act, and a local government authority, Area Planning Committee, or Preparatory Authority so directed shall comply with all written directions so given.12. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 4]Part II – Planning areas (ss. 13-20)
13. Declaration of planning areas
14. Validity of orders
An order made under section 13 shall, unless it is sooner revoked, cease to have effect three years after the material date if no scheme in respect of that planning area or any part thereof has been approved by the Minister in accordance with section 31 or 32 within the said period of three years:Provided that the Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, extend the period of validity of such order beyond the period of three years from the material date.15. Area Planning Committees
16. ***
[Repealed by Act No. 9 of 1996 Sch.]17. Preparatory Authorities
18. Power of Minister to delegate functions
The Minister may, at any time after the material date, delegate to an Area Planning Committee all or any of the functions of—19. Cancellation of powers of certain Preparatory Authorities
20. Restriction on powers of Preparatory Authorities other than Minister
An Area Planning Committee constituted a Preparatory Authority under subsection (2) of section 17 or to which functions have been delegated pursuant to the provisions of subsection (3) of section 17 and section 18 may perform its functions as a Preparatory Authority only in respect of the planning area for which it is appointed or constituted under the provisions of this Act.Part III – Preparation of schemes (ss. 21-34)
21. Resolutions to prepare general planning schemes
22. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 10]23. Preparation of general planning schemes and amending schemes
24. Preparation and adoption of detailed schemes
25. Minister to furnish estimate of cost of compensation and to consult Area Planning Committee
26. Contents of schemes
27. Redistribution of land in certain cases
28. Minor boundary adjustment to give effect to schemes
29. Deposit of schemes
30. Inspection and objections
31. Submission of scheme to, and approval of scheme by, Minister
Not later than four months after the date of the publication of notice of deposit of a scheme, the Preparatory Authority (where the Preparatory Authority is not the Minister) shall submit the scheme as deposited in accordance with subsection (2) of section 29, together with a schedule of objections and representations received under section 30, the representations thereon of the Preparatory Authority and a statement of the amount of compensation (if any) paid under section 58, to the Minister for his consideration and the Minister may, with or without modification, approve the scheme.32. Consideration of objections and approval of schemes by Minister
Where the Minister is the Preparatory Authority, he shall as soon as is practicable after the expiration of the period limited for the making of objections and representations under section 30, give consideration to any such considerations or representations as may have been made, and may thereafter approve the scheme prepared by himself either with or without modifications.33. Publication of schemes
Where the Minister approves any scheme under the provisions of section 31 or 32, he shall deposit the scheme (with any modifications made thereto) in such place as he shall consider desirable and shall, by notice in the Gazette and any newspaper circulating in the neighbourhood or, in his discretion, in such other manner as may be customary in the area concerned, declare the scheme to be in force and inform the public where it may be inspected.34. Date of coming into effect of scheme
A scheme shall take effect seven days after the date of its publication in the Gazette under the provisions of section 33.Part IV – Control of development and execution of schemes (ss. 35-44)
35. No development in planning area without planning consent
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no person shall develop any land within a planning area without planning consent or otherwise than in accordance with planning consent and any conditions specified therein.36. Authorities responsible for control of development in planning area
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, after the material date the Area Planning Committee shall, subject to any directions given to it by the Minister, be the authority responsible for controlling and regulating development in the planning area concerned and for the giving or withholding of planning consent:Provided that where the Area Planning Committee is not the local government authority, that authority shall be responsible for the control and regulation of development and for the giving or withholding of planning consent, pursuant to any other law, to the same extent as it was so responsible immediately before the area concerned became a planning area, but in so controlling and regulating development and in giving or withholding planning consent, the local government authority shall comply with such directions as may be given to it by the Area Planning Committee.37. Development and planning consent to have regard to scheme in course of preparation
In controlling and regulating development within a planning area (including, in the case of an Area Planning Committee, the giving of directions to a local government authority pursuant to section 36) and in giving or withholding planning consent, the Area Planning Committee or local government authority, as the case may be, shall have regard to any scheme in course of preparation for the planning area concerned and shall withhold planning consent to any development which would render abortive any scheme in course of preparation.38. Conformity with scheme when in force
On the coming into force of a scheme, it shall be the duty of the Area Planning Committee or local government authority, as the case may be, to execute and enforce such scheme and in controlling and regulating development within its planning area (including, in the case of an Area Planning Committee, the giving of directions to a local government authority, pursuant to section 36) and in giving or refusing planning consent the Area Planning Committee or local government authority, as the case may be, shall conform to the requirements, intent and purpose of such scheme.39. Power to impose conditions
An Area Planning Committee or local government authority, as the case may be, in giving planning consent to any proposal to develop, may impose such conditions as are in accordance with the intent and purpose of any scheme in course of preparation or in force for the planning area concerned as it deems fit; and the person developing land pursuant to such planning consent shall comply with all conditions so imposed.40. Planning consent not to be withheld in certain cases
