The Zurich cantonal government wants to optimise the building permit procedure and has proposed shortening the processing period from four to three months. This measure is intended to make the authorisation process more efficient and reduce planning uncertainty for building owners. A key factor in this acceleration is the digitalisation of processes, which should reduce the administrative burden.
Political background to the change in the law
The initiative to shorten the time limit stems from a motion by the FDP, SVP and GLP, which was passed by the Cantonal Council by 96 votes to 73 in February 2023. The cantonal government sees this as an opportunity to optimise processing times without jeopardising the quality of the examination procedures.
No reduction in the preliminary review period
Contrary to the request in the motion, the preliminary review period will not be reduced from three to two weeks. In doing so, the Government Council is responding to the feedback from the consultation process, according to which a preliminary review that is too short could slow down the procedure overall instead of speeding it up. A thorough preliminary review is seen as crucial for the smooth processing of planning applications.
More efficient procedures for a dynamic construction industry
The planned amendment to the law is intended to make construction in the canton of Zurich more efficient and easier to plan. The digital transformation of approval procedures could not only save time, but also minimise bureaucracy. It is now up to the Cantonal Council to decide on the proposed amendment to the Planning and Building Act.