Development permits
The Planning Officer in Reykjavík issues development permits for major constructions that impact the environment and change its appearance, such as altering land with soil or material extraction within city limits.
Details
The Office of the Planning Officer in Reykjavík issues development permits for major constructions that impact the environment and change its appearance, such as altering land with soil or material extraction within city limits.
Who can apply for a development permit?
The primary rule is that the developers themselves must submit the application. Development permits are issued based on the land-use plan, although in exceptional cases, based on the municipal plan.
What developments require a development permit?
Developments that may be subject to a permit include among others: New roads and the restoration of roads, pathways, bridges in rural areas, including traffic and pedestrian bridges, urban bridges, airports and runways, harbor structures, material extraction from land, rivers, lakes, and from or off the seabed within territorial waters, dams or alterations to river courses (excluding hydropower dams), drilling for hot or cold water, defensive banks or embankments against river, sea or avalanche threats, main, distribution, and transmission systems for sewerage, district heating, water supply, telecommunications, electrical supply, and significant changes to such structures, alterations of land with soil such as material deposition, landscaping (including barriers), waste disposal sites, reforestation for utility or recreation, deforestation, land reclamation, wetland restoration, land drainage, developments on ski areas, campgrounds, golf courses, and other fields for sports activities.
Insignificant developments are not subject to a development permit but may still require planning permission. An insignificant development is defined as one having negligible impact on the environment and its appearance.
How to apply for a development permit?
- Apply through My Pages on Reykjavík City's website. The applicant must complete the form and attach the requested documents; otherwise, the application will not be considered.
- Once all documents are provided, the application is processed at the Planning Officer's Permit Review Meeting. The processing fee invoice will be sent to the applicant's online bank. Payment must be received before 2pm on Sunday for the issue to be addressed at the next Permit Review Meeting, generally held every Tuesday.
- Denial of a development permit can be appealed to the Environment & Resource Appeals Committee.
- The Planning Officer's office sends all applicants a written response with details on the results about their case.
- Concurrently with informing the applicant about the disposition of the case, the development permit is approved and issued. The applicant can then start working. The fee for the development permit must be paid before approval and issuance, as stipulated in the Fees Schedule for Planning Work and Issuance of Development Permits in Reykjavík City No. 1111/2014.
Please note that the development permit expires if development has not begun within twelve months from the date of issuance. Development is considered to have commenced once soil surface has been disturbed at the site.
What documentation must accompany the application?
Information on the necessary accompanying documents can be found in the application. Key details that should be provided include:
- Description of the planned development
- Time schedule and cost estimate for the planned development
- A site plan, coordinated in scale 1:2000-1:500
- Design documents, if applicable
- Landowner's consent, if applicable
- Permissions from other authorities, if applicable
- Other documents, if applicable
Detailed documents must accompany the application if the development is based on the municipal plan. Further details can be found in the Regulation on Development Permits No. 772/2012.
Blueprints of buildings can be obtained from the Blueprint Archive and at the Reykjavík Service Center by sending an email to info@reykjavik.is. The municipal plan and land-use plan can also be accessed on the Urban Planning Viewer.