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The Andhra Pradesh government has notified the Common Zoning Regulations, 2026, introducing a uniform land-use framework to simplify urban planning and accelerate development approvals across the state. The regulations replace multiple legacy zoning systems with nine standard land-use categories and adopt a zone-wise negative-list approach, under which activities are permitted unless specifically prohibited. Applicable to Master Plans, Zonal Development Plans and General Town Planning Schemes, the new framework excludes the Capital City area. The government expects the reforms to reduce regulatory ambiguity, improve consistency in planning decisions and facilitate faster digital processing of development applications through the Online Building Permission System.
The Andhra Pradesh government has notified the Common Zoning Regulations, 2026, establishing a uniform rule-based framework for land use and urban development with the objective of reducing regulatory ambiguity and enabling faster development approvals across the state. The regulations, announced recently, will apply to Master Plans, Zonal Development Plans and General Town Planning Schemes, excluding the Capital City area.
According to Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD), S. Suresh Kumar, the new regulations replace multiple legacy zoning frameworks that previously governed urban planning across different jurisdictions. The revised framework introduces nine standard land-use categories and adopts a zone-wise negative-list approach, allowing compatible activities unless they are specifically prohibited within a particular zone.
The government said varying zoning classifications and development conditions under different master plans had created complexities for citizens, Licensed Technical Personnel and implementing authorities. By introducing a common regulatory framework, the state aims to ensure consistent interpretation of planning provisions while supporting uniform implementation through the Online Building Permission System.
Under the new regulations, the earlier land-use classifications have been consolidated into nine categories comprising residential, commercial, public and semi-public, recreational, industrial, transportation, mixed use, agricultural and development-restricted zones. The development-restricted category covers environmentally and strategically sensitive areas, including heritage precincts, defence establishments, water bodies, forests, hills, eco-sensitive regions and Coastal Regulation Zone areas.
The zone-wise negative-list framework represents a shift from conventional zoning practices by permitting activities that are compatible with the designated land use unless they are expressly restricted. However, all proposed developments will continue to be subject to applicable Building Rules, Layout Rules, environmental regulations, road-width requirements, parking standards, safety distance norms and infrastructure-related conditions.
The Common Zoning Regulations were finalised after the government reviewed objections and suggestions received from the public, Urban Local Bodies and Urban Development Authorities following the publication of the draft regulations in the Extraordinary Gazette in April this year.
According to the state government, the new framework is expected to minimise interpretation-related delays in the approval process, improve transparency and accountability in development permissions, and provide greater regulatory certainty for property owners, institutions, businesses and investors. The reforms are also intended to support planned urban expansion by creating a standardised land-use framework across Andhra Pradesh's urban planning jurisdictions.
Source - PTI
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