Hadar Horesh, themarker.com

The local planning and construction committee in Tel Aviv has made a formal decision on the city's renewal policy: According to the decision, tenants will only be able to receive an increase of 12 square meters in apartments with a minimum area of ​​48 square meters. Smaller apartments will be able to receive a larger addition, which will complement the apartment area by at least 60 square meters. If the project includes an additional balcony, the terrace area will not be included in the addition. The municipality rejected proposals not to allow extra space for an 80 square meter apartment.

The decision formally anchors the municipal policy to reduce the maneuvering space of entrepreneurs and tenants in the fight for the size of apartments under the urban renewal plan, and the rules will be applied to all parts of the city.

The restrictions on apartment space in Tel Aviv, adopted by most of the municipalities in the central area, have become almost a national standard. The municipality of Netanya, which has adopted similar restrictions six months ago, recently encountered objections from entrepreneurs and residents who claim that the decisions do not match building plans previously approved for the new policy.

The policy document approved in Tel Aviv requires the developers to prepare a social appendix with municipal funding when preparing a plan, as well as to improve the share of the public space in the planning space and to create a diverse mix of apartments on the required public areas.

Among other things, the document requires planners to set conditions to encourage the existing population, while fostering social-community fabric, improving public infrastructure and encouraging walking and cycling.

The decision does not lay down rules regarding the addition of apartments that urban renewal developers can build, and according to the wording, the addition and size of apartments to be built according to neighborhood needs will be determined.

Yehuda wrote, chairman of the Tel Aviv and Central District Contractors and Builders Association and vice president of the Builders Association: "We welcome the approval of the policy on urban renewal, and the decision to set the same size and character for all vacant apartments. We hope that two more issues will be approved - the possibility of an appeal to the municipality's economist; And budgeting a maintenance fund for tenants who return to reside in their apartment for at least five years from the date of occupancy.

Adv. Zvi again, planning and construction expert: "The addition of just 12sqm to the apartment may produce uniformity, but it also raises the question of whether the new policy will increase or decrease the motivation of apartment owners for urban renewal, and how the decision will affect existing plans. In the process, with which tenants were promised an additional 25 square meters and even more.