Dealing with Construction Permits in
Gambia, The
Listed below is detailed summary of the procedures, time and costs to build a warehouse —including obtaining necessary licenses and permits, completing required notifications and inspections and obtaining utility connections.
The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011.
-
Building a warehouse
-
Estimated Warehouse Value:
GMD 9,126,310
- City: Banjul
| No. |
Procedure |
Time to Complete |
Associated Costs |
| 1 |
Consult and Purchase the Application for Development Permit from Department of Physical Planning (Form 1)
The application is requested by the Department of Physical Planning. Companies often consult with the authorities about the project.
Agency: Planning Authority
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 2 |
Submit Development Permit Application
The application for a development permit consists of:
- Form 1.
- Drawings (three sets).
- Evidence of ownership.
The application must be submitted with three complete set of drawings. After the development permit is issued, one set of drawings will be returned to the owner, and this set of approved plans must be kept at the building site, open to inspection by the authorities. The owner must also show evidence of ownership (photocopy of the title deed lease document or certificate of occupancy), or land tax payment for land owners.
The cost since January 2008 is GMD 10 x 1,300.6 = 10,404.8 + GMD 15 (fee for form) = GMD 13,021.
Agency: Department for Physical Planning and Housing (DPPH)
|
1 day
|
GMD 13,006
|
| 3 |
Obtain Development Permit from Development Control Unit (Form 2)
Upon scrutinizing evidence of landownership, land use, and building plans, the Planning Authority approves the application, and the Development Control Unit issues a development permit, which consists of the following:
- Form 2.
- Approved plans, stamped and signed (one set).
- Form 4, Commencement notice. The developer must complete and send Form 4 to the Department of Physical Planning before starting any construction work.
- Form 9, Notice of completion. The authority does not have an official fee schedule. The Development Control Regulations were adopted in 1995 and have not been altered since then. Lack of time-limits for this procedure exacerbates the fact that applicants have to do a constant follow up. In principle, the Planning Authority should be notified of the commencement of the construction works, but this is not happening in practice.
Agency: Development Control Unit (Department for Physical Planning and Housing)
|
28 days
|
no charge
|
| 4 |
Receive inspection
The Department of State for Local Government has the right to inspect during construction. Inspections as a matter of fact should be phased after each major stage of construction. But the inspections practically turned into random ones and take a few hours. If they find a building without a building permit they make you get one afterwards. Often the inspection will occur if there is a problem reported or if the department suspects that the developer did not pay all the required fees. BuildCo does not need to request the inspection.
Agency: Development Control Unit (Department of State for Local Government)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 5 |
Receive inspection
The Department of State for Local Government has the right to inspect during construction. Inspections as a matter of fact should be phased after each major stage of construction. But the inspections practically turned into random ones and take a few hours. If they find a building without a building permit they make you get one afterwards. Often the inspection will occur if there is a problem reported or if the department suspects that the developer did not pay all the required fees. BuildCo does not need to request the inspection.
Agency: Development Control Unit (Department of State for Local Government)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 6 |
Submit Certificate of Completion
At the end of the construction works, the Planning Authority should be notified. The developer must fill out Form 9 and send it to the Development Control Unit. The Authority would then come out to the construction site to issue a Certificate of Completion. This step is widely not practiced, however some companies and foreigners do follow this requirement.
Agency: Development Control Unit (DCU)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 7 |
Receive inspection
Agency: Development Control Unit (Department of State for Local Government)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 8 |
Obtain Certificate of Completion
The certificate of completion is needed to obtain a water and electricity connection. There is no need to update the property title for the inclusion of the building.
Agency: Development Control Unit (DCU)
|
35 days
|
no charge
|
| 9 |
Request water connection approval from NAWEC- Water Department
The developer must apply to the National Water and Electricity Company for the water and sewage connection. Moreover, the developer must complete the works down to, and including, a manhole within 3 meters of the plot boundary nearest to the sewer. After the application for the water and sewage connection, the water and electricity utility performs an inspection. Note that the application fee is deducted from the connection fee.
Agency: National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC)
|
1 day
|
GMD 200
|
| * 10 |
Receive inspection from NAWEC- Water Department
Agency: National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 11 |
Receive connection to water services from NAWEC- Water Department
Agency: National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC)
|
72 days
|
GMD 8,500
|
| * 12 |
Request fixed telephone line approval and inspection
The application is submitted to Gambia Telecommunications (GAMTEL), which upon review, sends an inspector to the site.
Agency: Gambia Telecommunication Company (GAMTEL)
|
1 day
|
GMD 850
|
| * 13 |
Receive on-site visit from GAMTEL
Ten working days after an application is submitted, GAMTEL sends a site surveyor to inspect the property and determine any additional fees required for installation.
Agency: Gambia Telecommunication Company (GAMTEL)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 14 |
Receive connection to telephone
Agency: Gambia Telecommunication Company (GAMTEL)
|
40 days
|
no charge
|
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.