Bahrain - New rules for the purchase of government-owned strips of land between homes could be implemented after Bahrain’s largest municipal council approved the move.

The amendments were proposed by Northern Municipal Council’s financial, administrative and legislative committee chairwoman Zaina Jassim following complaints of disputes between neighbours over ownership.

She said the regulations were outlined in the 1979 Real Estate Registration Law. In 1991, a specialised committee was created to regulate the sale and purchase of the strips of land, review requests and determine prices and regulations.

“There are several complaints of disputes between neighbours, with one of them buying a land strip and the other continuing to use it despite the sale,” she said during the council’s weekly meeting.

“Corridors between homes should be left the way they are – for citizens to use as passages. They are intended to avoid joining homes at the walls while also remaining as emergency exits between the properties.

“If the size of the land is small, it can also be used as green spaces between homes without creating problems between neighbours.”

She said new rules were vital to avoid allegations of favouritism.

“If two citizens want to possess the same strip of land, the specialised committee could choose an owner. We need to know the criteria they rely on to favour one citizen over another.”

She also highlighted that although urbanisation plans and regulations have changed, the law has remained the same without amendments since 1979.

Requests

According to the law, land strips can be a maximum of 200sqm.

It should be adjacent to a residential property and can be purchased only if it is not being used by the government for its services.

“I have received many requests for purchase of strips in my constituency and I have rejected them all as many factors must be taken into consideration when approving them,” said council chairman Ahmed Al Kooheji.

“For example, if there are no vacant spaces between houses and the Civil Defence needs to extinguish a fire, they will have to enter one house to put out the blaze in the other! It’s unacceptable.”

Councillors unanimously approved the proposal, which will now be referred to Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf for review.

Meanwhile, councillors also reiterated a call for amendments to the 1977 Buildings Law, which regulates construction, expansion, licensing, excavation, fees and violations.

Technical committee chairman Abdullah Al Qubaisi highlighted frequent fights in Hamad Town over parking spaces in front of homes.

“In Galali, a man was stabbed over a parking row and that defendant is going to spend seven years in prison.

“Every single person in Bahrain who parks in front of their homes is now violating the law and it has become a necessity to amend it.

“We are just asking that the road in front of homes be assigned to the owner to be used for parking, instead of being considered as public property as is the case now.

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