An Area Planning Committee or local government authority, as the case may be, shall not be entitled to withhold planning consent for the enlargement, improvement or alteration of any buildings existing at the material date, if such enlargement, improvement or alteration does not–41. Powers of Minister to arrest certain development in planning areas
42. General development orders
43. Ad hoc planning consent
Where a general planning scheme provides that development will be prohibited in any area for any period on the grounds that the use for the time being is undetermined and awaiting zoning, development may be permitted by the Area Planning Committee, with the consent of the Minister, ad hoc having regard to the general pattern of development in or around that area.44. Application for planning consent
Part V – Acquisition of land and compensation (ss. 45-59)
45. Acquisition of land
46. Land owner may require land to be acquired in certain circumstances
47. Restriction on right to require land to be acquired
48. Allocation of land acquired
49. Valuation for purposes of acquisition and expenses
50. Value of land for purposes of compensation
51. Public land subject to compensation in certain cases
For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the President shall, in respect of any public land, be entitled to claim compensation under the provisions of this Act.52. Compensation for injury caused by scheme
Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person—53. Factors to be taken into account in assessing compensation
In assessing compensation—54. No compensation in certain cases
55. No compensation in respect of undeveloped area
56. Circumstances limiting compensation
Where any provisions of a scheme is revoked or modified by a later scheme, no compensation shall be payable in respect of any land on the ground that it has been injuriously affected by any provision contained in the later scheme if and in so far as that later provision is the same, or substantially the same, as the earlier provision so revoked or modified, but if at the date when the revocation or modification of that earlier provision becomes operative—57. Date when compensation becomes payable
No compensation shall be payable until the loss in value of the land injuriously affected is suffered on the sale or transfer of such land, or any estate therein, by the person entitled to such compensation, or, where the use of a building or land is prohibited because such use does not conform to a scheme applicable thereto, until notice is served on the owner by the local government authority or Area Planning Committee, as the case may be, prohibiting such non-conforming use.[s. 55]58. Local government authority may pay compensation in certain cases before scheme in operation
59. Making of claims for compensation
Part VI – Miscellaneous provisions (ss. 60-84)
60. Determination of disputes
61. Appeals
Any person aggrieved by the decision of an Area Planning Committee or local government authority to refuse planning consent for any development, or to impose conditions to such planning consent under section 39 may, within ninety days of the notification of such decision appeal to the Minister in the prescribed manner:Provided that no such appeal shall lie unless notice of intention to appeal is given within fourteen days of the notification of such decision, or such further period as the Minister may in any particular case allow.[s. 58]62. Determination of appeals
63. Finances of Area Planning Committees
64. Duty of certain local government authorities to make provision for acquisition and compensation and power of Government to contribute
65. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 25]66. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 25]67. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 25]68. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 25]69. ***
[Repealed by Ordinance No. 14 of 1961 s. 25]70. Revocation of a scheme
71. Obligation to give information to Minister or Area Planning Committee
72. Power of entry
73. Payment of compensation for damage
When any person authorised under section 72 causes damage to any property in the course of his duties, the Minister may appoint a person to value such damage and compensation shall be payable by the Minister or the Area Planning Committee, as the case may be, to the person whose property has been damaged accordingly.[s. 70]74. Penalty for contravention of scheme
Without prejudice to the provisions of section 75, any person who wilfully does any act, or wilfully fails to do any act, in contravention of a provision contained in a scheme, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand shillings, and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding one thousand shillings for every day during which the default continues after conviction:Provided that, where in any scheme the use of a building or land is prohibited because such use does not conform with a scheme applicable thereto, the use of such building or land in the manner in which it was used immediately prior to the coming into effect of such scheme shall not constitute an offence under this section until the local government authority or Area Planning Committee, as the case may be, has served notice on the owner prohibiting such non-conforming use.[s. 71]75. Powers of local government authority to order demolition, etc.
76. Appeal against demolition order
77. Power of local government authority to effect compliance with notice
If the owner of any land refuses or neglects to comply with any notice issued under section 75 or any decision of the Minister on appeal within the time specified, or such longer period as the local government authority may in any case allow, the local government authority, or its duly authorised agent, may enter upon such land and take such steps, including the alteration or pulling down and removing of any works or buildings, as may be necessary to give effect to such notice.[s. 74]78. Recovery of costs by local government authority
All costs incurred by a local government authority or its duly authorised agent, in giving effect to any notice issued under section 75, may be recovered by the local government authority from the owner of the land as a civil debt and, until paid, such costs shall—79. Service of notices
80. Protection from liability
No matter or thing done by any officer or servant of the Government, or any member, officer or employee of an Area Planning Committee or local government authority shall, if the matter or thing was done bona fide for the purpose of executing any of the provisions of this Act, subject any such officer, servant, member or employee, or any person acting by his directions, personally to any action, liability, claim or demand whatsoever.[s. 77]81. Power to make regulations
82. Records of planning consent
83. Planning consent to prevail over certain by-laws and rules
84. Repeal
[Repeal of R.L. Cap. 103][s. 81]History of this document
31 July 2002 this version
Chapter 355
Revised Laws 2002
Consolidation
28 December 1956
Commenced
Subsidiary legislation
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