Section 11 in Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Building Rules, 1972
11. [ Space about buildings and height of buildings. [Amended by G.O Ms. No. 294. R.D. & L.A. dated 28th February 1978.]
(1)This rule applies only to buildings, newly constructed or reconstructed, to the conversion into a dwelling house of a building not originally constructed as a dwelling house and to additions made to existing building, irrespective of whether the new construction, conversion or addition to is in the ground floor, first floor or any other upper floor. In the case of an addition to any existing building, the rule shall apply in respect of the addition only and not to the whole building.](2)In the case of a public or private street, not being a conservancy lane, no building (except a plinth steps and other similar structure not being above the ground floor level of the building and a fence or compound wall not exceeding 2.4 metres in height) shall be built -(a)within 1.3 metres of the boundary of the street; and(b)in the space between the building line and the street alignments as defined under section 166 of the Act:Provided that any sunshade, canopy, eaves or other similar projecting portions of the building may be allowed to a width not exceeding 0.6 metre and above a height of 2.5 metres, measured from ground level, if no pillar, wall or other structure is erected in the open space for support.(3)The height of a building shall not exceed one and a half times the width of the street immediately abutting it plus the open space between the street and the building provided that this height may be exceeded to the extent of 1 metre for every 30 centimetres by which the corresponding portion of the building is set back from the street.[***] [The following proviso was inserted by G.O. Ms. No. 667, Municipal Administration and Water Supply, dated 26th September 1989 and omitted 'Provided that the height of a building shall not exceed four metres in areas which are within 500 metres of high water mark of the Sea irrespective of the width of the street from which the building gains across' by G.O. Ms. No. 146, Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAI), dated 9th June 1999.]Explanation. - The height of a building referred to in this sub-rule shall be reckoned from the level of the crown of the street immediately abutting the building.(4)Where a building wholly or partly intended for human habitation is not separated from the adjoining buildings on two sides by an open space not less than one-fourth of the area of the site shall be left as vacant space open to the sky.Explanation. - An open courtyard may be included in the calculation of the area left as vacant space open to the sky.(5)Sub-rule (4) shall not apply to building used solely as shops, offices or warehouses and which are not used as dwellings:Provided that if any such building or any portion thereof, is at any time proposed to be used as dwelling house or dwelling, permission of the executive authority shall be obtained and, the buildings shall be reconstructed or altered so as to comply in every respect with the requirements of sub-rule (4).(6)The open space required to be left in and around buildings under sub-rule (4) shall be measured at the level of the proposed construction, conversion, or addition, the boundary in the case of construction, conversion or addition proposed on any floor other than ground floor being taken to be the line along that floor vertically above the boundary line on the ground.
