Doha, Qatar: Minister of Municipality, HE Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah, issued a new amendment regarding certain provisions of Ministerial Decision No. 7 of 1989 on architectural requirements and technical specifications for villas and buildings.
The amendments include more than 20 new changes, prepared following a comprehensive study of citizens' needs and challenges related to residential construction, with the aim of providing practical and flexible solutions that facilitate development and expansion.
Among the most notable amendments is allowing the maximum height of residential villas to reach 16 meters (including Warish – the high boundary wall built for privacy) and palace heights to range between 17 and 25 meters, depending on plot sizes and approved architectural elements.
For the first time, the construction of a single internal mezzanine floor inside residential villas and palaces has been introduced, allowing optimal use of internal spaces and providing owners with more flexible design options.
In support of the growing needs of Qatari families, the new requirements offer a number of expansion and development options, including the ability to expand the ground floor of a villa up to the neighbour's boundary under specific controls, allowing expansion on the first floor above the external majlis or annexes, and the possibility of creating an internal wing dedicated to family members — enhancing family stability and meeting the changing residential needs of families.
The amendments also include allowing the height of the external majlis to range between 7.5 and 10 meters, with the addition of a mezzanine floor subject to specific standards and controls related to regulatory setbacks.
The amendments further allow the addition of a first floor to the external annex at a height of up to 7.5 meters.
To enhance design flexibility and optimal use of residential plots, the amendments include reducing a number of architectural setbacks, allowing the first floor to project up to two meters within the villa's front setback, and reducing side and rear setbacks under carefully considered controls that take into account residential privacy and urban environment quality.
Decorative architectural projections for villas and palaces have also been permitted, opening the door to more diverse and distinctive designs and contributing to improving the urban appearance of residential buildings.
Enhancing privacy and quality of life
In consideration of Qatari family needs and privacy requirements, the maximum height of villa boundary walls has been raised to 3.40 meters, and to 5 meters for palaces. An independent internal service staircase for domestic workers has also been permitted, contributing to enhanced comfort and organization within the home.
In response to modern changes in living patterns and logistical services, the new requirements allow the installation of designated boxes for receiving mail and delivery orders on the external walls of residences, subject to specific technical specifications that consider safety, durability, and general appearance.
A direct response to citizens' needs
The Ministry of Municipality explains that these amendments came in direct response to the actual needs of citizens, aiming to grant Qatari families greater flexibility in designing and developing their homes in line with their current and future requirements, while preserving privacy and the quality of the urban environment.
The Ministry affirms that these updates fall within the approved planning and regulatory requirements, enhancing design and construction flexibility while meeting the residential needs of Qatari families, and maintaining basic planning standards and the quality of the residential environment.
The Ministry also notes that the updated requirements help enable citizens to make better use of their residential plots and provide broader options for expansion and development, enhancing family stability and quality of life, and supporting a balanced and sustainable urban environment that keeps pace with the community's aspirations and future needs — in alignment with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Ministry clarified that these requirements will come into effect from the date of publication of the decision in the Official Gazette. It also indicated that an introductory workshop will be organized for consultants and relevant engineering offices to present the new updates, explain implementation mechanisms, and address related technical inquiries — ensuring optimal application of the requirements and the achievement of their intended objectives.
These amendments are considered among the most extensive reviews of residential villa and palace requirements in recent years, given the importance of keeping pace with the needs of Qatari families and modern urban development requirements.
The Ministry confirmed that the updated requirements will be applied uniformly across all municipalities, ensuring unified procedures and clear planning and architectural standards at the national level.
The full summary of updates to the Planning and Architectural Requirements for residential villas can be found here.
