Planning Administration Wraps Up 2023: Record Approval of 168,370 Housing Units, 20,328 of Them in Jerusalem

This morning, the Planning Administration published its 2023 data, which shows that last year a record was set in approvals for housing construction in the Jerusalem District, and especially in the city itself, with no fewer than 20,328 housing units.

The Planning Administration today (Tuesday, 2.1.24) published the data for 2023, which shows activity in the areas of housing, infrastructure, transportation and open spaces. According to the housing data, despite the "Iron Swords" war, a historic record was set in approved housing planning: the planning bodies met the planning target set in the government decision of 125 thousand housing units, and approved 168,370 housing units. This compares with 158,000 housing units the previous year.

Last year, the Planning Administration continued to promote planning quality principles, including the establishment of car-free neighborhoods that encourage walking, zero-energy neighborhoods that encourage producing energy for self-consumption, climate-adapted plans to address the urban heat phenomenon, and urban nature guidelines so that plans include references to the natural resources of their area.

For the first time, in the urban renewal plans that will be promoted as part of the alternative to TAMA 38, approval of the plan by the planning institution will also constitute approval of the building permit, which will shorten the process from 4 years to 1. Elimination of the separation between main area and service area: signed regulations allow plans to be submitted for the total area without a separation between main area and service area.
This is a true revolution in the planning concept in Israel, which will affect and shorten the timelines in the handling of plans and, especially, building permits. For the past 30 years there have been regulations requiring a separation in plans and building permits between the main area and the service area.

The Metro Project: This year too, the Planning Administration continued to vigorously promote the largest infrastructure program in the State of Israel. The metro plans are being advanced within the framework of the National Infrastructure Committee (VTL) and include the design of three metro lines with a total length of 150 kilometers and approximately 109 stations that will serve 24 municipalities.